JUNIOR FOOTBALL – PA TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 12

Sep 13 2011 Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

LUNCARTY were away to Crossgate Primrose in the Central League on Saturday and they came home with the three points after deservedly beating their hosts 4–2.

They now have four points to their credit from three league games played and are in a mid-table position.

That’s certainly a contrast to last season when they finished at the foot of the table with zero points.

What delighted manager Mark Potter was the fact that they had been thrashed the week before and obviously their spirits had taken a knock but they showed great character to come bouncing back to win this away encounter.

The Bleachers didn’t get off to the best of starts in this game as they went a goal behind in the first minute when a ball was crossed into their goalmouth found Dave Clark the Primrose forward was in the clear and a few yards from the goal line and he did the needful with this easy chance from close range.

The Bleachers shrugged off this early setback and set about getting back on level terms.

They were still trailing to that early goal with the interval a few minutes away when they won a free kick which was taken by Scott Peletier and his effort was right on target but was parried by the keeper.

It broke away from him and Angus Wilson following up snapped it up and dispatched it into the corner of the net to square the game.

The second half had only been in operation 10 minutes when new signing Scott McKain ran on to a great through ball from Scott Lafferty and the striker celebrated his debut when he cracked home a left foot shot that went in at the back post and gave the Bleachers the lead.

Four minutes later there was more joy for them as they extended their lead to 3–1.

Mark Caldow out on the right wing shimmied his way past his marker and cut into the penalty box and beat the keeper with a strike from 15 yards.

The Primrose reduced the leeway in 70 minutes when the referee adjudged that central defender Neil Ritchie’s tackle on an opponent justified this award.

The Bleachers were most surprised by this decision but it didn’t stop Darren Watson from dispatching the ball into the back of the net to make it 3–2.

The Bleachers restored their two goal lead 10 minutes later when Scott Lafferty hit a free kick to Mark Caldow at the back post and for a second time he did the needful to make it 4–2 and clinch the points for them.

Kinnoull at home to Lochgelly Albert were held to a 4–4 draw which returns them to the top of the table.

However, they must be feeling aggrieved at the loss of two points as they were in the lead with just a minute remaining when they conceded a goal.

Kinnoull started off in a sprightly mood and they swept into the attack from the kick off and created a couple of very reasonable chances in the first 10 minutes of the game but they failed to put them away.

In the 12th minute they found themselves a goal behind when a long ball from the Fifers midfield out to their left wing was picked up by Willie Telford who skinned his marker and cut in and laid a great ball into his team mate Steve Brown who swept the ball past goalkeeper Duncan Bruce from close range.

Kinnoull retaliated to this setback and within five minutes they were back on level terms.

A free kick was fired into the Fifers penalty box which was met by Lee Deans and his shot from around 12 yards looked to be heading for the corner of the net but just to make sure Chris Webster helped it on its way.

Kinnoull continued to have the best of the exchanges and both Richard Doig, who came within a hairs breadth of connecting with a cross a few feet from the goal line and Gary Fraser, whose shot cannoned off the foot of the post with the keeper nowhere, almost gave Kinnoull the lead.

In 37 minutes a ball from the Kinnoull midfield was played to Lee Deans in the Fifers penalty box and the striker was brought down by the centre half Andy Barrett for a penalty which was taken by Daryn Smith who sent the keeper the wrong way and his team were ahead. Their lead only lasted a couple of minutes as it was the Fifers turn to be awarded a penalty when in a similar incident Kinnoull centre half Ryan Ward brought down Lee Celentano in the box and Steve Brown for the second time in the game beat Duncan Bruce.

There was only three minutes of the half remaining when Lochgelly, who had been the more aggressive side since they equalised, regained their lead. Again it was a cross from Willie Telford, out on the left, into the penalty box which wasn’t cleared and was picked up by Jim McDiarmid who slammed it home from a few yards out.

Kinnoull started chasing the equaliser from the restart and they were rewarded in 62 minutes when a cross from Jordan Timmin into the Lochgelly penalty box was met by David Carr, who had come on as a sub, dived to meet the ball and bullet a header past the keeper.

Kinnoull were doing most of the attacking now and came close once or twice but the score remained the same.

With the game moving into its final 10 minutes Gavin Tinley, who had also come on as a sub, played a ball to Garry Fraser on the right side of the penalty and the striker turned his marker and from 15 yards crashed a great strike past the keeper into the far corner of the net.

Two minutes later it looked as if Kinnoull were about to make it 5–3 and clinch the points when Chris Webster was left in a one to one situation with the goalkeeper, who came racing of his line. Chris tried to hit the ball past him but the keeper managed to block his shot but the ball broke away from him and landed with Gary Fraser and the keeper produced another excellent blocking save to keep his team in the game.

He was rewarded in the final minute when in a last ditch attack Lochgelly won a free kick just outside the Kinnoull 18 yard box and it was fired into the heart of the goalmouth where there was a multitude of bodies and in the ensuing scramble Andy Barrett managed to turn the ball over the goal line for the equaliser and disappointment for Kinnoull.

Blairgowrie were another side denied a win by a last gasp goal which also deprived them of their first win of the season, away to Forfar Albion.

Blair found themselves a goal behind after a couple of minutes when they conceded a corner which was met by Ian Plenderleith who headed it home to give the Albion the lead. Blair had most of the possession and they had a few good chances that they failed to put away and when the interval arrived they still trailed by that early goal.

Whatever Blair boss John Holt said to his players at the break certainly had its effect as 15 minutes into the second half they were 2–1 ahead. The first of those goals came when a free kick from Mark Byrne was met in the penalty box by Danny Fyfe who cracked it past the keeper and four minutes later a cross from Gary Axworthy into the Albion penalty box was picked up by David Salisbury.

He rounded the keeper who had come out of his goal to challenge him and slotted the ball into the back of the empty net to make it 2–1 in Blairs favour.

Albion were awarded a free kick with less than a minute to go which was disputed by Blair and to rub salt into the wound it allowed Robbie Small to grab the equaliser for the Albion.

Jeanfield Swifts have placed Gordon Findlay and Jamie Reilly on the open to transfer list. Findlay is a midfielder/defender while Jamie Reilly is a midfielder/forward. All enquiries to be directed to Eric Allen on 01738 443504 or 07922 721251.

SATURDAY’S results in the McBookie Leagues:

Central League – Kinnoull 4, Lochgelly Albert 4; Crossgates Panmure 2, Luncarty 4.

North League – Forfar Albion 2, Blairgowrie 2.

All kick off’s 2.30pm.

Matches cancelled – Bankfoot v Jeanfield Swifts; Coupar Angus v Brechin Vics.