Juniors: Kinnoull step-up quest for league points

Aug 27 2010 Perthshire Advertiser Friday

KINNOULL – for a second successive week – take on a team that have been elevated to the Premier League after winning promotion.

Thornton Hibs are their guests this weekend.

This game was due to be played at Thornton but their ground is still under repair hence the reason for the switch to Tulloch Park.

Kinnoull are looking to take their first league points from this game but manager Gavin Price hasn’t named a squad yet, as one or two of his players picked up knocks in Wednesday night’s semi-final tie with Hill o’ Beath.

He will wait and see what their position is before deciding on a line-up.

Thornton have had a disappointing start to their season, failing to win any of their league cup games, finishing second bottom of their section with just two points and last week in their Premier League baptism they lost to Carnoustie 4–1.

The Hibs lay much of the blame for this poor start on having a very depleted squad, due mainly to a hefty injury list, which included their two goalkeepers.

Their situation has improved for tomorrow’s game as one of their keepers Mike Wilson returns as does their skipper Iain Hepburn along with John Paul Burns, they are however still without a few of their squad.

In the Central League only Scone Thistle are away from home, they are guests of Jeanfield Swifts, this is their second visit to the Riverside Stadium in a fortnight.

Jeanfield Swifts were on the receiving end in their first league game against Steelend Vics last Saturday. The 6–2 licking they suffered in a game they were tipped to win, was a real shock for them and no doubt the reasons as to why it happened would be well aired at the Tuesday night training session.

Swifts Boss Scott Brown will have Aaron Whitehead and Jamie Reilly, unavailable last week, back in the squad. Only doubt is John Anderson who has a thigh injury and is likely to have a late fitness. Scott expects to have a squad of 15 or 16.

Thistle, know all about being on the receiving end as they suffered a hefty defeat on their previous visit to the Riverside. Thistle to their credit put that hefty defeat behind them and went on to win their next two games against Bankfoot in the League Cup and Lochore in the league and the fact that they kept a clean sheet in both those games is most encouraging.

Thistle boss Alan Cameron is still without long term injury victims Gerrard Kelly and John McGovern and they will be joined on the sidelines by Liam Pearson, damaged ankle ligaments.

Thistle will also be without, goalkeeper Kevin Stewart, Andy Smith and Greg Zaczek, all unavailable.

Alan Cameron expects to have a couple of trialists in his squad of 18.

Bankfoot entertain Rosyth and Bankies, disappointed at loosing to a stoppage time penalty goal last Saturday, which cost them a well deserved share of the points, are quietly confident that they will get their first points on the board tomorrow at their visitors expense.

Their task is more difficult as they will be without Gavin Mackie and Donald McDonald, both suspended, Craig Whyte, foot injury and there’s doubts about Steven Moon, leg injury. Steven will have a late test.

Bankies boss Ian Duff expects to have a squad of 15 or 16 which will include a trialist.

Rosyth have had a respectable start to their season finishing runners up in a tough League Cup section and last Saturday they won their first league points of the season against Newburgh by 3–0 and that was without three of their squad.

The missing players were MarkWestwater, Ron Taylor and Kenny Anderson who all return for this Coronation Park encounter.

Luncarty received a real hammering last Saturday in their away game at Kirkcaldy however they were back training as hard as ever this week.

Manager Mark Potter said of last week’s debacle: “The score in this game was a real shock to us as we have been playing quite well. We had a frank exchange of views into why we lost so heavily at our training sessions and feel we have sorted out the problems.”

Mark stressed that the spirits in the camp were still high and that they will be going all out to get a much more favourable result from tomorrow’s game against Crossgates at Brownlands Park.

The Bleachers gaffer expects to have a full squad of 18 available.

Crossgates got their league campaign off to a promising start last week at home to Oakley, whom it’s reckoned will be one of the contenders for the championship and they came close to taking the three points from this game as they were 1–0 ahead and looked to be heading for a win but they had to settle for a point when Oakley got the equaliser.

Blairgowrie after disappointing results in the League Cup, got their league campaign off to a promising start with a 4–1 home win against East Craigie.

Tomorrow they have a tough assignment away to Arbroath Vics who have been going very well.

Manager Ross Graham will have Darren Neave back after suspension while Mark Christison and Gordon Pirie, who have groin and toe injuries, will have late fitness tests. On definite non starter is Craig Ferguson, unavailable. It’s a late selection from Ross Graham.

The Vics were playing Tayport in the semi final of the DJ Laing League Cup on Wednesday night and they haven’t announced a squad for tomorrow.

Coupar Angus, still without a win, are at home to North End and there has been no team announcement from the Coupar camp so far as manager Barry Britton is on holiday.

Luncarty Manager Mark Potter would like to strengthen his coaching staff with the addition of an experienced coach to assist Graeme McNaughton and himself. All enquiries, which will be dealt with in the strictest confidence, should be directed to Mark on 07977208663.

ACA Sports League Cup semi finals – Kinnoull 2, Hill o’ Beath 3; Glenrothes 3, Kelty Hearts 1.

Kinnoull didn’t make it to the League Cup final as they lost their semi final with Hill o’ Beath, but they turned in a sterling performance against their Super League opponents only to lose out to them by the narrow margin of one goal.

Kinnoull after going a goal behind in 19 minutes when Steven Bathgate scored with a penalty, shrugged off this setback and by the interval they had taken a 2–1 lead with a great headed goal from Mark Duggan and a penalty from Darren Smith.

The second half had only gone four minutes when they were struck a blow. Their central defender Robbie Stephen got his marching orders after a tackle on an opponent.

A second penalty for the Fifers was again stuck away by Bathgate to square the game and 10 minutes later he completed his hat trick with goal number three to complete the scoring.

Kinnoull play Arbroath on Monday night under the Tulloch Park lights. Arbroath intend to field a very strong side which will certainly be a real test for Gavin Price’s team.

This should be a very entertaining game, which kicks off at 7.30pm.

TOMORROW’S fixtures in the ACA Sports Leagues: Premier League – Kinnoull v Thornton Hibs.

Central League – Bankfoot v Rosyth; Jeanfield Swifts v Scone Thistle; Luncarty v Crossgates Primrose.

North League – Coupar Angus v North End; Arbroath Vics v Blairgowrie.

Kick offs – 2-30pm.

Monday: friendly – Kinnoull v Arbroath, kick off 7.30pm.