MONTROSE ROSELEA v LOCHEE HARP

McBOOKIE.COM NORTH DIVISION

SAT NOV 19^th 2011

 

Roselea entertained Lochee Harp on what was a perfect day for football. The sides had met at Beechwood Park for a Cup tie in September with Roselea running out winner by 3-2. A win was needed to keep the pressure up on League leaders Violet who had a tough game themselves at Arbroath Vics. One player missing for the home side was Bob Urquhart who was down with a flu virus and Lee Hood stepped into his boots.

 

Roselea: Mcleod, Colquhoun, P Taylor, Whyte, Reoch, Hood, Rae, Anderson, Kennedy, Collier & Fletcher. Subs: Riach, Aitken, P Taylor, Rodger, Mustard & Craig

 

With some of the crowd just arriving they missed the opening goal with it coming inside 30 seconds. Lee Hood picked the ball up just over the half way line then slipped the ball into COLLIER and he drew the keeper and slid the ball home from 16 yards.

 

The home side had started very strongly and almost increased their lead in 5 minutes when Collier turned provider this time putting Anderson in and he brought out a great save from Brown in the Harp goal.

 

A minute later Roselea did increase their lead with a well taken goal by Lee HOOD. Ryan Taylor sent in a great cross which just missed the head of Collier and Hood controlled well before striking the ball past the keeper and into the net.

 

Lochee Harp managed to get back into the game in the frantic opening period. A corner was only cleared as far as Mcguire on the left hand side and his cross was headed goalwards by Fotheringham but TOVEY got another header in to change the direction of the ball past Mcleod on 10 minutes.

 

Roselea suffered a further setback on 17 minutes when Calum Rae had to be replaced by Sean Mustard following a heavy but fair challenge.

 

Roselea restored their 2 goal advantage in the 23^rd minute. Colquhoun flighted a long free kick into the box and Paul WHYTE just two yards in the box sent a looping header over the keeper and into the net.

 

Lochee Harp had a good chance in 25 minutes when Roselea failed to clear a corner and after a couple of blocks the Roselea goal remained intact.

 

Roselea had the next chance on 33 minutes when Collier poked a Kennedy free kick goalwards and past the keeper but a defender got back and cleared. Roselea had another chance 6 minutes later but Collier was just off target when he chipped the ball over the keeper following a scramble in the box.

 

 

Harp were down but not out and they had some pressure as half came to an end. Mcleod had to save a low free kick then they had a penalty appeal after Ramsay went down in the box.

 

Half Time: Roselea 3 Lochee Harp 1

 

Roselea had a penalty appeal themselves as the second half got under when Fletcher went down in the box but the referee felt that he was on his way down before the contact.

 

Roselea had the first chance of the second period when Fletcher and Collier combined and when Fletcher cut the ball back in the box Collier had his shot blocked.

 

Boyle of Harp got a bit too much room in 59 minutes when he got his head to a cross but could not trouble Mcleod in the Roselea goal.

 

Roselea increased their lead in 64 minutes with a great goal. They were under some pressure and broke with Harp pushing forward and Lee Hoods perfect cross found the head of Sean MUSTARD whose diving header finished the move.

 

Roselea then made an instant change with Paul Taylor coming on for Stewart Fletcher and Joe Aitken replacing Craig Anderson.

 

Hood went on a terrific run in 75 minutes beating two men in the process before coming to a stop after a shirt tug which went unspotted by the referee and the ball eventually went out for a corner.

 

Joe Aitken skinned his marker on the half way line and made a bee line for the box before squaring and Collier just failed to connect at the far post.

 

Full Time: Roselea 4 Lochee Harp 1

 

This win keep Roselea in contention however with Violet winning 1-0 at Arbroath the gap is still 5 points. This was Roseleas sixth consecutive League win and was certainly aided by the blistering start they made. One negative was the injury to Calum Rae that will certainly see him side lined for a couple of months with ankle ligament damage.

 

Roselea head to Guthrie Park Forfar on Sat Nov 26^th to face Forfar Albion which was the scene of the 4-1 defeat last season and started their collapse in the Title race. The match kicks off at 1.45pm