Redwood ties go to sudden death

Mar 3 2009 by Our Correspondent, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

JEANFIELD Swifts and Blairgowrie played Redwood Leisure Cup ties against Kelty Hearts and Crossgates Primrose respectively and both games went all the way to penalty shootouts.

Swifts unfortunately lost 9-8 while Blair went on to win 7-6.

Swifts turned in what was a really top class performance against their high profile opponents who topped the Super League going into this game.

Swifts certainly showed that they had no inferiority complex and had the better of the exchanges for quite a spell and came close to taking the lead midway through the half.

An excellent move saw the ball played out to Kevin Fowler who crossed for John Anderson and his effort from six yards range looked netbound until Kelty keeper Alan Fleming produced a wonder save.

This proved to be a crucial stop as Kelty came more into the game, forced a succession of corners and in 41 minutes a half-hit clearance was met by Graham Findlay who cracked the ball past Swifts’ keeper Andy Mackie.

Swifts shrugged off the disappointment of losing that late first-half goal as they swept into the attack from the re-start.

In 54 minutes they won a free-kick on the edge of the Kelty penalty box and Swifts’ set-piece expert Tony Holt stepped up and curled a fantastic effort round the defensive wall and, despite a despairing full length dive from the keeper, into left hand corner of the net.

Kelty probably had the lion’s share of the attacking play after this although there were chances at both ends. But there were however no further goals and what had been a highly entertaining and keenly fought cup encounter ended all square at 1-1.

The penalty shootout that followed saw 17 quality penalties converted. Kelty keeper Alan Fleming was again his team’s hero when he saved number 18 to end Swifts’ hopes.

Blairgowrie came close to taking the lead in their tie with Crossgates after just five minutes when a Mark Brash header was tipped over the bar by the keeper.

Ten minutes later however Blair broke the deadlock with a terrific strike from all of 25 yards. Paul Ireland was the scorer.

Crossgates had a great chance to level the game midway through the half when striker Mark Ragliarulo had only the Blair keeper Mark Nugent to beat but from a few yards out he headed the ball straight into the keeper’s hands.

Minutes later Mark Pagliarulo passed up another chance when he headed a cross against the bar when he really should have done better.

The striker however made it third time lucky in 32 minutes when a through ball caught the Blair defence off guard and Pagliarulo had only to tap the ball over the goal line to make it 1-1 and that’s how the game stood at the interval.

The second half had only gone four minutes when another defensive error from Blair left Ross Sneddon with a relatively easy chance which he accepted and the Primrose went 2-1 ahead.

Blair strived hard to pull the game round and in 75 minutes centre-half Lee Emslie got his marching orders after picking up a second caution.

Blair boss Billy Mackay made a double substitution when he brought on Gordon Pirie and Andy Murray in eight minutes and five minutes later it had paid off.

Pirie played the ball through to Darren Neave. Darren crossed the ball into the Primrose penalty box where it was picked up by Andy Murray and he smacked the ball past the keeper from 12 yards for what was an excellent equaliser that took the game into the shootout that Blair went on to win.

Blair historian Martin Mackay said that this is the first shootout they have won since 2003.

Kinnoull were at home to Dundonald Bluebell in the premier league and this was a real see-saw affair which Kinnoull won by 4-3.

The first Kinnoull goal came after only three minutes when a long clearance from centre-half Sandy Ross landed in the Bluebells’ goalmouth and the keeper touched it over the bar.

A vicious inswinging corner from Steve McManus was only partially cleared and Mark Gordon was on hand to cotton on to the ball and he slammed it past the goalkeeper from close range.

The Bluebells got back on level terms in 20 minutes. A cross into the Kinnoull goal was punched out by keeper Duncan Bruce but it didn’t get very far and it caused a real scramble in the goalmouth and Ray Morgan managed to poke it home for the equaliser.

It took Kinnoull two minutes to regain their lead. Jon Kelly was tripped on the edge of the Bluebells penalty box.

Dave Quinn took the free-kick and curled it round the defensive wall. It hit the inside of the post and rebounded and hit the keeper and deflected into the back of the net.

Play swung to the other end and the Bluebell won a corner which was hit into the penalty box.

Ray Morgan left his marker for dead to meet the ball at the near post and head it home to make it 2-2 after 26 minutes.

The goal scoring spree continued when Kinnoull restored their lead for a third time in 41 minutes.

A great forward pass was picked up by Dave Quinn and he quickly moved it on to Robbie Holden and he in turn played it out to Steve McManus.

His cross from the right was met by Jon Kelly who blasted it past the keeper from 10 yards to give his side a 3-2 interval lead.

Ten minutes into the second half the Bluebell’s yet again got back on level terms when Ray Morgan took advantage of sloppy defending from Kinnoull to complete his hat-trick.

Kinnoull went on to score what proved to be the winner in 66 minutes when a shot from Robbie Holden bounced back off the goalkeeper’s chest into the path of Jon Kelly who had the easy task of scoring his second goal of the game to make it 4-3. There was no comeback for the Bluebell’s this time.

Ray Morgan the Bluebell’s hat-trick hero was then sent off after picking up a second caution. He continued to have words with the referee and out came a second red card.

Bankfoot were at home to Newburgh and took the lead midway through the half.

Neil McCallum played the ball out to John Mitchell on the Bankies right wing. John skipped past a defender and from inside the penalty box he chipped the keeper and the ball landed in the back of the net at the far post for what was a well taken goal.

Bankies came close to increasing their lead a few minutes before the interval when a powerful header from Colin Fraser looked netbound only to be brilliantly saved by the keeper.

The opening 10 minutes of the second half proved to be costly for the Bankies as the Fifers swept into a 2-1 lead. Stewart Cargill got the first of those, the second was scored by Gregor Simpson from the penalty spot.

It was Bankies keeper Mike Whyte who conceded the spot-kick when he dived at an opponent’s feet in a last ditch attempt to prevent a goal, Mike suffered a facial injury in the process and couldn’t continue.

It didn’t happen for them and they came home with nothing to show for their efforts. To add to their disappointment Grant McGregor was red-carded after picking up a second caution in 72 minutes.

Coupar Angus were at home to Downfield and went a goal behind after only five minutes. Mark Fleming was the Spiders scorer.

Coupar retaliated to this early setback and Derek Lomas got them back on level terms with a goal in 24 minutes.

They then proceeded to take the lead in the half-hour mark with a 25-yard strike from Ian Petrie.

Ian went on to score again in 41 minutes to give Coupar a 3-1 interval lead which was good enough to win them the points.