Perthshire Junior Football round-up

Nov 17 2009 by Our Correspondent, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

Perthshire Juniors

THE inclement weather caused the cancellation of two East of Scotland cup ties.

They were Kinnoull versus Camelon and Steelend Vics versus Jeanfield Swifts.

Bankfoot were to play Lochee United at Coronation Park in this cup but it was obvious that the pitch would not be playable and it was switched to their opponents ground, Thomson Park.

Scone Thistle were at home to Super Leaguers Kelty Hearts and they came close to taking the lead in 18 minutes when a ball into the Hearts penalty box wasn’t cleared by the defence and Thistle striker Alan Cameron was left with a chance but his rather weak attempt trundled past the post.

Hearts took full advantage of this let-off as they took the lead six minutes later. It came from a spectacular 30-yard free kick which looked netbound from the moment it left Conrad Courts’ boot.

The Hearts went ahead in 35 minutes when a great through ball from Neil McLaren caught out the Thistle defence and was snapped up by Iain Mauchlin who moved forward a few paces and slammed the ball past keeper David Winton from just inside the penalty box to make it 2–0.

There was less than two further minutes on the clock and it was Scones turn to celebrate thanks to a cracker of a goal from Gerrard Kelly.

The ball was played through to him and he got it under control and from all of 25 yards before an opponent could tackle him he let fly and they could do nothing about it as the ball flew into the back of the net to make it 2–1 and that’s how the score stood at the interval.

The second half had only been in operation six minutes when the Hearts increased their lead with a goal from their striker Tam McGeorge who shrugged off a few tackles and then went on to beat the keeper from inside the penalty box with a well struck shot.

Scone came close to pulling a goal back in 75 minutes.

A ball was played through to Greg Zackzeck who was just inside the Kelty penalty box, Greg turned his marker and looked as if he was about to score but he screwed his shot past the post.

A couple of minutes later McGeorge carried the ball past a few opponents before laying it off to his team mate Craig Morrison to make it 4–1 and that’s how the game finished.

Bankfoot got off to a dreadful start in their Thomson Park clash with Lochee United as they found themselves trailing by 2–0 after nine minutes.

The game was only in its third minute when the Bankies went a goal behind.

A through ball from Mark Kohler put Craig Robertson through and Bankies keeper Mike Whyte brilliantly saved Robertson’s shot from eight yards but unfortunately the ball broke away from him to Robertson who made no mistake with his second attempt.

Six minutes later in another attack the Dundee side won a corner on the right and it was swung into the penalty box and Lucas Krobit who was in acres of space rose to connect with a header which flew into the top corner of the net.

The Bankies now had a mountain to climb and to their credit they put everything into trying to reduce the leeway and they had two chances to do so.

The first came their way in 22 minutes when Alan Stewart broke through but he shot rather hurriedly from 18 yards past the post.

The interval was only a minute away when that second opportunity came Bankies way.

Alan Stewart picked up a loose pass from an opponent and the striker made tracks for goal.

His shot from 14 yards was well saved by the keeper but the ball spun away from him and it landed with David Fyfe who had the goal at his mercy but somehow he failed to connect and he didn’t get a second chance as the ball was scrambled clear by a defender.

The second half was only eight minutes old when Lochee made it 3–0.

They had mounted an attack on the Bankies goal and the ball was only partially cleared and it was picked up by Jason Alexander who no doubt had noted that keeper Whyte was well out of his goal and from 25 yards he hit a well measured chip shot into the back of the net and it was 3–0.

The Bankies while they never gave up the ghost failed to make any inroads into the three goal deficit but it really was those two early goals that killed off the tie for them.

Coupar Angus were at home to Luncarty in the Redwood Leisure Cup and while they ran out 5–1 winners they didn’t have it all their own way especially in the first half which ended all square at 1–1.

It was the Bleachers who drew first blood with a well taken goal from their striker Liam Haire midway through the half.

It took Coupar until a few minutes before the interval to get back on level terms.

A cross into the Bleachers penalty box was deflected into the path of Robbie Ellis and he promptly stuck it into the back of the net from six yards.

Coupar brought Jamie McLeod on as a sub on the hour mark and this proved to be a profitable move as Jamie shot his side into the lead within five minutes of entering the fray.

Coupar now had the bit between their teeth and in 78 minutes Robbie Ellis with his second goal of the game made it 3–1 and a couple of minutes later Jon Rosscraig was left in a one to one situation with the goalkeeper and he slotted it past him to increase Coupar’s lead.

Steven completed the scoring when he made it 5–1 for Coupar in 85 minutes.

Coupar manager Barry Britton said after the game: “While we won well Luncarty to their credit never gave up and played a lot of good football.”

Kinnoull after their official fixture had been cancelled managed to get a friendly with Kirrie Thistle and this game was played at the McDiarmid Park all weather pitch.

It was a pretty even first half with few chances at either end and it was no surprise that it ended goalless.

Ten minutes into the second half Kinnoull almost took the lead when a left foot shot from Fraser McKinlay from the edge of the box rattled of the inside of the post and was cleared.

A few minutes later Kinnoull went ahead when Chris Anton played the ball into Gary Sweeney and he hit a cross to the back post and it was meet by Fraser McKinley who chested the ball down and then rounded the keeper and tapped it into a empty net.

Kirrie almost equalised in 65 minutes when a shot that seemed net bound was headed of the goal line by Mark Morrison.

Eighty three minutes saw Kinnoull move two goals ahead when a Mark Dougan pass to Robbie Holden saw the striker hold off his marker and then hit a left foot shot from the edge of the box into the corner of the net. #

In the final minute of the game a Chris Anton Cross to Robbie Holden saw him lay the ball off to Gary Sweeney who blasted it into the back of the net to make it 3–0.

Kinnoull have signed a new goalkeeper, Matt Curtis, who has joined them on loan from Forfar Athletic and he takes over from Duncan Bruce who is unavailable for a few weeks due to exams.

Matt has had previous senior experience with Hibs and Ross County and manager Scott Brown was delighted with the cooperation he had received from Forfar manager Dick Campbell in making this signing.

Matt is 21 and stands on the six feet mark and he made his debut in Saturdays friendly and certainly impressed and will no doubt prove an asset.

SATURDAY’S results: East of Scotland Cup second round – Scone Thistle 1, Kelty Hearts 4; Lochee United 3, Bankfoot Athletic 0.

Redwood Leisure Cup preliminary round – Coupar Angus 5, Luncarty 1.

Games Off – Kinnoull v Camelon; Steelend Vics v Jeanfield Swifts.

Friendly – Kinnoull 3, Kirrie Thistle 0.