KIRKCALDY YM v MONTROSE ROSELEA

McBOOKIE.COM EAST PREMIER LEAGUE

SAT AUG 17^th 2013

 

Roselea made the trip down to Fife in desperate need of points to kick start their Premier League season having narrowly lost their two opening games despite leading and putting in gutsy performances. Kirkcaldy themselves had a difficult start by drawing at near neighbours Glenrothes then losing 4-0 on Tuesday night at home to Penicuik.

 

Roselea travelled without Craig Anderson who was attending a wedding and Ryan Taylor was still out through injury. Stewart Fletcher who picked up a rib injury also missed out. This meant a starting debut for Jordan Rausch and Scott Riach also came into the side.

 

Roselea were met by some heavy rain showers when they arrived in Kirkcaldy but this quickly changed to glorious sunshine by kick off time.

 

Roselea: Mcleod, P Taylor, Riach, Richardson, Reoch, Rausch, Rae, Collier, Cruickshank, Watson & Reid. Subs: Gammie & Brand

 

Roselea made a positive start when first James Collier almost got on the end of a Reoch free kick then Watson broke down the left and Rausch almost got on the end of his cross.

 

Rausch was involved again in 9 minutes but this time at the other end. From a second Kirkcaldy corner Obrien had a great chance when he headed goalward from close range but Rausch was on the post to clear.

 

Roselea took the lead in 15 minutes with a well worked goal finished by Dale Reid. Rausch flicked the ball onto Watson and his clever header put REID in and he rounded his marker before driving home well from 15 yards.

 

Roselea doubled their advantage in 25 minutes and again it was danger man Reid who did the damage. Richardson & Reoch almost got themselves in a tangle but the ball was cleared by Taylor and REID ran 15 yards, held off his marker and sent an unstoppable shot from 25 yards past Gay in the home goal.

 

Kirkcaldy looked for an instant way back into the game and Orrock sent in a 30 yard drive that was not far off target in 27 minutes. Kirkcaldy were forced into a change when Quinn had to be replaced by McNeill.

 

Rausch then had a great chance to make it three for Roselea in 30 minutes when he cut in from the corner and found himself with sight of goal but he scooped his shot over the top.

 

Wilson of Kirkcaldy had a good chance when latched onto some lose defending from Roselea but he volleyed over the bar.

 

WILSON made amends in 38 minutes when he lobbed Mcleod from a similar position as before with Roselea having a good claim for offside.

 

There were chances at both ends in stoppage time of the first half. Calum Watson cut in well from the left and only a great stop from home keeper Gay prevented him from extending Roselea’s lead and then Wilson flashed a cross across the face of the Roselea goal with no takers much to Roselea’s relief as they went in at half time with a slender lead.

 

Half Time: Kirkcaldy YM 1 Montrose Roselea 2

 

Kirkcaldy opened brightly in the second half and Mcleod had to palm a Meikle drive round his near post. The home side then had a great chance when Wilson broke with Meikle on the right hand side but looking yards offside he then cut the ball back to Meikle who appeared to be brought down by Reoch but no penalty was awarded and perhaps squared things up.

 

Kirkcaldy were awarded a penalty in 52 minutes with a harsh decision against Reoch when the ball took a ricochet off another player and struck him at very close range. ONEILL was not concerned by this and stepped up to strike a great penalty past Mcleod to square the scores.

 

There was another controversial moment in the 55^th minute. Reid was impeded outside the box but the referee appeared to allow an advantage however when the player was brought down inside the box he took play back to the original infringement.

 

Reid was then awarded another free kick when he was brought down just outside the centre of the penalty box and despite looking for his hatrick his shot was off target.

 

Roselea had a spell of pressure and in 61 minutes a goalbound Watson shot was charged down then Richardson had a header from a corner tipped over the bar by Gay.

 

It was end to end stuff and Wilson had a volley just off target then a minute later in 65 mins Greig of Kirkcaldy also went close for the home team with a chipped shot which went just wide.

 

Gammie replaced Rausch in 66 minutes for Roselea and was soon in the thick of the action a couple of minutes after coming on which saw a great double chance squandered by Roselea.

 

First of all Watson stole the ball from Page in the left corner and crossed to the front post area and Gammie looked to have done everything right to guide the ball into the net but it went narrowly over. Then four minutes later Watson dispossessed Obrien just over the half way line and ran on before squaring to Gammie whose shot was deflected by the legs of the keeper back to Watson and with two men on the line his left footed shot managed to find one of them on the line who cleared.

 

Just in line with their two other matches Roselea were to rue these missed chances and Kirkcaldy then saw a spell of pressure which culminated in a goal from WILSON after a low cross cannoned off of Mcleod into his path and he bundled home from close range in 82 minutes.

 

This deflated Roselea however they still had time for one last chance right at the end when Collier drove into the box on the left hand side but could not direct his shot on target.

 

Full Time: Kirkcaldy YM 3 Montrose Roselea 2

 

This was yet another harsh lesson on how cruel football can be in the Premier League as the team battled bravely to earn their first win only to throw it away. The team should not be despondent and from previous ventures into this level they should take heart that they are competing and defeats can be easily turned into draws.

 

Next up for Roselea will be a home match against Broughty Athletic who have made a decent start with a win and a draw from their 3 matches. The match at Broomfield Park kicks off at 2.30pm