MONTROSE ROSELEA v JEANFIELD SWIFTS

EMIRATES SCOTTISH JUNIOR CUP 4^th ROUND

SAT JAN 19^th 2013 

To most outsiders there was almost disbelief when this Scottish Junior Cup tie went ahead whilst almost every other game in the country was off due to snow and frost. Only Falkirk in the East Region and three West coast Junior games went ahead. The pitch was wet and expected to cut up but both sides and the match referee were happy to proceed on it. On the pitch Roselea had one injury worry and Calum Rae failed an early fitness test and did not make the squad.  Premier League side Swifts were watched by Ralph Brand and a tough game was expected against a very experienced side. 

Roselea: Mcleod, P Taylor, R Taylor, Reoch, Whyte, Urquhart, Collier, Anderson, Ross, Cruickshank & Watson. Subs Allan, Brand, Riach, Craig & Reid.

Both sides took time to settle on the slippy surface but it was Roselea who produced the first chance when Calum Watson broke on the right and his cross found the side netting in 4 minutes. 

Roselea set their stall out with Calum Watson as the sole striker and this allowed Jeanfield to settle and spray passes along the back four. 

Jeanfield had a great chance in 5 minutes with Roselea claiming for a foul on Ryan Taylor as he attempted to clear then the ball broke to Holden and his shot was saved by the feet of Mcleod. 

Roselea got back in the action 5 minutes later when Cruickshank crossed and although Watson won his header he was adjudged to have pushed Whitehead in the box.

Ross then had a decent left footed effort from 25 yards as Roselea showed they were not going to be standing down in this tie. Anderson of Jeanfield had a strike from the edge of the box in 17 minutes but once again Mcleod was well positioned to hold it. 

Play raged to the other end in this pulsating cup tie and Cruickshank’s shot from the edge of the box was deflected just behind for a corner. Cruickshank also took the corner and a great run and flick from Urquhart saw the ball head to the far post but there was no Roselea poacher on hand to capitalise. 

Roselea were defending sternly and there was four blocks in the 6 yard box to eventually clear the ball after a scramble in 21 minutes. There was an almost identical scramble in the box 5 minutes later when Mackie cut the ball back but once again Roselea cleared through Ryan Taylor. 

Calum Watson showed great strength in 34 minutes when he chested a Paul Taylor ball down before shooting just over the bar. Roselea had to make an enforced change in 37 minutes when Paul Taylor fell awkwardly and had to leave the field for treatment. Graeme Allan took his place and slotted in at right back. 

On 41 minutes Anderson went on a surging run and ended up shooting just wide as both teams tried to break the deadlock. There was a spate of bookings as half time approached. Whyte and Gordon were booked after a skirmish and from the resulting free kick Holt blasted the ball into the wall. The ball broke to the other end and Cruickshank committed Gunnion to a tackle which also ended in a yellow card. 

Half Time: Roselea 0 Jeanfield 0

Roselea made a positive start to the second half when Cruickshank and Watson combined well with the latter’s dangerous cross having to be headed behind by Gordon. 

Roselea had a great chance in 47 minutes when Deans cleared the ball only as far as Cruickshank who hit a well struck shot but Bruce held well.

 In 53 minutes Craig Anderson cut in from the left leaving two men in his trail and elected to shoot, screwing the ball wide when Watson was well placed in the middle. 

Four minutes later there was a further scramble in the Roselea penalty area but Taylor and Collier combined well to clear the danger. In 60 minutes Anderson hit a curling shot that just swerved round the post much to Roselea’s relief. 

There was a controversial moment a minute later. This time the scramble was in the Jeanfield box when Bruce and Anderson failed to clear a corner and the ball was hit off Collier’s back and seemed to hit the back of the stanchion before bouncing back into the keepers hands. Roselea’s celebrations were cut short however as neither referee nor his Assistant seemed to have spotted this and keeper Bruce played on. 

Once again the play swung to the other end and Holt had a low shot which went agonisingly wide. The referee awarded a corner when Mcleod didn’t seem to get a touch on it.

In 72 minutes the resolute Roselea defence once again blocked a certain goal with Ryan Taylor the hero as the ball struck his back. 

Dale Reid replaced Michael Cruickshank in 75 minutes as Roselea went a bit more attacking in a bid to win the tie. 

Jeanfield were awarded a penalty in 78 minutes and it seemed a harsh decision with both Holt and Reoch in mid air the Roselea defender was adjudged to have pushed his opponent. After Reoch received a booking for dissent HOLT stepped up and took a perfect penalty giving Mcleod no chance. 

As play resumed Roselea Manager was dismissed for his comments to the Assistant referee remonstrating the two decisions that had gone against them. 

From the kick off Roselea almost got a fortuitous break after Watson’s 30 yard shot was heading well off target and as Bruce ran to keep it in play the ball hit a divot taking it goalwards and somehow Bruce kept his feet to recover the position. 

Roselea deserved an equaliser on the balance of play and that came in 85 minutes. Reid flicked the ball on and WATSON showed great determination to hold off the Jeanfield defender before slotting a low shot into the net despite the efforts of Whitehead who almost cleared. Broomfield Park erupted as the Scottish Cup trail stayed alive. 

Gordon had one last effort for Jeanfield with the ball just dropping over the bar but neither side could argue that a draw was a fair result. 

Full Time: Montrose Roselea 1 Jeanfield Swifts 1

Referee G Beaton 

This was a very entertaining Scottish Cup tie watched by a healthy crowd swelled by the lack of Junior fixtures in the area. It was played in the correct spirit and well handled by the referee despite the error for the goal not given.Both camps will agree that this was a fair result with Jeanfield opening well and creating a few chances before Roselea took the upperhand in the second half. The sides will now play again this Saturday for the right to progress to the 5^th Round. The match will be decided on penalty kicks if all square at the end of the 90 mins. Kick Off is 1.45pm with the Roselea bus expected to leave at 11am. Please contact Roy Gill on 07908763219, cost £10.

 Match Sponsors MGFA, Anne Reoch & friends and Stirfresh nominated Danny Ross as Man of the Match and Danny Powell presented his award.