Noull score four to see off Fifers

Jan 27 2009 by Our Correspondent, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

SATURDAY’S fixtures were severely curtailed as the heavy frost that prevailed over the course of Friday night and Saturday morning rendered many of the pitches unplayable.

Kinnoull, Scone Thistle and Luncarty did however get their games played.

Kinnoull were guests of Oakley in the premier league while Scone and Luncarty were also down in the Kingdom where they faced up to Thornton Hibs and St Andrews in central league games.

Kinnoull faced up to Oakley who are a team desperately battling to distance themselves from the relegation zone and they have been quite successful in their attempts to do so.

The Fifers have taken eight points from their last four league games. They also had a cup win to their credit and they had high expectations of extending this unbeaten run to six games at Kinnoull’s expense.

The Fifers had most of the attacking play in the early part of the game but were held in check by a steady Kinnoull defence. In 25 minutes they got the break through they had been striving for.

A great through ball from Lee Celentano to Brian Cusick virtually left Cusick in a one to one situation with Kinnoull keeper Duncan Bruce. Duncan came out of his goal and made a brilliant blocking save but the ball rebounded off him and landed back with Cusick who made no mistake with his second attempt to put his side into a 1–0 lead.

Kinnoull retaliated immediately to this setback and with 10 more minutes on the clock they were back on level terms.

A great move involving a number of players saw the ball finish with Jon Kelly and the striker promptly cracked it into the back of the net from close range.

Kinnoull really had their tails up now and they had their hosts very much on the back foot but a couple of corners brought no joy.

In 42 minutes they were awarded a free kick out on the left hand side of their opponents penalty box.

Steve McManus took the kick and he found Iain Wilkie.

The centre half, had come up in support of his attack and this proved to be a profitable move by Iain, who was unmarked.

Iain took full advantage of the situation by coolly lobbing the ball into the back of the net from about eight yards to give his team a 2–1 interval lead.

The second half saw play surge from end to end and while both teams won corners they brought no joy to either team.

Kinnoull were again beginning to stamp their authority on the game and in 62 minutes they were rewarded with a third goal.

Dave Quinn picked up the ball on the left and despite the attentions of defenders he managed to cut along the byline and cross the ball to Jon Kelly and for the second time in the game the striker did the business with a well taken goal.

Oakley with nothing to lose now threw everybody into the attack and for a spell they had Kinnoull on the defensive and they came near to pulling a goal back with a good effort from their striker Celentano, but Duncan Bruce excelled again with another great save.

Kinnoull after this flurry got back into an attacking mode and in 84 minutes they were awarded a free kick which was again taken by Steve McManus and he fired it into the heart of the Oakley penalty box where Jamie McKenzie was unmarked and waiting for it and he made it 4–1 with a strong header from around 12 yards.

Kinnoull boss Scott Brown was obviously delighted with the result which he saw as an excellent team performance in which every player played his part to the full.

Scone Thistle were slow to settle in their game with Thornton Hibs and were pretty much on the defensive.

The Hibs had a great chance to take the lead in 14 minutes when Gary Braid was put through and left with only keeper David Winton to beat. David somehow managed to get his fingertips to the strikers effort and touch it over the bar for a first class save.

A few minutes later the Hibs mounted another attack and there was no respite for Thistle this time.

A cross from Alan McAllister was met by Lee Wotherspoon who rifled it past David Winton from close range.

Five minutes later Wotherspoon had a chance to increase the Hibs lead when he met with a cross from the left but with the goal at his mercy he shot past the post.

Scone now came more into the game and a chip shot from Callum McKinlay had the keeper struggling to get to it but unfortunately it went inches over the bar.

Five minutes later Thistle came close again.

A cross from Grant McGregor was met by Andy Smith. His well struck volley was just a bit too straight at the keeper who saved it.

Play was end to end after this and with the game in its final minute of the half the referee awarded the Hibs a penalty as he considered Wotherspoon to have been fouled in the box.

It was a decision that the Thistle certainly didn’t agree with despite Thistle’s protestations Gary Braid made no mistake with the spot kick to put his side 2–0 ahead.

The second half of this game was a very different story as from the restart of the game Thistle had the Hibs back on the defensive.

After one or two near things Thistle finally got the breakthrough they were looking for in 57 minutes.

They were awarded a free kick which was about 25 yards from the Hibs goal. It was taken by Andy Smith who crashed the ball into the top corner of the net for what was a terrific goal that reduced the leeway to 2–1.

Thistle were dominating the play and Craig Jack should have levelled the scores in 65th minute when he met with a cross from Andy Smith but headed it past the post.

A few minutes later a 15 yard strike from Scott McManus came rattling back of the post with the keeper beaten.

It wasn’t to be Thistle’s day however as they missed two further good chances and had what they felt was a stonewall penalty denied them.

Understandably it was another decision from the referee that didn’t go down well.

Despite a sterling second half performance Thistle came home empty handed.

Luncarty were guests of St Andrews who are still unbeaten in league games and they preserved this record at the Bleachers expense as they won this game 4–1.

They didn’t get it all their own way as the Bleachers turned in a spirited performance.

The Saints got off to an early start goal wise when Colin McCurgan put them ahead after only eight minutes.

Five minutes later they were brought back to earth when a good piece of combined play by the Bleachers Ross Laing and Stuart Allen opened up their defence and Ross Laing’s cross into the penalty box was picked up by Bob Nairn who was unmarked and he promptly whacked the ball into the back of the net and the game was all square.

The Bleachers joy was short lived as three minutes later Davie Evans restored the Saints lead when he stabbed home a cross from Paul Farquharson to make it 2–1 and that’s how the score stood at the interval.

The second half followed the same pattern with the Saints on the attack for most of the time and the Bleachers looking dangerous when they managed to break up the park.

The Bleachers despite their defensive heroics lost two further goals. Paul Farquharson got the first of those in 67 minutes and five minutes later Davie Evans with his second goal of the game completed the scoring with goal number four for the Saints.

Luncarty manager Barrie Malcolm praised his team for their never say die spirit in this game.

The two remaining Tayside teams left in the Scottish Cup had differing fortunes in the draw for the fifth round.

Carnoustie are away to Clydebank while Montrose Roselea, who have still to surmount a fourth round replay against Dyce if they are to win through to what will be a very lucrative home tie against Glasgow side Petershill.

Ties are due to be played on February 14.

SATURDAY’S results: Bukta Teamware.co Leagues: Premier League – Oakley United 1, Kinnoull 4.

Central League – Thornton Hibs 2, Scone Thistle 1; St Andrews 4, Luncarty 1.

All other games cancelled.