Shock as Brown leaves Kinnoull

Jan 29 2008

KINNOULL chairman Chris Jones announced on Sunday night that Scott Brown, who has been team manager at Tulloch Park over the past six seasons, has resigned.

This piece of shock off the field news leaves Kinnoull without a team boss.

The club intend to fill the vacancy as soon as possible and are inviting applications for the post, which should be directed to the club secretary, Graeme Chalmers, on 01738 630326 or in writing to 4d Coachhouse Court, Riggs Road, Perth PH1 1PU.

All applications will be dealt with in strict confidence.

Chris Jones said: “Scott did an excellent job for Kinnoull and he will undoubtedly be a hard act to follow.”

The fixtures took another hammering on Saturday after the stormy weather and heavy rain which caused pitches to become waterlogged. This was particularly disappointing as earlier in the week the prospects for Saturday’s matches looked promising.

Only 10 games were played, two of which involved, Jeanfield Swifts and Luncarty, while Coupar Angus played host to Arbroath SC in the north league.

The Riverside Stadium pitch was in good condition for the Swifts–Luncarty Central League clash, despite the adverse weather.

Swifts and Luncarty haven’t been involved in a fixture since before the turn of the year and they were delighted to get back into action.

The first chance of the game came Swifts’ way in the 12th minute when a misdirected pass back by a Luncarty defender saw Scott McManus snap up the loose ball.

Keeper Mark Mitchell came racing off his line and McManus tried to find team-mates, Mark Caldow and Alan Baillie who had both arrived in the penalty box but his cross fell behind them and the ball was cleared.

Luncarty retaliated almost immediately to this scare when Chris Dudek burst into the Swifts penalty box but he shot past the post from just 12 yards.

Chris Dudek came close again in the 16th minute when he connected with a Kevin McDonald free kick but his header also went past the post.

Swifts came close when they won a corner midway through the half.

Tony Holt flighted the kick into the heart of the penalty box and Swifts’ skipper and centre half who had come up to lend his weight to the Swifts attack outjumped his marker but his header flew over the bar.

Luncarty had a couple of reasonable chances when Mike Lindsay clipped a shot, from a good position, past the post and then Kyle Warner shot straight at Swifts’ keeper Scott Cummings from about 15 yards.

Swifts were reduced to 10 men in the 39th minute when their midfield man Tony Holt was given a red card after an incident involving an opponent. Swifts shrugged off this setback and came near to taking the lead a couple of minutes before the interval when Mark Caldow set up a chance for Alan Baillie but he shot rather hurriedly and hit the ball past the post.

Ten minutes into the second half, Luncarty broke the deadlock. Mike Lindsay picked up a pass and made his way down the left wing and from near the corner flag he crossed in a great ball to Fraser Simpson and the striker, who was playing in only his second game for Luncarty, beat keeper Scott Cummings with a deft headflick to get his name on the scoresheet for the first time.

Swifts came close to squaring the game in the 68th minute when Scott Lafferty picked up the ball about 25 yards from the Bleachers’ goal.

He took a few steps forward and then unleashed a vicious volley that hit the underside of the bar behind keeper Mark Mitchell.

Swifts claimed the ball was over the goal line but the referee didn’t see it that way and waved play on and the ball was cleared up the park.

Much of the play was confined to the midfield after this until the final minutes when the Swifts mounted a last ditch attempt into getting the equaliser and they came near to doing so when they won a corner which was swung into the heart of the goalmouth and Kyle Warner saved the day for the Bleachers when he kicked the ball off the goal line just as the referee blew for time up and the Bleachers left for home with three very welcome points.

Coupar Angus were at home to Arbroath SC in the north league and had their fair share of the play in the first half of this game although they went in at the interval trailing by 1-0.

This goal was scored on the half hour mark when George Duncan connected with a free kick taken by Colin Kennedy and Duncan’s bullet header flew into the back of the net. A few minutes before this goal a well struck shot from Coupar midfield man Richard Wheeler was on target but was well saved by SC keeper Alan Cormack.

SC had a great opportunity to increase their lead in the first minute of the second half when a cross into the Coupar penalty box landed with George Duncan who was left with only the keeper to beat but he shot past the post.

Coupar were reduced to 10 men in 49 minutes when Paul Cooney was sent off after picking up a second yellow card and just three minutes.

Later a corner from Gary Stevenson was met by Jamie Martin and he scored with a well placed header to put SC 2-0 in front.

SC were now pretty much in command and in 65 minutes they went 3-0 ahead and again Gary Stevenson was the goal maker as he cut in from the right and laid the ball off to Paul Durno who had little difficulty in knocking the ball into the back of the net.

There was more woe for Coupar when SC increased their lead to 4-0 in 84 minutes. Scott Sievwright skipped the ball through to George Duncan who shot for goal only to see the ball cannon back off the bar however he had followed up and he cracked the rebound into the back of the net for what was his second goal of the game and it ended the scoring.

Coupar Angus have placed goalkeeper Craig Robertson and midfield/forward Scott Lawson on the open to transfer list. All enquiries should be directed to Coupar Angus secretary John Stewart at 01828 628488.