Whitburn 2 Carnoustie Panmure 1

Whitburn attacked from the kick-off with Lurinsky chasing a long ball through the middle, but Whyte came smartly off his line to clear at the edge of the box.

The home side continued to press and forced a corner on the left. Strickland's flag kick was cleared away by Conway, but only as far as Moonie, whose cross from the left was headed narrowly over the bar by Mbu.

A great run up the left by Conway gave Carnoustie their first chance of the match. Voigt got up to meet the cross, but his header was too direct and went straight to Walker in the home goal.

Flannagan then got down the right for Whitburn, but his cross was blocked behind by Narey. Leiper's corner, however, was headed clear by Voigt, back helping his defence.

Back at the other end, Voigt was sent clear in the box by a through ball from Abbot, but shot wide of Walker's right-hand post when he should have done better.

The Gowfers were now coming more into the game and it was no surprise when they opened the scoring after 15 minutes. Muhsin took a short corner on the right to Hall and his cross to the far post was cut back by Collier to SMITH, who shot home from 10 yards.

Whitburn pushed forward in response and a Mooney long throw picked out Flannagan, whose fierce drive from the edge of the box was well held by Whyte.

In the homesters' next attack, a Strickland 30 yard free kick from out on the left produced another fine save from Whyte, under pressure from J. Murphy.

A period of midfield play then followed with neither goal being threatened.

In 32 minutes, Voigt was yellow-carded for shirt-pulling and was to regret this booking later in the match.

Shortly afterwards, Whitburn had a chance to draw level, but Lurinsky put his 25 yard shot well wide of Whyte's left-hand post.

Narey then conceded a corner on the right, but Moonie's cross was cleared up the park by Robertson.

There was further danger for Carnoustie when a Strickland corner from the left appeared to be curling in at the far post, but Whyte got up well to clutch the ball safely.

At the other end, a fine run and cross by Muhsin almost brought a second counter for the Gowfers, but Collier's near-post header flashed narrowly past.

Moments later, a great cross from the left by Conway was palmed away by Walker. The loose ball fell to Muhsin, who was also just off target.

As half-time approached, Carnoustie looked well on top, but were dealt a blow in stoppage time. Moonie took a corner on the right and as the ball bobbled about inside the box, it was bundled over the line for the equaliser by a suspiciously offside LURINSKY from only four yards out.

Half Time : Whitburn 1 Carnoustie Panmure 1

Carnoustie made the worst possible start to the second half, losing a goal within a minute of the restart. A cross from the right by Flannagan was palmed down by Whyte, but straight to LURINSKY, who turned the ball into the net from close-range to give Whitburn a scarcely deserved lead.

Having got their noses in front, Whitburn then stepped up a gear and almost doubled their advantage when a Hannah cross from the right was met by Ramage, who fired over from the edge of the box.

In 52 minutes, Voigt and Walker both went for a 50-50 ball from a Collier cross. The pair clashed with the 'keeper going down injured and Voigt was shown his second yellow card of the match, followed by the red, reducing the Gowfers to 10 men.

Shortly afterwards, Carnoustie had a lucky escape when Robertson was dispossessed 35 yards out by Lurinsky, who went through on goal and should have completed his hat-trick, but shot wide of the far post.

Robertson then fouled J. Murphy just outside the box, putting the Gowfers under further pressure, but Strickland's free kick was blocked for a corner on the right. Hannah's cross was cleared out to the edge of the box from where Ramage volleyed high over the top.

Carnoustie were forced to make a substitution in 59 minutes when Conway, who had been doubtful at the start, limped off and was replaced by Cook.

A minute later, Abbot was booked for dissent.

Whitburn continued to press and again came close to killing the game off when Ramage headed narrowly past from a Hannah cross.

In 64 minutes, double goalscorer Lurinsky went off and was replaced by Roberts.

Good play by Collier won Carnoustie a free kick, following a handling offence by Hannah, who was yellow-carded for his trouble. Abbot's set-piece kick from the edge of the box was deflected for a corner, but Robertson's header from Muhsin's cross lacked direction and went over the bar.

Substitute Roberts then cut in from the right for Whitburn and fired in a low drive, which Whyte did well to block at his post. Moonie's corner from the right was cleared away by Robertson.

In 77 minutes, the home side made a second change, replacing Moonie with Kenny.

A minute later, Muhsin was yellow-carded for a foul in midfield. Hannah, who had already been booked, took exception to the tackle and after voicing his displeasure to the referee received a second yellow card and numbers were back level at 10 men each.

With 10 minutes remaining, McLaughlin was introduced for Muhsin as the Gowfers prepared for one final push to salvage something from the game.

Whitburn responded by replacing Flannagan with McKay.

As the Gowfers threw everyone forward in the closing stages, a Robertson cross was turned for a corner by Leiper. Abbot's cross was palmed round the post by Walker for a second flag kick. This was taken short by McLaughlin to Craig, whose cross to the far post was headed back across the face of the goal by Cook to Smith, who should have grabbed a last-gasp equaliser, but ballooned his shot over the bar from 10 yards.

That proved to be the final chance of the match as shortly afterwards the referee blew for full-time and Carnoustie had slipped to yet another odd goal defeat.

Line-Ups:

Whitburn : Walker, Hannah, Mooney, Leiper, Mbu, Ramage, Flannagan (McKay 81), J. Murphy, Lurinsky (Roberts 64), Strickland, Moonie (Kenny 77).

Substitute Not Used : S. Murphy, Munro.

Carnoustie Panmure : Whyte, Smith, Craig, Narey, Robertson, Hall, Muhsin (McLaughlin 80), Abbot, Voigt, Collier, Conway (Cook 59).

Substitute Not Used : Hendry, Steele, McCafferty (gk).

Referee : G. Ross, Edinburgh

Match Report Courtesy Of Guide & Gazette Newspaper