JUNIOR FOOTBALL - PA TUESDAY NOVEMBER 22

Nov 22 2011 Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

THE long-awaited Kinnoull versus Jeanfield Swifts derby clash at Tulloch Park ended in a 4–0 success for the visitors.

This defeat was a bitter pill for the home side to swallow as it ended their unbeaten league run – the only consolation for Kinnoull is that they still remain on the top of the league table.

Kinnoull mounted the first attack of the game when their full-back Sean Fleming broke up the left wing and crossed a great ball into Chris Webster who was a few yards from the goal and he tried to knock the ball into the corner but his attempt went just past the post.

Swifts immediately retaliated. In the ninth minute they came within a hairs breadth of taking the lead when Gavin Anderson got away from his marker and connected with a cross just inside the penalty box.

His shot for goal looked a homer but keeper Steve McKinney threw himself almost full length across his goal and got a finger tip to the ball and touched it on to the bar and Neil Gardiner was on hand to meet the rebound and clear it up the park.

Kinnoull’s relief was however short lived as two minutes later Steve McKinney was picking the ball out of the back of his net when Robbie Holden cut down the right and crossed the ball into John Anderson.

The big striker sold his markers a perfect dummy and it allowed the ball to run on to his team mate Gavin Anderson who promptly cracked it into the corner of the net from just inside the penalty box and Swifts were ahead.

Kinnoull strived hard to get back into the game and in 16 minutes they came close to getting the equaliser when Gary Fraser cut in from the left and from the edge of the penalty box he fired a strong shot into the Swifts goal only to see it headed off the goal line by Aaron Whitehead.

Swifts went further ahead our minutes later when another cross from Robbie Holden was met by John Anderson near the penalty spot.

He looked certain to score but keeper McKinney came off his line and did well to block the strikers attempt but the ball broke away from him and the ever alert Gavin Anderson who was following up pounced and for a second time fired the ball into the back of the net and his side were 2–0 ahead.

Swifts continued to dominate play and on the half hour mark they went 3–0 ahead when Robbie Holden picked up a through ball and laid it off to John Anderson who smacked the ball into the back of the net from the edge of the penalty box for another well taken goal.

Kinnoull responded to this further setback and a few minutes later Gary Fraser for a second time came close to reducing the leeway when he was put through but his shot from inside the penalty box was cleared by Swifts Stuart Nicol.

Kinnoull had a couple of corners in quick succession after this but they brought them no joy and in the 40th minute Gary Fraser set up a chance for David Carr but from a few yards out he shot wide of the post.

Swifts on the stroke of half-time should have made it 4–0 when a shot from Robbie Holden was punched out by keeper McKinney and it was met by John Anderson on the edge of the six yard box but his header went over the bar.

To have any hopes of getting back into the game Kinnoull really needed an early second half goal.

There was an early goal – but it was for Swifts after only two minutes.

A long clearance from Swifts keeper Mark Mitchell which went over the heads of the defenders could have been cleared but it wasn’t and Robbie Holden was onto the loose ball in a flash.

His shot from just inside the penalty box was well saved by the keeper but the ball broke away from him back to Holden and he made no mistake with his second bite at the cherry and it was 4–0 – and a famous win for Swifts.

Luncarty were at home to Thornton Hibs and for a second successive week they lost by the odd goal in nine in what was a see saw encounter.

The game was only a minute in when the Hibs went ahead with a goal from Kris Maxwell and while the Bleachers strived hard to get back on level terms when a goal did come it was at the other end.

Andy Adam was the Hibs scorer this time beating keeper Gordon McGillivray from 10 yards.

The Bleachers reduced the leeway a couple of minutes later when Mark Caldow scored a well taken goal and with the interval only a minute away Mark scored again to square the game.

Thornton restored their lead when Andy Adam laid on a chance for Harry Moyes which he accepted. Ten minutes later the Bleachers were awarded a penalty for hand ball and Mark Caldow converted the spot kick and the teams for a second time in the game were level.

With five more minutes on the clock the Bleachers were awarded a second penalty after Scott Peletier had been downed in the penalty box and once again Mark Caldow did the business with the spot kick which gave him a personal tally of four goals and his team were ahead for the first time.

The see-saw nature of this game continued and Lee White who had come on as a sub for Hibs scored twice in a matter of minutes to win the points for them and it’s a defeat that consigns Luncarty to the bottom place in the league table which is most disappointing.

Satisfied

Bankfoot were away to Newburgh and they must feel very satisfied that they shared the points with their hosts in a hard fought game.

It extended their unbeaten run in the league to four games and it keeps them in the top half of the table.

The first half in this East Shore clash looked like ending goalless but with three minutes remaining the Burgh took the lead when a through ball was picked by Alan Ferguson and he ran on to beat the Bankies keeper from inside the penalty box.

Bankies got back on level terms 12 minutes into the second half when a well struck shot from their striker Alan Stewart was saved by the keeper but the ball broke away from him and in trying to clear the danger a Burgh defender had the misfortune to divert it into the back of the net for an own goal.

Bankies had to play out the last 10 minutes with 10 men as Alan Stewart was sent off after picking up a second yellow card.

Blairgowrie were at home to East Craigie and in a hard fought and very entertaining encounter they had to come from behind twice to share four goals and the points with their visitors.

The game had been pretty evenly balanced with chances going abegging at both ends. It was just at the half way stage when Connor Adams put the Craigie ahead.

Blair got back on level terms when David Salisbury met with a cross from Mark Byrne and headed it into the corner of the net.

Craigie restored their lead in 62 minutes when Paul Constable was unmarked just inside the penalty box from where he made it 2–1.

There was only 10 minutes remaining when Blair scored when a cross from Gordan Pirie out on the right into the Craigie penalty box was met by David Salisbury and the young striker for the second time in the game beat the keeper with a header to square the game and earn his side a point.

Coupar Angus were away to North End and they went down 5–1 to the strong Dundee side.

Alan Robson’s young side was pretty much on the defensive for much of the game but played well despite going 3–0 down, before striker Ryan Valentine scored Coupar’s goal.