Super Subs Bag The Points As Gowfers Come Out On Top In Relegation Battle At Oakley
Oakley United 0 Carnoustie Panmure 2
Oakley got the match under way, playing up the slight slope and facing a stiff westerly wind.In two minutes, Abbot was fouled by Ward on the halfway line. Taking the free kick himself, the Gowfers' skipper tried to find Beith, but Newbigging got up to head clear.
Carnoustie continued to do most of the early pressing and won a corner in 10 minutes when a Hall free kick into the home box was knocked behind by Newbigging. Muhsin took the flag kick, but when the ball was crossed in, the Oakley captain was on hand to redeem himself and get it away upfield.
In 16 minutes, United mounted an attack through Allison and Sinclair, but the latter sent the ball out behind, under pressure from Narey.
From Whyte's goal kick, Abbot beat Fyffe, then sent Beith clear on the left. After taking the ball forward, the full-back sent in a deep cross looking for Voigt, but the ball drifted out behind on the wind without the Gowfers' striker getting a touch.
In 20 minutes, Carnoustie came close to opening the scoring when Abbot fed a good pass through to Hall, but he unfortunately hooked the ball narrowly over the top.
Three minutes later, it was Oakley who almost broke the deadlock. Good play between Allison and Sinclair released Celantano, who was bearing down on goal, but just before he could loose-off a shot, Ogilvie got back to make a great saving tackle and the ball was cleared away by Narey.
Rushford then collected a clearance from home 'keeper Campbell, but was fouled by Narey 30 yards out. Newbigging took the free kick and thundered in a fierce shot, but Whyte got up well to make a great save at the expense of a fruitless corner.
In 35 minutes, Muhsin was adjudged to have tripped Carberry, but Newbigging sent the resultant free kick high over the top, without anyone else getting a touch.
Two minutes later, a good four-man move by Carnoustie ended with a Voigt shot being deflected behind by L. Morrison. Muhsin took the corner, but his cross was headed clear by Newbigging.
The Gowfers continued to press and in 40 minutes came their closest yet to opening the scoring. An Ogilvie free kick reached Hall, who hooked in a shot, but the ball rebounded off the face of the crossbar with the 'keeper beaten. The loose ball was then played back in, but this time Campbell was able to make the catch.
Two minutes later, the referee's assistant on the enclosure side brought howls of protest from the travelling support after Abbot played the ball through to Voigt, who was flagged offside, despite Rushford clearly playing him on.
Right on the half-time whistle, Carnoustie passed up another chance to open their account after Beith took a pass from Muhsin and dinked the ball forward to Voigt, who blasted his shot high over the top when he should perhaps have done better.
Half-time: Oakley United 0 Carnoustie Panmure 0
In 49 minutes, Carnoustie were a shade fortunate not to fall behind when Celantano ran on to a through pass from Ward and drilled in a shot from 10 yards, but pulled his effort just wide of Whyte's left-hand post.Two minutes later, Bannatyne was fouled by Ogilvie just inside the Gowfers' half. Again, Newbigging took the kick and this time played the ball to the back post looking for Rushford, but Narey got to it first and cleared the danger.
After being on the back foot for a time, Carnoustie began to push forward once more and were unlucky not to take the lead when Cook fed Hall, whose shot whistled narrowly past Campbell's right-hand post.
Moments later, the Gowfers won a free kick midway inside the home half when Cook was fouled by Carberry. Hall's free kick picked out Abbot, who carried the ball forward before winning a corner off L. Morrison. Muhsin dropped the flag kick right into the goalmouth, but Campbell got up to clutch it safely before any of the visiting players could get a touch.
In 57 minutes, Oakley made their first change with Sinclair being replaced by Lammie.
Next minute, the Gowfers should really have gone ahead when Abbot sent a good ball through to Muhsin, who shot narrowly past Campbell's right-hand post when he should have scored.
The 'keeper's goal kick dropped deep into the Carnoustie half and was collected by Allison, who was then fouled by Ogilvie. Allison took the free kick himself and touched the ball to Celantano, who fired off a shot, but sent it high over the top.
With an hour on the watch, Bannatyne and Narey clashed and both went down. Narey was quickly back on his feet, but the Oakley player remained on the ground with blood pouring from his nose. Bannatyne was then helped from the pitch for treatment while the game continued with the homesters down to 10 men. Shortly afterwards, however, with the flow of blood stopped, he was able to resume and Oakley were back to full strength.
In 64 minutes, Beith and Ogilvie combined to set up a chance for Abbot, but Campbell had no great trouble making the stop.
Carnoustie made a double substitution in 70 minutes with Conway and Collier replacing Muhsin and Voigt and what a vital tactical move this proved to be.
In 73 minutes, CONWAY took a pass from Cook and cutting in from the left, dribbled his way into the box before firing a great left foot shot past Campbell into the net, giving the 'keeper no chance.
Just a minute later, the substitute came close to doubling his tally, but this time shot narrowly over the top.
At this point, Oakley made a second change with club captain Newbigging going off to be replaced by Burke.
In 79 minutes, the Gowfers doubled their lead when a Narey cross from the right was latched onto by COLLIER, who wasted no time in firing the ball into the net.
Two minutes later, United had a chance to snatch a goal back when a Ward free kick was touched on by L. Morrison, but Celantano blasted the ball high over the top.
The homesters again came close when Burke powered in a header from a Ward cross, but Whyte had no trouble making the save.
On the 90 minute mark, Oakley won a corner when an Allison cross was deflected out behind by Beith. Bannatyne swung the ball right into the goalmouth where Ogilvie got up to head clear. Rushford fired the ball back in, but Whyte flung himself to his right to touch the shot round the post for a second corner, which was comfortably cleared away by the Gowfers' defence.
Shortly afterwards, the referee blew for full-time and three very valuable points were on their way back to Laing Park.
Line-Ups:
Oakley United : Campbell, Fyffe, L. Morrison, Newbigging (Burke 78), Carberry, Bannatyne, Ward, Rushford, Celantano, Allison, Sinclair (Lammie 57).
Referee : C. Duncan, Dundee.
Substitutes Not Used : Cussack, Wright, Stewart (gk).
Carnoustie Panmure : Whyte, Narey, Beith, Ogilvie, Robertson, W. Morrison, Cook, Abbot, Muhsin (Conway 70), Voigt (Collier 70), Hall.
Substitutes Not Used : Craig, Wilkie, McCafferty (gk).
Match Report Courtesy Of Guide & Gazette Newspaper