Carnoustie Panmure 5 East Craigie 2
Manager Phil McGuire made an enforced change to his starting XI with Pat Martin coming in for the injured Ryan Dignan with Sam Simpson returning as substitute.
The Gowfers started brightly and were rewarded on 8 minutes, a throw in on the right by Finn Kemlo found Bailey Steel who held the ball up before slipping it to Dale Reid, he found Jamie Winter just inside the box and his goal bound shot was deflected past Liam Dunn in the Craigie goal.
Ten minutes later and it was 2-0, a ball on the right found Finn Kemlo who took the ball on, beat his man before finding Dale Reid who made it three goals in two games with a deft finish in to the roof of the net
Grady McGrath pulled a goal back just before the half hour mark from the penalty spot for East Craigie after Bruce Hearn was adjudged to have impeded Adam Brown and the visitors arguably had the better play of the remainder of the half but The Gowfers went in at the break in front.
Ten minutes in to the second half and East Craigie were level, a corner from the right, uncharacteristically wasn’t cleared and former Gowfer, Adam Browns header looked to have been brilliantly saved by Jamie Robbie but the nearside Assistant Referee gave the goal.
Phil McGuire made a double substitution on the hour mark, Paul McLellan and Sam Simpson replaced Pat Martin and Finn Kemlo along with a tweak to the formation and the visitors struggled to cope with Simpsons direct running at the defence.
The game swung dramatically in Carnoustie’s favour with ten minutes remaining, Simpson once more embarked on a run with Craigie’s Grant Patterson in pursuit, with no chance of catching the Carnoustie man legally, Patterson took a swipe with his right leg, hacking Simpson down and was shown a red card by the referee. As if it couldn’t get any worse for Craigie from the resulting free kick, Ryan Roche was wrestled to the ground in the box by Scott Brannan and the referee pointed to the spot, Sam Simpson, Mr Reliable from the spot gave Dunn no chance with the kick and put Carnoustie 3-2 in front.
Three minutes later and it was Simpson fellow substitute Paul McLellan’s turn to get in on the act as a poor clearance was headed back in to the danger area by Simpson, Dale Reid cut the ball back to McLellan who made no mistake from eight yards out, slamming the ball past Dunn.
If Winters first goal had taken a deflection to beat Dunn then there was no mistake about his second and Carnoustie’s fifth. the midfielder general, seized on a hesitation by a Craigie defender 25 yards from goal, pinched the ball before hitting a delightful chip that would have graced the close by golf courses, over Dunn and in to the back of the net with just a couple of minutes remaining.
The visitors were reduced in numbers further in stoppage time as Brannan received a second booking for standing on Ryan Roches foot
FT Carnoustie 5 East Craigie 2
Back Onside Man of the Match – Jamie Winter
