Fixtures backlog starts to unravel

Dec 23 2008 by Our Correspondent, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

IT was back to business as usual after the enforced layoff over the past three weeks with a full programme of fixtures played.

Jeanfield Swifts were at home to Dyce in the third round of the Scottish Cup and this game ended all square at 2–2 which means Swifts are now faced with the long trip up north for the replay on Saturday.

Swifts goals on Saturday were scored in the final minute of each half. Swifts were the better side in the first half in this game but they couldn’t turn their superiority into goals.

Swifts mounted an attack and a cross from David Thornton to Jon Anderson at the far post saw the striker connect with the ball but his header was saved by keeper Tony Buckley.

The ball broke away from him and crossed the line despite a defenders attempts to clear it and Swifts went in for the break a goal ahead.

The second half was a different story as Dyce were now looking the stronger side and had the Swifts defence pretty much on the back foot and in 66 minutes they got back on level terms. A good bit of combined play between Steve Jeffrey and Kevin Neish left Neish in a one to one situation with keeper Andy Mackie. Andy came off his line and managed to block the strikers shot.

Unfortunately for Andy and Swifts the ball broke to Stuart Cole who was unmarked and in the penalty box and had the easy task of hitting the ball into the back of the empty net.

Swifts strived hard to get back into the game but in 82 minutes they went behind when a cross from Chris Hardie found Stuart Henderson in the clear inside the Swifts penalty box and he fired the ball past Andy Mackie from about 15 yards.

Swifts had nothing to lose now and they threw caution to the wind as they chased the equaliser and they came close a couple of times. It was beginning to look as if it was all over for Swifts when a ball was played out to Sean Fergus on the right wing. Swan took the ball in his stride and let fly a rocket shot that sailed over the heads of the Dyce defence as it flew into the postage stamp corner of the net, which was a great goal from the youngster and it earned the Swifts a replay which they deserved.

Coupar Angus were also engaged in a third round Scottish tie when they met St Anthony’s at Foxhall Park.

This game got off to a sensational start as Coupar took the lead with less than a minute played. A long ball into the St Anthony’s penalty box from the Coupar midfield wasn’t cleared by the defence and Coupar striker Janek Rujnicka pounced on it and had it in the back of the net before they could recover.

St Anthony’s set about getting back on level terms and it took them only 10 minutes to do so.

Graham Japp cottoned on to a through ball on the edge of the Coupar penalty box. He let go a well struck shot which unfortunately took a deflection off a defender which wrong footed keeper Arik and landed in the back of the net.

St Anthony’s now had their tails up and they forced a succession of corners which brought them no joy and Coupar looked to have weathered the storm and were trying hard to get back into the game but to no avail.

St Anthony’s forced another corner in 37 minutes which was fired into the heart of the Coupar penalty box and the St Anthony striker Aboub Mansure out jumped his markers to head his team into a 2–1 lead.

Despite St Anthony’s and to a lesser extent Coupar having chances after that goal there was no further scoring and it is St Anthony’s who go forward to round four.

Kinnoull met North End in the premier league at Tulloch Park.

The game had only been in operation four minutes when Kinnoull took the lead. An inswinging corner from Steve McManus was met by Niel Gardiner at the far post and he beat the keeper with a well placed header. Niel came in contact with the post in the act of scoring the goal and was laid low for a few minutes and after treatment was able to carry on.

North End came close to getting back on level terms when a misunderstanding in the Kinnoull defence allowed North End striker Lindsay Gray to intercept a pass from Mark Gordon which left the striker in a one to one situation with goalkeeper Duncan Bruce who came off his goal line. The striker hit the ball past him and it looked to be netbound but it caught the post and went out for a goal kick and that was a let off.

Kinnoull went on to increase their lead to 2–0 with a goal from Jon Kelly in 27 minutes. Three minutes later Sandy Ross made it 3–0.

The pattern of the game changed in the second half as North End were the more aggressive side and Kinnoull were forced back on the defensive. Their cause wasn’t helped when striker Neil McCallum got a straight red card after remarks to the referee. North End reduced the leeway when Stephen Kerr scored from the edge of the penalty box.

It was now one way traffic with Kinnoull on the defensive and in 72 minutes North End’s Chris Tawse made it 3–2.

A now rampant North End went on to square the game two minutes later and this goal was a real calamity for Kinnoull as Mark Gordon and Duncan Bruce collided in going for the ball which broke away from them to North End’s Jon McBride and he had the easy task of stroking the ball into the back of an empty net.

Kinnoull almost snatched the winner in the final minute of the game when a header from Neil Gardiner looked to be netbound but brought out a fantastic save from North End keeper Neal Ferrie.

Blairgowrie were away to Penicuik in the premier league and the high flying Lothian’s side went ahead with a goal from Ross Montgomery. Penicuik were reduced to 10 men when Kevin Milne was red carded after a hefty tackle on Mark Brash.

Then followed two further sending offs that saw Penicuik reduced to eight men. Their goalkeeper Raymie Sandison and his replacement, Martin Cameron, both of whom were sent off in last man incidents which were identical in nature and Blair forward Darren Neave who was brought down in the penalty box firstly by keeper Sandison and then by Martin Cameron, in separate incidents. Blair were awarded two penalties which Paul Ireland converted to give his team a 2–1 interval lead.

The second half was dominated by Blair who went on to score four further goals to give them a resounding 6–1 victory and three valuable points. These goals were shared by Mark Brash and Alan Cruickshanks (two apiece).

Bankfoot had an outstanding result in their Redwood Cup preliminary round.

Bankies were away to Downfield who are well to the forefront in the race for the league championship and were the favourites to win this cup clash and looked to be on course to do so as they were 2–0 ahead at the interval. The Bankies however came storming back in the second half and went on to win by a 4–2 margin.

John Mitchell got the first of those goals in a one to one situation with the goalkeeper. John had eluded his marker and as the keeper came off his line to tackle him he calmly stroked the ball into the back of the net to make it 2–1.

Bankies got back on level terms when Alan Brown, who came on as a sub, beat the keeper with a deft chip shot into the top corner of the net.

The game looked to be heading for a penalty shoot out as it was still all square going into the final two minutes but the Bankies, who had been on top, went on to grab two goals and once again Alan Brown and John Mitchell were their scorers. Those goals gave Bankies a 4–2 win and it was no more than they deserved.

Scone Thistle and Luncarty were also involved in the Redwood Cup preliminary round ties. Scone were at home to Kirrie Thistle and for a second week they were on the receiving end as they were thrashed to the tune of 9–2.

Luncarty were away to East Craigie and they lost to their hosts by the odd goal in three. All the goals were scored in the first half. Ross McFarlane gave the Craigie the lead with 30 yard strike. Niel Allan levelled for the Bleachers on the half hour mark but five minutes later Steve Martin netted goal number two for the Craigie.