Carnoustie Panmure are in the Semi Finals of the D J Laing East Region Cup after a dramatic penalty shoot out win over Dundee North End at North End Park on Wednesday night.
Phil McGuire kept with the same starting eleven that beat Downfield at the weekend on a very wet evening in the City of Discovery.
Both sides started brightly with Carnoustie just about edging the opening skirmishes but it was the home side that took the lead on 22 minutes through former St Andrews United and Tayport striker Gary Sutherland. The Gowfers battled to get back in to the game in dreadful conditions and got their reward on 44 minutes, Steven McPhee worked his magic in the middle of the park before finding Pat Martin on the right of the box and although North End keeper Mark Stewart got a hand to Martin’s shot he could only help it along its way in to the back of the net.
The Gowfers came out refreshed and started to take control with McPhee and Jamie Winter particularly influential so it was no surprise when Sam Simpson rifled Carnoustie in front on 56 minutes, once again assisted by McPhee. North End came back looking for an equaliser but the Carnoustie defence stood resolute with Ryan Roche, Harvey Dailly and Michael Cruickshank repelling the home sides forays. With the game in stoppage time and the Gowfers looking like they were in the Semi Final, Sutherland lost his marker at the back post and hit a dramatic equaliser with the last kick of the game, the referee blowing for full time as Carnoustie kicked off.
So to penalties, Sam Simpson, Liam Scott and Ryan Dignan were successful from the spot with McPhee seeing his kick saved, North End saw their first penalty come back off the bar and the fourth saved by Jamie Robbie giving Harvey Dailly the chance to put Carnoustie in the Semi Final and the defender made no mistake sending Stewart the wrong way.
The only downside for Carnoustie was losing Jamie Winter late on with a hamstring injury that will be assessed this evening.
Carnoustie : Robbie, Hearn, Cruickshank, Steel. Roche, Dailly, Simpson, Winter (Scott), Dignan, McPhee, Martin (McCabe)
