Montrose Roselea

BLAIRGOWRIE JFC v MONTROSE ROSELEA
DJ LAING LEAGUE CUP SAT AUG 25th 2012

Roselea headed to Davie Park, Blairgowrie with very little prospect to reaching the Semi Finals of the DJ Laing League Cup following last weeks defeat at Arbroath Vics. Only a Roselea win and an unlikely win for Forfar Albion over Arbroath Vics would see Roselea progress.Roselea travelled with the same squad as the previous week minus Graeme Allan who was unavailable and Calum Watson boosted the numbers with a return to the bench. There were several positional & personnel changes as the Management looked to use the final League Cup match to find their starting line up for the following week. Chris Milne made his club debut at right back.

Despite arriving in perfect conditions with a warm sun overhead this quickly changed to torrential rain which almost put the match off. Only some work from the Blairgowrie Groundstaff helped to make the referee decide that it was safe to play.

Roselea: Mcleod, Milne, R Taylor, Whyte, Reoch, Rae, Cruickshank, Anderson, Riach, Collier & Fletcher. Subs: Watson, Brand, P Taylor and Urquhart.

Roselea took the game to Blair early on and Rae sent Fletcher away down the right looking suspicously offside so it was perhaps just when his cross was intercepted and put behind for a corner.

Blairgowrie hit back in 4 minutes when they won a corner. The ball went out to the far side and luckliy for Roselea, Axworthy sclaffed his shot into the side netting.

A minute later and its Roselea on the attack again this time Riach crossing to Collier who managed to get a shot in from a tight angle but it was blocked and turned behind for a corner. Riach got his head to the cross ball but could not get any power to trouble Obrien in the Blair goal.

It was real end to end stuff and McDonald for Blair sent in a dangerous cross which flashed across Mcleods goal line with nobody willing to get their body in the way.In 14 minutes a corner kick landed at the feet of Paul Whyte but he didnt get time to direct his shot and his stabbed effort went over the bar.

Axworthy of Blair came to life in 18 minutes as he beat two lea men in the box before his shot was deflected behind. Blair were looking a real threat at set pieces but Roselea held firm.

Roselea finally found a way around the Blairgowrie offside trap in 26 minutes when Collier played the type of pass that was lacking and sent Michael Cruickshank racing down the line and he picked out Anderson who got a touch on the ball as it was put behind for a corner.

Axworthy should have done better for Blair in 28 minutes when a poor Reoch free kick allowed him room at the edge of the Lea box but his effort was high and wide.

Roselea took the lead in 33 minutes with the simplest of goals. COLLIER found room at the edge of the six yard box and headed Cruickshanks corner kick firmly home.

There was a let off for Roselea three minutes later when Axworthy turned in the box and his shot was spilled by Mcleod to Findlay who had the easiest of chances but hit the post under some pressure from Taylor.

Roselea wanted to keep their lead and only a double tackle from two defenders prevented another certain goal in 40 minutes.Roselea kept it tight to the half and went in just deserving their lead.

Half Time: Blairgowrie 0 Montrose Roselea 0

Roselea made a change at the half time break with Calum Watson replacing Michael Cruickshank who had done well.Roselea again started well when Collier was put in and he rounded Obrien however as he was forced wide he had to try and find a colleague at the far post but McColl cleared.

In 48 minutes Roselea almost doubled their lead with a double chance. Collier picked up a thrown in before finding room in the box and shot against Obriens legs, the ball fell to Fletcher and although his shot was not cleanly struck it hit the post before rebounding to safety.

It was Blairs turn to have a double chance in 51 minutes. Axowrthy screamed a cross over the Roselea six yard box with no takers then the ball fell to Maloney who fired in a 30 yard shot just wide of the upright. Blair were desperate to get back into the game knowing that a win would see them into the Semi Finals.

In 55 minutes Roselea then had another chance to double their lead. Anderson picked up a lose ball and ran the full lenghth of the park leaving two chasers behind before cutting back to Collier who had a shot parried out to Calum Watson who in turn found the side netting as the ref blew for offiside againt him.

Blairgowrie got back into the game in 64 minutes courtesy of an own goal. Axworthy wriggled along the bye-line and his cross came off the underside of the bar before hitting a Lea player on the line and going in.

There was a couple of minutes of controversy with around quarter of an hour remaining. Ryan Taylor was the victim of two heavy challenges at the same time which saw Nicoll of Blair and Rae of Roselea being booked. A minute later Rae was harshly booked for a tackle which he had clearly tried to withdraw his foot as he slid on the wet surface. This resulted in a red card for the midfielder. A minute further on and Hood of Blairgowrie who was also on a yellow commited a more certain foul in the middle of the park on Anderson and was not cautioned much to the anger of those in green.

Calum Watson had looked lively and was the man to put 10 man Roselea in front. WATSON bore into the box evading a couple of tackles and drove the ball under the legs of home keeper Obrien and into the net in 79 minutes.

Roselea were further reduced in 82 minutes when Anderson was involved in an off the ball incident which correctly saw him red carded.

Whyte had a chance again connecting with his right foot from a corner which went just over the bar

Blair saw an opportunity and with 5 minutes remaining they pulled level with full back NICOLL hitting a screaming shot from fully 30 yards which Mcleod had no chance of stopping.

The nine men battled away and got their deserved winner in the 89th minute. COLLIER who was operating as a one man midfield at the time picked up a loose ball on his chest and showed great strenghth to beat the offside trap before calmly clipping the ball over the advancing keeper into the net. There was still time for a yellow card as he was booked for removing his top eventually after appearing from a pile of jubilant Roselea players in the corner.

Full Time: Blairgowrie 2 Montrose Roselea 3

This was a great game played in testing conditions following the heavy rain which came pre kick off. Neither team have qualified for the Semi Finals with Arbroath Vics winning 5-0 at Forfar Albion however they can both take a lot from the final game in the League Cup sections. Roselea showed battling characterisitics which they will need when they return to the same venue for League business next week. The sending offs could have cost Roselea dealry although Calum Rae will still be scratching his head as to why he was sent off. It was great to see Calum Watson coming back from injury and he looked a threat, James Collier showed why he is one of the best in the League and there was also good displays from a number of players. Craig Anderson will pay the price for his moment of madness with a three match suspension.As said already Roselea will return to the same venue with the same Kick Off time only for McBookie.com North Division business on Sat Sept 1st.