Montrose Roselea

Armadale Thistle 1-1 Montrose Roselea

Roselea made the long journey south of the Forth to be greeted with blizzard like conditions at Volunteer Park.

After some deliberation between the official and management of both teams the game was started in the hope conditions would improve as the game went on. 

It took twenty minutes for the game to really come to life with both sets of players struggling in the opening stages to get a hold of the game in such horrid weather.

Roselea had the first chance of the game after 21 minutes when a corner fell to Mowatt on the edge of the box but his shot was blocked. 

It was the start of some real sustained pressure from the away outfit up until half time. Campbell played in a great ball across the 6 yard box but no one was on hand to finish. 

Watson looked for strike partner Duff with a low cross which the keeper fumbled and although Duff managed to create a chance to shoot the home keeper recovered well to push it round the post.

 After 29 minutes Milne, getting his first start since rejoining the club, found Duff but his shot was blocked.

Roselea were finding route one was moat effective and as Anderson played a long ball over the top a defender slipped and Watson latched on to a long ball but once again the home keeper was out quick to thwart the big striker.

Watson was pushing and pushing for a goal but after a Campbell cross found him he just couldn't quite direct the ball towards the target.

Watson squirmed his best chance of the game just on the stroke of half time. Duff played him in but as he homed in on goal he sliced his shot wide.

Half Time

Roselea had put in some great crosses in the first half which were inches away from their target and it was the same to the start of the second half. Mowatt tried to find Campbell at the back post but he just failed to connect.

Roselea came closed to breaking the deadlock after 52 minutes.  Watson played in Duff who tried to dink the ball over the keeper but the keeper made a great save. The ball fell to Mowatt who slid in but a defender got back brilliantly to block the shot and watch it trickle wide.

52 Scott slides in euan who tries to dink keeper but keeper saves brilliant, ball come to Mowatt who slides in but the defender managed to get enough on it to see the ball trickle wide 

It was time for an inspired moment from the management team of Simpson and Craig when they decided on a double change with Cruickshank and Greig replaced Campbell and Duff. Within 20 seconds of the restart CRUICKSHANK picked up the ball skinned two players played a one two with Watson and calmly slotted home into the near corner. 0-1

Greig nearly doubled the lead a few minutes later when Cruickshank found him but his shot was brilliantly tipped on to the post by the home keeper.

It took Armadale till the 72nd minute to create their first real chance of the match. A corner found a player in space but his header was well held by McLeod. 

Roselea had chances they would later regret and Milne had a good strike from the edge of the box well saved. 

In the 87th minute Armadale had a header that the home crowd thought was in only to realise it had hit the side netting.

Roselea were dealt the cruelest of blows in the last minute of the game. Weir collected the ball 25 yards out and was allowed to turn. He unleashed an unstoppable strike into the top corner to send the home team into raptures.

A disappointing end to a match that Roselea should have been well out of sight. But on the whole, a very encouraging performance and a good point picked up away from home. 

Team McLeod. Reoch. Rae. Whyte. Collier. Milne. Mowatt. Anderson. Duff(Greig). Watson. Campbell(Cruickshank)