GOWFERS HOLD OUT FOR WIN OVER 'VALE
Carnoustie Panmure 2 Deveronvale 1
The men from Banff were runners-up in their league championship last season and were expected to pose a stiff test for the Gowfers, who included two trialists in their starting line-up and had another three on the bench along with spare goalkeeper John McCafferty.Senior players Gavin Beith and Jon Thompson, who guided Carnoustie to cup success at the end of last season, were again in charge of team selection in the absence of manager Ian Gilzean on holiday.
The 'Vale kicked off, but Carnoustie quickly won possession and Trialist 10 had a shot blocked for a corner by Fraser. Smith's cross, however, came to nothing as Thompson was deemed to be fouling in the box and from the resultant free kick the visitors cleared their lines.
Watt then made a good run up the Deveronvale left and put in a cross to the back post, but McKenzie's shot flashed across the face of the goal and out for a throw on the far side.
As the Gowfers pushed forward once more, a Smith fierce drive from outside the box flew just wide of 'keeper Tait's right-hand post.
A further spell of home pressure was rewarded with a corner on the right and as Tait attempted to punch clear from Smith's cross, the loose ball fell to Hall, who fired narrowly past from the edge of the box.
In response, the northerners forced a corner on the left and when McKenzie's cross was only partially cleared by the home defence, Watt tried his luck with a 15-yard drive, which had Jamieson beaten, but came back off the base of the post. Carstairs was first to the loose ball, but shot wide, much to the Gowfers' relief.
Despite that near miss by the visitors, Carnoustie continued to do most of the pressing and were rewarded with the opening goal in 14 minutes. Hendry fed a fine through pass to CUMMING, who outpaced Rodger before firing low past Tait from 12 yards.
Just two minutes later, CUMMING was on target again, this time cutting in from the bye-line before firing low under Tait from an acute angle to double the home side's lead.
Shortly afterwards, Hall required treatment for a face knock and had to leave the field to be patched up, returning a couple of minutes later.
Watt almost pulled one back for the Princess Royal Parkers when he pounced on a loose ball just outside the box and fired in a good shot, which appeared netbound, but Beith got back to clear.
Mackay then tried his luck from 25 yards and Jamieson did well to turn the ball past for a corner. Watt's cross was met first-time by Urquhart, but Hall was in line to block the ball away.
Late in the first half, Carnoustie passed up a couple of chances to increase their lead. The first of these saw Trialist 11 put in a good cross to Smith, who screwed his shot wide of the post.
Moments later, a Smith cross picked out Trialist 10, whose header was blocked by a defender on the line.
Half Time : Carnoustie Panmure 2 Deveronvale 0
Early in the second half, Carnoustie almost went three up when Cumming was allowed a free header from a Trialist 11 corner, but put the ball over the bar.Deveronvale were more in the game this half and Duncanson, a half-time replacement for McKenzie, was proving a real handful for the home defence.
The visitors forced two corners in quick succession, but from the second of these, McGowan's cross was well held by McCafferty, under pressure.
With Carnoustie tiring, the Banffers? perseverance brought a deserved consolation goal in 78 minutes. WATT was put through by Urquhart and after shrugging off a challenge from Narey, shot home from 12 yards. McCafferty got a hand to the ball, but was unable to stop it entering the net.
It was all the ?Vale in the closing stages and a fine cross from the left by Dolan picked out 'danger man' Duncanson, who headed narrowly past.
Moments later, Duncanson unleashed a fierce drive, which Narey managed to block away.
With the home goal now being peppered at every opportunity, Carnoustie were only just hanging on, but stand firm they did and at the final whistle were well worth this notable narrow victory over Highland League opposition.
Match Report Courtesy Of Guide And Gazette Newspaper
| STARTING LINE-UPS | |
| 1. Craig Jamieson | 1. Blair Tait |
| 2. Steven Cook | 2. Colin Legge |
| 3. Gavin Beith | 3. Steven Dolan |
| 4. Steven Narey | 4. Mark Chisholm |
| 5.Jonathan Thompson (C) | 5. Scott Fraser |
| 6. Robert Hendry | 6. Graeme Rodger |
| 7. Daryn Smith | 7. Paul Urquhart |
| 8. Euan Hall | 8. Sam Mackay |
| 9. Kevin Cumming | 9. Michael McKenzie |
| 10. Michael McIlravey | 10. Gordon Carstairs |
| 11. Robert Urquhart | 11. Graham Watt |
| SUBS : | SUBS : |
| 12. Trialist (Replaced Beith After 45 Minutes) | 12. Robert Duncanson (Replaced McKenzie After 45 Minutes) |
| 14. Henderson (Replaced Thompson After 54 Minutes) | 14. Mark Cowie (Replaced Mackay After 69 Minutes) |
| 15. Fraser McDonald (Replaced Hendry After 45 Minutes) | 15. Gary McGowan (Replaced Rodger After 45 Minutes) |
| Sub 'Keeper - John McCafferty (Replaced Jamieson After 45 Minutes) | 16. John Coutts (Replaced Carstairs After 45 Minutes) |
| 17. Fletcher (Replaced Legge After 69 Minutes) | |
| GOALS | |
| CUMMING (14,16) | WATT(78) |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS | |
| Referee : T. Brunton, Dundee. | |
| NONE | NONE |