Late Masson Penalty Earns Gowfers A Point
Arniston Rangers 1 Carnoustie Panmure 1
Arniston kicked-off on a pitch that was very soft and badly rutted, and with a cold, stiffish westerly breeze at their backs.The first corner of the match was won by Carnoustie in three minutes. Cook received a pass from Masson and carried the ball forward before sending over a good cross meant for Cumming, but Cennerazzo got there first and touched it out behind.
McIlravey took the flag kick and crossed the ball right into the six yard box, but Nesbitt got up to head clear.
Hendry quickly sent the ball back in and it was deflected behind for a second corner. Again McIlravey took the kick and this time his cross was cleared away by Laird.
In 10 minutes, Arniston were awarded a free kick when Nicholson was brought down by Masson, but Ellis sent the ball high over the defensive wall and over the crossbar as well.
Back came the Gowfers and in 12 minutes Reilly made a good run to the bye-line and cut the ball back to McIlravey, but the latter's intended cross was knocked out behind by Cennerazzo for another corner. McIlravey's cross found Cook, but his shot was weak and 'keeper Rachowski had no trouble making the save.
Just a minute later, Gates took the ball to the bye-line and won yet another corner off Cennerazzo, but this time McIlravey put too much weight behind his cross and the ball curled wide of the far post.
Carnoustie continued to press and in 15 minutes Masson played a long ball through for Cumming to chase, but before the striker could get on the end of it, Rachowski rushed from his line to thump clear. The ball came out to Reilly on the halfway line and quick as a flash he sent it back over the stranded 'keeper's head towards the empty goal, but his effort was just off target, going wide of Rachowski's left-hand upright.
Moments later, a loose ball in midfield fell to Narey, who was also wide of the mark with a long-range strike.
Up to this point, Arniston had seldom been seen as an attacking force, but in 19 minutes the Gowfers went behind in a rather cruel fashion. A Nicholson corner from the left found Nesbitt at the edge of the box and he back-headed the ball into the crowded goalmouth. Howitt tried a shot, which Jamieson dived in an attempt to save, but the ball struck Cook. It spun back out to HOWITT, who hammered a shot high into the roof of the net with Jamieson still lying on the ground.
Carnoustie immediately went in search of an equaliser and getting on the end of a Hendry pass, Reilly fired in a shot, which was blocked away by Laird.
In 25 minutes, a Reilly cross picked out Cumming, who headed narrowly past Rachowski's left-hand post.
With half an hour on the watch, the Gowfers had a scare when Ellis played a long ball through to Howitt, who beat Robertson in the air, then fed Anderson, but he rather snatched at his shot and the ball flew wide of Jamieson's right-hand post.
Two minutes later, with Carnoustie pushing forward once more, Reilly played a good ball into the home box, picking out Cumming, who appeared to be pushed by Cunnison, but the referee saw nothing wrong and waved play on.
In 35 minutes, the Gowfers' support were aggrieved again when Cumming knocked the ball down to Reilly, who was crowded out and a foul was awarded to Arniston when it should probably have been given the other way.
Next minute, a long cross field ball from Narey meant for McIlravey was intercepted by Laird, who thumped the ball out of the park at the expense of a corner. McIlravey's cross was headed away by Nesbitt, but Robertson quickly played the ball back forward to Reilly, who turned and fired off a shot, which fizzed narrowly over the top.
In 40 minutes, Cook was adjudged to have fouled Howitt, but Nicholson headed well wide from Morris's free kick.
Back at the other end, Robertson got his head to a McIlravey corner, but failed to direct the ball goalwards and it flew well wide of Rachowski's left-hand upright.
Masson was yellow-carded in 44 minutes after bringing down Anderson and then kicking the loose ball at the player as he lay on the ground. Before the resultant free kick could be taken, Reilly was spoken to by the referee for comments made to the match official.
Ellis was eventually allowed to take the kick and found Anderson, who volleyed the ball wide from the edge of the box. That proved to be the final action of a first half, which ended with Arniston holding a scarcely deserved one-goal lead.
Half Time : Arniston Rangers 1 Carnoustie Panmure 0
On the restart, Carnoustie were again first to show and in 48 minutes won a corner from which McIlravey picked out Cumming, who headed just wide.Next minute, Narey played a long ball through to McIlravey, who sent in a deep cross looking for Cumming, but Rachowski rushed out to take it cleanly.
In 51 minutes, Howitt was booked for comments made to the referee.
Four minutes later, Masson was brought down by Cunnison midway inside the Arniston half. Hall took the resultant free kick and found Reilly, who appeared to be pushed by Cunnison, but again the referee saw nothing wrong and waved play on, denying the Gowfers another apparently good penalty claim.
Play was now becoming quite tousy and in 56 minutes Anderson became the second Arniston player to be cautioned after he brought down Hendry.
With an hour played, McIlravey made a good run down the right, beating two men in the process, then sent in a cross to Gates, who forced a corner off Cennerazzo. Masson's kick, however, was a poor one and Nesbitt had no trouble making the clearance.
Next minute, Carnoustie made their first change with McIlravey making way for Urquhart.
Within seconds of coming on, the substitute was in action, getting his head to a Cook free kick. The ball spun high in the air and Rachowski rose to take it cleanly.
In 63 minutes, Arniston came close to doubling their lead after Reilly was adjudged to have fouled Anderson at the edge of the box. Nicholson lifted the free kick over the defensive wall, but it cannoned back off Jamieson's left-hand post. The ball rebounded to Morris, who blasted it well wide.
At this point, the Gowfers made their second substitution with Milne replacing Cumming.
The 72 minute mark saw a flurry of changes with Nicholson and Howitt being replaced by Martin and Killin for the homesters, and Clark taking over from Gates for Carnoustie.
In 77 minutes, Reilly tried to catch Rachowski out with a long-range shot, but was just off target with the ball flashing just wide of the 'keeper's left-hand post.
The Gowfers continued to push forward in search of an equaliser and in 82 minutes a Hall free kick from just outside the box was handled inside the area by Morris. The referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and up-stepped MASSON to fire the ball low into the right-hand corner of the net, sending the 'keeper the wrong way.
Two minutes later, Milne was fouled by Nesbitt right on the edge of the home box. Masson took the free kick, but this time fired the ball straight through to Rachowski, who had no trouble making the stop.
In 87 minutes, Cook was fouled by Ellis, who was immediately shown the yellow card. Two minutes later, the offending player was substituted by Moriarty.
As the watch clicked over into stoppage time, Carnoustie made one last effort to snatch a winner. Masson linked with Milne, whose deep cross into the home box was headed away by Nesbitt. The ball dropped out to Narey, who went for glory, but his shot flew wide of Rachowski's right-hand post.
Shortly afterwards, the referee blew for full-time and although the Gowfers had seen much more of the ball than Arniston, they were once more left to ponder what might have been after failing to put the home 'keeper under any real pressure in a match they should have won.
Match Report Courtesy Of Guide And Gazette Newspaper
| STARTING LINE-UPS | |
| 1. Bartosz Rachowski | 1. Craig Jamieson |
| 2. Gary Cennerazzo | 2. Steven Narey |
| 3. Robby Laird | 3. Steven Cook |
| 4. Dougie Cunnison | 4. Scott Robertson |
| 5. Scott Nesbitt | 5. Robert Hendry |
| 6. Patty Bonthrone | 6. Euan Hall |
| 7. Mark Ellis | 7. Michael McIlravey |
| 8. Barry Nicholson | 8. Terry Masson |
| 9. David Morris | 9. Kevin Cumming |
| 10. Kyle Howitt | 10. Andy Reilly |
| 11. Brian Anderson | 11. Scott Gates |
| SUBS : | SUBS : |
| 12. Tadg Moriarty (Replaced Ellis After 89 Minutes) | 12. Matthew Henderson (Sub Not Used) |
| 14. Callum Martin (Replaced Nicholson After 72 Minutes) | 14. Daryn Smith (Sub Not Used) |
| 15. Grant Killin (Replaced Howitt After 72 Minutes) | 15. Robert Urquhart (Replaced McIlravey After 61 Minutes) |
| 16. Scott Borthwick (Sub Not Used) | 16. Kevin Milne (Replaced Cumming After 64 Minutes) |
| 17. Andy Donlevy (Sub Not Used) | 17. Brian Clark (Replaced Gates After 72 Minutes) |
| Sub Keeper - Ross Godfrey (Sub Not Used) | 18. John Tonner (Sub Not Used) |
| GOALS | |
| HOWITT(19) | MASSON(82) |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS | |
| Referee : ##### | |
| Anderson, Ellis, Howitt | Masson |