HONOURS EVEN AT NEWTONGRANGE
Newtongrange Star 1 Carnoustie Panmure 1
Carnoustie won an early free kick about the halfway line when Smith was fouled by Thomson as he moved to collect a McCafferty goal kick. Scott dropped the ball into the Newtongrange box, but Star were then awarded a free kick of their own when Hunter was adjudged to have pushed Hutchison.In five minutes, the Gowfers had a half-chance to open their account when Hill rushed from his line to clear a through ball, but miskicked and the ball spun out to Muhsin on the right. He immediately swung a cross into the six yard box, but Britton blocked it away before either Voigt or Collier could get the necessary touch.
As play then switched to the other end, Swaney won a corner on the right off Hendry, but Gielty's cross was headed away by Voigt, with Muhsin completing the clearance.
Carnoustie pushed forward once more through Conway, who jinked his way past three men before sending in a deep cross to the back post, but Voigt just failed to jump high enough and the ball skidded off the top of his head and out behind.
In 13 minutes, Smith played a long ball over the top of the Star defence to Voigt, who appeared to be offside, but was allowed to run on, but went down in the box under a challenge from McManus. Although he and some of the Gowfers' support appealed for a penalty, the referee waved aside what would have been a soft award.
Two minutes later, Carnoustie were again on the attack and Scott sent the ball deep into the home box. Collier ran on to it and, getting the better of Swaney, hooked the ball in towards the goal, but McManus got up to head clear.
Newtongrange came close to opening the scoring in 18 minutes when a Britton cross to the edge of the box was met by Meaney, who turned and fired off a shot, but sent the ball narrowly past McCafferty's right-hand post.
From the 'keeper's long goal kick, Conway sent in a cross, which Gielty attempted to head clear. The ball, however, dropped back out to Conway, who sent it back in and this time picked out Voigt, who headed narrowly over the top.
Back at the other end, Meaney fired the ball across the face of the goal and McCulloch got on the end of it, but Hendry was on hand to block it away, with Hunter completing the clearance.
With 22 minutes gone, Carnoustie at last made the breakthrough when Smith drove up the left and sent in a low cross to the far post where COLLIER powered a great diving header past Hill from 10 yards.
Controversy flared in 38 minutes after Scott played a long through ball to the far side of the box. Hill rushed from his line to claim the ball just in front of Collier, but appeared to catch it outside his area. Collier protested as did the Gowfers' support and the referee ran forward and showed the 'keeper the yellow card when it could easily have been red. Hill claimed that although his hands had been outside the box, his feet had not.
Play restarted with a free kick to Carnoustie, but this was easily cleared by the Star defence.
Two minutes later, Collier made another good run forward, but was brought down by Elliott 35 yards out. Conway got the ball up and over the wall, but Hill rose well to make the save.
As Newtongrange surged forward in response, Gielty picked out Meaney, who powered in a header, but McCafferty had no trouble making the stop.
Half Time : Newtongrange Star 0 Carnoustie Panmure 1
After a double substitution at the interval, Newtongrange made a bright start to the second half and deservedly got back on level terms in 53 minutes. Gielty made a good run down the left before crossing low and hard to the back post where the unmarked MCCULLOCH fired a first-time shot into the corner of the net, giving McCafferty no chance.Just two minutes later, Star almost went ahead when a Forbes cross was chested down by Roseburgh to Meaney, whose rocket shot was finger-tipped by McCafferty on to the crossbar with the ball spinning out behind for a fruitless corner.
Carnoustie gradually worked their way back into the game and on the hour mark were unlucky not to regain the lead. Muhsin fired the ball across the six yard box where a frantic scramble ensued before McManus eventually managed to get it away.
In 69 minutes, the Gowfers again came close when a through ball from Hunter was only partially cleared and fell to Muhsin, whose fierce drive whizzed narrowly over the top, with Hill beaten.
Conway kept the pressure on the Star goal by playing a free kick deep into the home box. McManus got up to head it away, but the ball fell to Smith, who tried a first-time shot, but sent his effort wide of Hill's left-hand upright.
Carnoustie had another half-chance in 84 minutes when Hunter picked out Smith at the edge of the box, but this time the latter's first-time effort flashed narrowly over.
Next minute, the Gowfers had a scare after McCafferty failed to come off his line for a ball played deep into the box. Meaney nipped in and cut the ball back to Gielty, who fired it back across, but McCulloch just failed to get the necessary touch.
In 87 minutes, Thompson was cautioned for a foul on Gielty wide on the left some 30 yards out. Gielty took the free kick himself, but his cross to the back post narrowly eluded Meaney and the ball went out behind for a goal kick.
With the final whistle due to sound at any moment, Cook played a good pass through to Voigt, who turned and fired off a shot, but Woodburn stuck out a foot and deflected the ball behind. Thompson got up well to Conway's flag kick, but sent the ball over the top.
As Hill's goal kick dropped over the halfway line, the referee brought proceedings to a close and both teams had to settle for an opening day point a-piece.
Match Report Courtesy Of Guide And Gazette Newspaper
| STARTING LINE-UPS | |
| 1. Hill | 1. John McCafferty |
| 2. Swaney | 2. Steven Cook |
| 3. Forbes | 3. Jim Scott |
| 4. Britton | 4. Robert Hendry |
| 5. McManus | 5. Jonathan Thompson (C) |
| 6. Gielty | 6. Scott Hunter |
| 7. Elliott | 7. Sean Muhsin |
| 8. Thomson | 8. Daryn Smith |
| 9. Meaney | 9. Jon Voigt |
| 10. McCulloch | 10. James Collier |
| 11. Hutchison | 11. Aaron Conway |
| SUBS : | SUBS : |
| 12. Woodburn (Replaced Britton After 63 Minutes) | 12. Euan Hall (Replaced Jim Scott After 84 Minutes) |
| 14. Roseburgh (Replaced Elliott After 45 Minutes) | 14. Brian Clark (Replaced Sean Muhsin After 80 Minutes) |
| 15. Brown (Replaced Thomson After 45 Minutes) | 15. Kevin Steele (Sub Not Used) |
| 16. McNamarra (Sub Not Used) | 16. Gavin Beith (Sub Not Used) |
| Sub 'Keeper - Burgess (Sub Not Used) | Sub 'Keeper - Mike Gourlay (Sub Not Used) |
| GOALS | |
| McCulloch (53) | Collier (22) |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS | |
| Referee : S. Jamieson, Carluke. | |
| Hill | Thompson |