Carnoustie Panmure 3 Blairgowrie 4
After five weeks of inactivity, Carnoustie Panmure at last returned to competitive action on Saturday afternoon when Blairgowrie were welcomed to Laing Park in the Bukta teamwear.com East Premier League.Manager Ian Gilzean made only one change to the side that defeated Penicuik Athletic on their last outing back on December 12. Kevin Cumming was sidelined with a groin injury picked up in that game and made worse during indoor training over the enforced break, and was replaced by new man Kevin Milne, signed on a temporary transfer from Arbroath FC during the week.
Carnoustie attacked from the kick-off and had an early chance when Clark got a touch to a McIlravey cross, but guided the ball wide of the target.
McIlravey again broke clear on the right and put in another good cross, which was just too high for Milne. The ball was knocked back out to the edge of the box from where Beith shot narrowly past.
As the Gowfers continued to press, a Reilly 35 yard effort flashed just wide of 'keeper O'Brien's left-hand post.
Despite having all the early play, Carnoustie were shocked in 10 minutes when a Menzies free kick from the right picked out CRUICKSHANK, who headed the ball over the advancing Jamieson into the empty net to put Blairgowrie ahead.
The visitors' lead was short-lived however, as just a minute later the Gowfers were back on level terms. Clark took a free kick 40 yards out and found MILNE, who deftly backheeled the ball over O'Brien's head into the net from 10 yards.
Blairgowrie were now featuring more in the game and came close to regaining the lead when Neave got down the left and crossed to Cruickshank at the edge of the box, but Jamieson blocked the shot with his feet.
Back at the other end, McIlravey received the ball from a Clark free kick on the right and crossed low and hard into the box to Milne, whose shot was parried away by O'Brien.
In 25 minutes, Beith was booked for a foul on Axworthy.
Shortly afterwards, Carnoustie won a free kick in Blair territory and Beith's cross to the far post was volleyed narrowly over by Milne.
A great through ball from Clark was chased in by Urquhart, but O'Brien got down bravely to save at the feet of the inrushing player.
The Gowfers again came close when a deep cross from the right by Narey was knocked back out to McIlravey, who shot just over.
Graham was then booked for a foul on Milne 30 yards out, but from Beith's free kick, S. Robertson headed over.
From O'Brien's goal kick, Blairgowrie worked their way up the park and forced a corner on the right, but Robertson got back to clear Axworthy's cross.
Blair kept plugging away and won another corner, this time on the left. Cruickshank got his head to Neave's cross, but Jamieson made a fine save at the far post.
Right on the half-time whistle, Jamieson pulled off another good save to prevent Ireland giving the Berrypickers the interval lead.
Half Time : Carnoustie Panmure 1 Blairgowrie 1
Blairgowrie resumed after the break with Gray on in place of Ireland.Early in the second half, R. Robertson was shown the yellow card for a foul on Reilly.
As in the opening period, Carnoustie again did most of the early pressing and came close to going in front when a Clark cross to the edge of the box was met by Milne, whose shot crept narrowly past.
In the next home attack, a Milne cross from the right to the far post just eluded Urquhart.
Blairgowrie pushed forward in response and won a free kick when Cruickshank was fouled by Hall 25 yards out. Cruickshank took the kick himself and fired the ball through the defensive wall, but Jamieson had it covered and saved easily.
In 56 minutes, Masson replaced Clark for Carnoustie.
Blair kept at it and a drive by Axworthy was turned past by Jamieson for a corner on the left. Axworthy took the flag kick himself, but his cross was well cleared by S. Robertson.
Milne was the next player to find his way into the referee's book when he was cautioned for shirt-pulling in 58 minutes.
A minute later, the Gowfers made a second substitution with Smith replacing Urquhart.
Carnoustie were dealt a blow in 63 minutes when S. Robertson was red-carded for a last-man challenge on Neave 25 yards out. Axworthy's free kick cleared the defensive wall, but flew just wide of Jamieson's right-hand post.
Back at the other end, Reilly tried his luck with a snap shot from 30 yards, but the ball was turned past by O'Brien. The corner was taken by McIlravey, but his cross was cleared up the park by Christison.
The Gowfers made a third and final change in 68 minutes, replacing Narey with Cook.
Shortly afterwards, Neave was booked for encroachment at a Carnoustie free kick on the edge of the visitors' box. Masson was eventually allowed to take the kick, but his shot was blocked by the defensive wall.
The home side continued to press and took the lead in 77 minutes when a Masson cross was met by MILNE, who rifled the ball past O'Brien, giving the 'keeper no chance.
However, just like Blairgowrie in the first half, Carnoustie failed to hold on to this advantage for any length of time. A minute later, NEAVE ran on to a loose ball at the right-hand corner of the box and fired it in low and hard. His shot took an awkward bounce and looped over Jamieson into the far corner of the net to level the score once more.
In 79 minutes, Miller replaced Graham for Blair.
Carnoustie regained the lead in 86 minutes when MCILRAVEY made a great solo run from halfway, outpacing Christison and Ferguson, and from 15 yards drove the ball under the outrushing 'keeper into the net.
Any hopes of a Gowfers' victory were dashed in 91 minutes when PIRIE latched on to a Miller cross and rifled the ball into the top corner of the net. Jamieson got a finger to the shot, but was unable to tip it over the bar.
Unbelievably, a minute later, Blairgowrie then snatched victory from the jaws of defeat when the home defence again failed to clear their lines and substitute MILLER smashed the ball high into the net from 25 yards.
Still the game went on and in 93 minutes the Berrypickers were also reduced to 10 men after Neave kicked the ball away and received a second yellow card for time-wasting.
With almost six minutes of stoppage time showing on the watch, the referee eventually brought the match to an end and courtesy of those two late goals Blairgowrie had recorded their first win over the Gowfers in Carnoustie since August 23 1989 when both teams were in the old Tayside Second Division.
Match Report Courtesy Of Guide And Gazette Newspaper
| STARTING LINE-UPS | |
| 1. Craig Jamieson | 1. O'Brien |
| 2. Steven Narey | 2. Menzies |
| 3. Robert Urquhart | 3. Ferguson |
| 4. Scott Robertson | 4. R. Robertson |
| 5. Robert Hendry | 5. Christison |
| 6. Euan Hall | 6. Axworthy |
| 7. Gavin Beith | 7. Ireland |
| 8. Brian Clark | 8. Pirie |
| 9. Kevin Milne | 9. Graham |
| 10. Andy Reilly | 10. Cruickshank |
| 11. Michael McIlravey | 11. Neave |
| SUBS : | SUBS : |
| 12. Daryn Smith (Replaced Urquhart After 59 Minutes) | 12. Gray (Replaced Ireland After 45 Minutes) |
| 14. Terry Masson (Replaced Clark After 56 Minutes) | 14. Miller (Replaced Graham After 79 Minutes) |
| 15. Steven Cook (Replaced Narey After 68 Minutes) | 15. McKaig (Sub Not Used) |
| 16. Alan McSkimming (Sub Not Used) | 16. Mark Brash (Sub Not Used) |
| 17 - Matthew Henderson (Sub Not Used) | Sub Keeper - Nugent (Sub Not Used) |
| GOALS | |
| MCILRAVEY(86), MILNE(11,77) | CRUICKSHANK(10), MILLAR(92), NEAVE(78), PIRIE(91) |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS | |
| Referee : C. Duncan, Dundee. | |
| BEITH, MILNE, S.ROBERTSON (RED) | GRAHAM, NEAVE (RED - 2 YELLOWS),R.ROBERTSON |
League Standings After Game
| Home | Away | |||||||||||||
| # |
Team
|
P | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | GD |
| 1 | Forfar West End | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 8 | 21 | +16 |
| 2 | Ballingry Rovers | 11 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 20 | +2 |
| 3 | Kinnoull | 11 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 19 | +6 |
| 4 | Carnoustie Panmure | 12 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 0 |
| 5 | Arniston Rangers | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 10 | 17 | +4 |
| 6 | Blairgowrie | 11 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 17 | 15 | -2 |
| 7 | Armadale Thistle | 11 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 14 | +5 |
| 8 | Tayport | 9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 14 | +3 |
| 9 | Fauldhouse United | 11 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 15 | 13 | -2 |
| 10 | St Andrews Utd | 12 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 12 | 12 | -7 |
| 11 | Penicuik Athletic | 13 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 15 | 12 | -10 |
| 12 | Montrose Roselea | 12 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 6 | -15 |