Whitburn blitz leaves Gowfers rock bottom

Whitburn's five-goal blitz in a devastating 22 minute spell midway through the second half at Laing Park on Saturday has left Carnoustie Panmure languishing bottom of the league with no points from their opening three league fixtures.

Chief architect of the Gowfers' latest defeat was visitors' substitute Stevie Rixon, who hit the target no fewer than four times either side of a single from Ian Ramage.

All of this after a goal-less first half in which the home side could have opened the scoring on several occasions.

Manager Jake Ferrier's only change from the side narrowly beaten by Montrose Roselea in the GA Engineering Cup the previous week was the inclusion of Aaron Conway for the holidaying Grant Miller.

Bench spots were taken by Ralph Brand, Garry Buick, Garry Warren, Kevin Cumming and spare goalkeeper Michael Whyte.

Whitburn, also still looking for their first league point of the season, attacked from the kick-off and had an early chance from a Carson cross, but Ramage was pulled up for pushing in the box.

First to have a pop at goal for Carnoustie was Hall, who tried a long-range effort, but sent the ball well wide of the left-hand post.

Whitburn pushed forward once more and a fierce drive from the corner of the box by McNellis was well held by Butter at the base of his right-hand post.

The visitors again came close when Ramage was given a free header eight yards out, but put the ball straight to Butter, who had no trouble making the save.

With their goal still intact, Carnoustie got back up the park and forced a corner on the right. Conway's cross to the far post was headed back across the face of the goal by Hall, but Walker managed to clutch the ball safely before Collier could pounce.

Back at the other end, Butter had to look lively to save a Strickland snap shot from 15 yards.

Carnoustie remained under pressure and conceded two corners in quick succession before the ball was eventually cleared away by Narey.

As play then surged to the other end, Conway got through on his own for the Gowfers and fired in a drive, which Carson blocked behind for a corner. Ramage's attempt to clear Conway's flag kick was met by Hall, who headed the ball back in, but wide of the right-hand post.

Shortly afterwards, Carnoustie had another lucky escape when D. Mooney broke clear on the visitors' right and laid the ball off to McNellis, who shot past from good position.

Collier then had a great chance to put the Gowfers ahead from an Abbot cross, but missed the target with a free header from eight yards, the ball going wide of Walker's left-hand post.

Whitburn quickly pushed forward once more and Ramage tried a fierce drive from 18 yards, which Butter did well to palm over the crossbar. D. Mooney's cross from the resultant flag kick was punched away by Butter, but only as far as Murphy, who snatched at his shot and ballooned the ball high over the top.

At this point, the visitors' centre-half Mbu was booked for dissent.

A minute later, his team-mate Murphy was also yellow-carded for a similar offence.

Whitburn continued to press and again came close to opening the scoring when a McNellis long-range effort skidded past Butter's right-hand post.

Moments later, Carnoustie were desperately unlucky not to take the lead themselves. Collier's downward header from a Smith cross had 'keeper Walker beaten, but the ball struck the ground just in front of the goal and bounced up, hitting the top of the crossbar before going over.

Back at the other end, Whitburn won a corner on the right and Carnoustie had their hearts in their mouths when D. Mooney's cross was punched against the crossbar by Butter. Fortunately for the Gowfers, however, the ball dropped to Craig, who wasted no time in clearing it up the park.

In the visitors' next attack, Murphy headed the ball against Narey's hand from a Hannah cross, but the penalty claims were waved aside by the referee.

Although not apparent at the time, what was to prove a major turning point in the game occurred in 40 minutes when Whitburn's D. Mooney limped off injured and was replaced by Rixon, who was to run the Gowfers ragged in the second half.

Half-time: Carnoustie Panmure 0, Whitburn 0.

Shortly after the restart, Carnoustie had a scare when an A. Mooney cross from the right was headed back across the face of the goal by McNellis.

Butter could only palm the ball down, but an alert Narey did well to scramble it clear at the base of the right-hand post.

Whitburn continued to do most of the pressing and were rewarded with the opening goal in 52 minutes. A long ball out of the visitors' defence released RIXON, who out-paced Graham and rounded Butter before rolling the ball into the empty net.

Moments later, it was almost two. A cross from the right by Hannah was flicked goalwards by Rixon and Butter had to look sharp to turn the ball over the top for a fruitless corner.

In 62 minutes, however, Whitburn did double their lead when a Hannah corner from the left was fumbled by Butter, allowing RIXON to fire home his second through a ruck of players.

Carnoustie went further behind in 64 minutes when Rixon was put through on the right by Strickland and played the ball across the box to RAMAGE, who fired low past Butter from 10 yards.

Just a minute later, things got even worse for the Gowfers.

RIXON was again the marksman, this time running on to a through pass from Ramage before lobbing the advancing Butter from 25 yards to complete his hat-trick and put Whitburn 4-0 ahead.

The visitors almost made it five when Rixon crossed from the left to Strickland, whose fierce shot from the edge of the box was well held by Butter.

The fifth goal was not long-delayed, however, as in 74 minutes the Gowfers' defence were again caught static when a Strickland cross from the right into the six yard box was met by the unmarked RIXON, who shot home, giving Butter no chance.

Although by now it was very much a lost cause, Carnoustie kept plugging away and from a Cumming lay-off Abbot tried a 25 yard shot, which sailed high over the top.

At the other end, Rixon continued to taunt the Gowfers' defence and set up another scoring opportunity with a low cross into the box from which Hannah fired narrowly past from 12 yards.

Right on the final whistle, Mackay got up the park for Whitburn and tried a long-range strike from all of 40 yards, which was only just too high.

Moments later, referee Martin put the Carnoustie faithful out of their misery by signalling the end of one of the Gowfers' poorest home displays for many a day.

Line-Ups:

Carnoustie Panmure : Butter, Narey (Buick 79), Craig (Brand 70), Hendry, Graham, Morrison, Abbot, Hall, Collier, Conway (Cumming 70), Smith. Substitutes not used - Warren, Whyte (gk).

Whitburn : Walker, Carson (Mailey 78), A. Mooney, Mackay, Mbu, Ramage, Hannah, Murphy, D. Mooney (Rixon 40), Strickland, McNellis (Carswell 78). Substitutes not used - Taylor, Cantley (gk).

Referee, K. Martin, Kirkcaldy.