Swifts are flying after comeback win over Lochore

Nov 25 2008 by Our Correspondent, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

JEANFIELD SWIFTS have moved up to the second top spot in the Central League table after their win over Lochore Welfare at the Riverside Stadium.

Swifts, while they were deserved winners, certainly didn’t get it all their own way.

They had a nervy spell in the early part of the game and went a goal behind in 23 minutes.

The Fifers were awarded a free kick which was rifled into the Swifts penalty box and their centre-half Ross Laing rose unimpeded to bullet a header past Andy Mackie.

This setback was a wake up call for Swifts and they set about getting back on level terms and came close to doing so in 28 minutes when a shot from David Thornton was cleared off the line by a Welfare defender.

Thornton took his revenge three minutes later when he met a cross from Tony Holt and promptly smacked the ball past the keeper and the game was all square.

Swifts now had their tails up and Lochore were on the back foot and in 38 minutes Swifts took the lead.

A cross into the box was met by John Anderson and the striker unselfishly headed the ball down to Bally Whytock who took it in his stride and crashed it past the keeper from 15 yards to make it 2-1 at half-time.

Swifts mounted a series of attacks after the break and came close to going further ahead but they were thwarted by the Lochore keeper who produced a string of good saves.

But rampant Swifts weren’t to be denied and in 65 minutes they made it 3-1.

Tony Holt burst forward from just inside the Lochore half, brushed aside a number of challenges and hit a perfect cross to John Anderson who came charging into the penalty box and swept it past the keeper with a shot for a brilliantly executed goal.

Lochore came much more into the game in the last 10 minutes and while they created a couple of good chances their finishing attempts were very poor.

With little more than a minute of the game remaining they were awarded a free-kick which was taken by John Cusick.

The full-back flighted the ball over the Swifts defensive wall and away from Andy Mackie and went in off the inside of the post to make it 3–2.

This was too little too late for the Fifers and the Swifts were delighted to have taken the three points.

Kinnoull were at home to Musselburgh in the East of Scotland Cup.

Musselburgh had most of the early attacking play but didn’t really threaten the Kinnoull goal and the home side came more into the game and in the space of a few minutes they had a couple of chances, both created by Steve McManus free-kicks.

The first from Steve was right on target and was flapped at by the keeper and broke away from him and it landed with Sandy Ross.

Unfortunately for Sandy and Kinnoull his close range header went past the post. The second of Steve’s free kicks was met by Neil Gardiner in the Musselburgh penalty box, but Neil’s powerful header flew over the bar.

Musselburgh broke the deadlock in the 39th minute. This too came via a free-kick which was flighted into the Kinnoull penalty box and Danny Kelly rose unchallenged to head the ball past Duncan Bruce.

The Lothian side increased their lead to 2-0 in 53 minutes when Chris Gordon connected with a cross from Matt King and his looping header went over Duncan Bruce and landed in the back of the net.

Two minutes later Musselburgh were reduced to 10 men when their defender Martin Murphy was given a straight red after a hefty tackle on Jamie McKenzie.

Musselburgh were still in the process of reorganising their defence after the sending off when Kinnoull reduced the leeway.

Ross Gunnion fired an excellent cross into Gary Sweeney who was in the Musselburgh penalty box. Gary had to stoop to connect with the ball and he beat the keeper with a powerful header to make it 2-1.

Kinnoull’s joy was short lived, though, as four minutes later their opponents had restored their two goal lead with what was a rather fortunate goal.

A shot from Paul Currie from about 20 yards was covered by Duncan Bruce, but it took a deflection and wrong footed the keeper to put Musselburgh 3-1 ahead.

Luncarty were also playing in the East of Scotland Cup, at home to Premier League side Dundonald Bluebell.

The Bleacher’s played well and matched their opponents in a first half that looked like ending goalless.

But with only two minutes of the half remaining the Bleachers were dealt a hammer blow.

A ball into their goalmouth was only partially cleared and was picked up by the Dundonald striker Ross Morgan and landed in the back of the net and the solitary goal was enough to seal the tie for the Fifers.

The Bleachers can however take a great deal of credit from their performance and manager Barrie Malcolm said: “The spirit and commitment of the players was absolutely 100 per cent – and a bit more.”

Blairgowrie were at home to North Region Super League side Ellon United in the GA Cup and went on to win 5-1.

Blair were in command for most of the 90 minutes and attacked the Ellon goal from the kick off and in 14 minutes they took the lead.

Jamie Duncan picked up a through ball and ran on to crack it past the keeper from 15 yards.

Blair went 2-0 in front when Darren Neave finished off a combined move between himself and Jamie Duncan with a well taken goal.

The Davie Park men, despite continuing to pressurise the Ellon goal, failed to add to their score before the interval.

However after the half-time team talk they came out with all guns blazing, hit a real purple patch and surged into a 5-0 lead by the 53rd minute, with goals from Jamie Duncan, his second of the game, followed by a scorching free-kick from Nairn Gellatly from 25 yards and Mark Brash netted goal number five.

Keith Robertson got a consolation goal for Ellon in 82 minutes to make it 5-1 and that completed the scoring.

Blair now move forward to the draw for round three.

Bankfoot were away to the Central League leaders Rosyth and manager Robin Wood pulled a rabbit out of the hat by fielding his new secret signing in this game.

The player concerned was the former St Johnstone favourite Jim Weir, who recently had a stint as manager of Montrose.

Jim has been helping out the Bankies at their training sessions and Bankfoot were delighted that he agreed to turn out in this game for them.

Weir’s experience shone through in Saturday’s encounter which ended all square at 1-1.

This was a tremendous result for the Bankies and a real shock for the league leaders who finished the game with nine men after two of their players got their marching orders.

Bankies also had a player sent off.

The first half of this game ended goalless but seven minutes after the break Rosyth took the lead.

Bankies keeper Darren McGarry had made a good save from a strong shot from Scott Lackie, but the ball broke to Charlie Scarborough who accepted the easy chance to hit the ball into the back of the net.

Three minutes later came the first of the sending offs when Rosyth’s Jordan Laird got a red card after picking up a second caution.

Bankfoot were now having the better of the exchanges and came near to scoring once or twice.

Ross Morrison became the second Rosyth player to go for an early bath when he got a straight red card for a hefty tackle on Danny Dobbie.

Bankies’ Drew Fleming became the third player to be sent packing after he picked up a second yellow card in 79 minutes.

Bankies shrugged off this setback and with three more minutes on the clock they got a deserved equaliser when Alan Stewart finished off a really good move which involved Jim Weir, John Mitchell and Alan Brown and Bankies were all square.

Rosyth had to do some desperate defending to keep the Bankies from snatching the winner they deserved.

Scone Thistle were away to Steelend Vics and they registered their first away win of the season.

The icy wind that prevailed at Woodside Park made combined play very difficult.

Vics had most of the first-half play and they had a few shots on target but found Thistle keeper David Winton in terrific form and he dealt confidently with anything that came his way.

Scone also had chances but their attempts at putting them away proved to be rather feckless. Scone were seen much more as an attacking force in the second half and they played excellent football which was rewarded when Craig Stephen scored the winner for them midway through the half.

Thistle continued on top after this goal and had their finishing been on par with their leading up work the margin of their win would have been by a considerably wider margin.

Coupar Angus were away to Brechin Vics in the North League and turned in an excellent performance to win 4-1.

The Coupar scorers were Jacek (Jazz) Rusznica in the first half followed by a double from Gatush Moravicik and a strike from Ian Petrie in the second half.

David Skelly scored for the Vics in the 80th minute.