GOWFERS SEE OFF AYRSHIRE SIDE
Carnoustie Panmure 1 Kilbirnie Ladeside 0
Carnoustie Panmure continued their preparations for the new season with a home friendly against Ayrshire outfit Kilbirnie Ladeside at Laing Park on Saturday afternoon.With manager Ian Flaherty away on business, his assistant George O'Boyle was in charge of team selection. Scott Robertson and Kevin Steele were both unavailable and with Steven Narey dropping to the bench, Scott Hunter, Jim Collier and Brian Clark were all on from the start.
Bench spots also went to Wayne Morrison, Robert Hendry, Garry McLauchlin, a young trialist and spare goalkeeper John McCafferty.
Straight from the kick-off, Carnoustie won a free kick 40 yards out. Conway's high ball forward into the box picked out Voigt, who headed narrowly past McCann's right-hand post.
After that early scare, Kilbirnie began to come more into the game with Miller, in particular, causing problems on the right. On one occasion, the visitors' 'danger man' got on the end of a through ball from Anderson and sent a shot flashing across the face of the home goal, but the ball struck Trialist's right-hand post and rebounded clear.
As the Gowfers pushed forward in response, Conway broke clear on the right and fired in a deep cross, which McCann did well to hold just under his crossbar.
Shortly afterwards, Conway again came close, this time with a 40 yard free kick, which Cochrane turned behind for a corner. Muhsin's cross was met by Hunter, who headed well wide.
Collier was then fouled by Bell 30 yards out and this time Conway's free kick picked out Thompson, who also failed to find the target with his header.
In 26 minutes, Voigt had the ball in the net for Carnoustie, but the homesters' joy was short-lived as the 'goal' was disallowed for a foul on the 'keeper.
Right on the half-time whistle, a Conway corner from the right was well held by McCann, under pressure from Hunter.
Half Time : Carnoustie Panmure 0 Ladeside 0
Shortly after the restart, Kilbirnie won a free kick just outside the box, but Harvey ballooned his shot high over the bar.The visitors continued to press and were again unlucky not to open the scoring when a Frew drive from out on the left flashed across the face of the goal and just wide of the far post.
Play then switched quickly to the other end and in 49 minutes a Scott cross from the left found CONWAY, who cut in from the right and fired a low drive past McCann from 15 yards to put Carnoustie ahead.
Kilbirnie substitute Erskine, who had taken over from Harvey only seven minutes earlier, received a stern talking to from the referee in 61 minutes after an 'exchange' with Muhsin. He was immediately taken off and replaced by McGuinness.
A good cross from the Kilbirnie left by Kelly put the Gowfers' defence under pressure, but substitute Kenny headed just past Trialist's left-hand post.
Carnoustie got back up the park and a 25 yard effort by Hall was just over the top.
At the other end, Anderson tried his luck from distance, but was also just too high.
Newman replaced Collier for the Gowfers in 81 minutes and was quickly in the thick of the action, but shot narrowly over from an offside position.
Shortly afterwards, the trialist was again unlucky not to get his name on the scoresheet, this time volleying inches wide from a Conway cross.
Kilbirnie kept plugging away and almost snatched a late equaliser from a McGuinness corner, but Conway, back helping his defence, managed to clear the ball away, guaranteeing the Gowfers the narrowest of wins.
Match Report Courtesy Of Guide And Gazette Newspaper
| STARTING LINE-UPS | |
| 1. Michael Gourlay | 1. McCann |
| 2. Steven Cook | 2. Todd |
| 3. Jim Scott | 3. Harvey |
| 4. Scott Hunter | 4. Bell |
| 5. Jonathan Thompson (C) | 5. Cochrane |
| 6. Euan Hall | 6. Anderson |
| 7. Sean Muhsin | 7. Miller |
| 8. Brian Clark | 8. Kelly |
| 9. Jon Voigt | 9. Barber |
| 10. James Collier | 10. Davidson |
| 11. Aaron Conway | 11. Frew |
| SUBS : | SUBS : |
| 12. Steven Narey (Replaced Cook After 55 Minutes) | 12. McDade (Replaced Frew Atfer 67 Minutes) |
| 14. Wayne Morrison (Replaced Hall After 74 Minutes) | 14. Kenny (Replaced Barber Atfer 64 Minutes) |
| 15. Robert Hendry (Replaced Muhsin After 74 Minutes) | 15. Caldwell (Replaced Miller After 54 Minutes) |
| 16. Garry McLaughlin (Replaced Voigt After 68 Minutes) | 16. Erskine (Replaced Harvey After 54 Minutes) |
| 17. Newman (Replaced Collier After 81 Minutes) | 17. McGuinness (Replaced Erskine After 61 Minutes) |
| Sub 'Keeper - John McCafferty (Sub Not Used) | 17. Struthers (Sub Not Used) |
| GOALS | |
| CONWAY (49) | NONE |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS | |
| Referee : S. Stevenson, Dundee. | |
| None | None |