Carnoustie Panmure 3 Downfield 1
Downfield kicked-off, but with wind advantage Carnoustie were first to threaten when a Reilly 35 yard snap shot was well held by Fordyce.Clark also had an early attempt at goal from distance, but put his effort wide of the 'keeper's left-hand post.
The Gowfers continued to press and deservedly opened the scoring in 10 minutes when Beith put in a fine cross from the left to REILLY, who bulleted a header past Fordyce from eight yards.
Shortly afterwards, it was almost two when Narey got on the end of a Masson corner from the left, but his header was too direct and straight at Fordyce, who was by far the busier of the two 'keepers.
Clark was then fouled by Traynor at the edge of the visitors' box and although Masson curled the free kick round the defensive wall, the Downfield 'keeper did well to block the ball away.
It was all Carnoustie in the early stages, but Downfield eventually worked their way up the park and a Traynor drive from the edge of the area flew narrowly over.
In response, the Gowfers pushed forward once more and forced two corners in quick succession. From the second of these, Masson played the ball short to Hall, whose fierce drive was well held by Fordyce at the base of his right-hand post.
Carnoustie should have gone two up when an Urquhart cross from the right was missed by the Spiders' 'keeper, but Masson, coming in at the back, headed wide of the empty goal when it looked easier to score.
However, the Gowfers at last doubled their lead in 36 minutes when Reilly fed MASSON, who this time did find the target, firing the ball home from 10 yards off the inside of the left-hand post.
McIlravey then had a shot blocked for a corner on the right. Clark's cross picked out Reilly, whose shot was cleared off the line by Rollo, with the 'keeper beaten.
In 43 minutes, Downfield's Fraser was booked for dissent.
Just on half-time, the visitors almost pulled a goal back when Traynor again broke clear on his own, but as before ballooned his shot over the top.
Half Time : Carnoustie Panmure 2 Downfield 0
The westerly wind had strengthened by the start of the second half and was now blowing in the Spiders' favour.Downfield thought they had got themselves back in the game in 49 minutes when a Fraser cross from the right was fired into the net by Farquharson, but he was flagged offside and the 'goal' disallowed.
Smith then got down the right for Carnoustie and crossed to Urquhart, who fired the ball against the crossbar. It rebounded back out to Masson, whose shot also struck the crossbar, albeit from an offside position and even if he had found the target, the goal would have been chalked-off.
The gowfers again came close to increasing their lead when Reilly laid the ball off to McIlravey, whose fierce strike from the edge of the box was just wide of Fordyce's left-hand upright.
With wind advantage, Downfield were more in the game this half and a Traynor free kick from halfway put the home defence under pressure. Smith's attempt to head clear dropped back out to Traynor, who shot over from 20 yards.
Shortly afterwards, Traynor again tried his luck with a fine drive from the edge of the area, but Jamieson made a good save at the base of his right-hand post.
The Spiders were now throwing caution to the wind and won a corner when a Fraser 25 yard free kick struck the defensive wall and was deflected behind. Fraser took the flag kick himself, but Jamieson did well to clutch the ball under pressure.
In 67 minutes, Downfield's efforts were rewarded courtesy of a long ball forward from Henderson. Beith was beaten to the ball by FRASER, who then steadied himself before giving Jamieson no chance with a fine strike from the edge of the box.
Fraser continued to prove a handful and put the Gowfers' defence under further pressure when he was fouled by Hendry 35 yards out. Traynor's free kick was headed behind by Narey for a corner, but this was wasted by the visitors when the cross was carried behind by the still freshening wind.
The first substitution of the match was made by Carnoustie in 77 minutes when Cumming replaced Masson.
Just four minutes later, Cumming quickly made his mark on the game with a fine ball up the left to CLARK, who cut inside before rifling a powerful shot past Fordyce for the Gowfers' third.
Downfield made a change in 83 minutes, replacing Traynor with Berry.
Carnoustie almost added a fourth when Urquhart got up the line and crossed to Smith, whose shot was turned over the bar by Fordyce. Clark's corner from the right eluded his team-mates and was cleared away by Wilson.
Urquhart was replaced by Murray right on the final whistle, but the substitute scarcely had time for a kick of the ball before the referee blew for full-time and the Gowfers had their first points of the competition.
Match Report Courtesy Of Guide And Gazette Newspaper
| STARTING LINE-UPS | |
| 1. Craig Jamieson | 1. Chris Fordyce |
| 2. Daryn Smith | 2. Kris Rollo |
| 3. Gavin Beith | 3. Michael Potter |
| 4. Robert Hendry | 4. Keith Wilson |
| 5. Steven Narey | 5. Scott Tovey |
| 6. Terry Masson | 6. Andy Sommerville |
| 7. Brian Clark | 7. Jon Snowden |
| 8. Euan Hall | 8. Gavin Traynor |
| 9. Michael McIlravey | 9. Stewart Farquharson |
| 10. Andy Reilly | 10. Ralph Henderson |
| 11. Robert Urquhart | 11. Gary Fraser |
| SUBS : | SUBS : |
| 12. Ross Murray (Trialist - Replaced Urquhart After 90 Minutes) | 12. Kevin McDonald |
| 14. Kevin Cumming (Replaced Masson After 77 Minutes) | 14. Phillip Berry |
| 15. Scott Robertson (Sub Not Used) | 15. Jan Dammer |
| Sub 'Keeper - John McCafferty (Sub Not Used) | 16. Kevin Hirons |
| 17. Garry McLaughlin | |
| Sub 'Keeper - Scott Lindsay | |
| GOALS | |
| CLARK(81), MASSON(36), REILLY(10) | FRASER(67) |
| OFFICIALS & BOOKINGS | |
| Referee : G. Harris, Coupar Angus. | |
| NONE | FRASER |