Carnoustie Panmure 3 Dundee Violet 1
Phil McGuire’s Gowfers made it three wins from three as they beat a dogged Dundee Violet 3-1 at Laing Park.
With the games coming thick and fast, McGuire made four changes to his starting XI with both Pat Martin and Ryan Dignan injured. Kieran Conway came in for his debut along with Robert Smith, Sam Simpson and Paul McLellan, with Finn Kemlo, Bailey Steel and Bruce Hearn dropping to the bench.
Carnoustie started brightly and took a deserved lead on 11 minutes when Steven McPhee slotted the ball home after being played in on the left and eight minutes later it was two after Conway strolled forward before finding Paul McLellan with a great 40 yard ball and he made it two in two from 10 yards.
There was a first at Laing Park at the start of the second half as Violet had to make a concussion substitute after Ryan Hush, who had replaced Jay Taylor on 37 minutes , was replaced by Ollie Brander
Within a minute of the restart The Gowfers were given a chance to extend their lead after Sam Simpson was brought down in the box but the normally reliable Simpson missed the spot kick, clipping the outside of the post. The miss invigorated the visitors and they were gifted the chance to pull a goal back when Simpson’s birthday got worse after he was harshly penalised for handball, Greg Breen sending Jamie Robbie the wrong way from the spot.
Violet had their tails up and Carnoustie huffed and puffed without finding the back of the net until the 90th minute. Fraser Burnett in the Violet goal had denied Carnoustie with three excellent saves but his failure to deal with a cross saw the ball fall to Dale, who stabbed the ball home to make it four goals in three games for the striker.
It’s very early days but Carnoustie sit two points clear at the top of the Midlands League table but an indication of how potentially tight the league will be is that only Carnoustie and Lochee United who thrashed Brechin Vics 9-0 at Victoria Park, have 100% records.
The Back Onside Man of the Match was Kieran Conway
