Montrose Roselea

KENNOWAY STAR HEARTS V MONTROSE ROSELEA
MCBOOKIE.COM EAST PREMIER LEAGUE
SAT OCT 31ST 2015

Roselea headed to pastures new as they faced Junior new boys Kennoway Star Hearts for the first time ever. The former Amateur side joined the Junior ranks in 2013 and have made massive progress by being promoted in their second season to the Premier League.

Roselea arrived at Treaton Park with a host of absentees, Calum Watson and James Collier joined long term injured Ross Mitchell on the sidelines whilst Andy Tringham and Paul Whyte were both unavailable. To add to the problems for the Management team Craig Sturrock served the second of his two game suspension.

The match had a six point feel to it with Kennoway Star 2 points behind Roselea having played one more game than the visitors

Roselea: Mcleod, Dalgarno, Taylor, Thomson, McDowell, Mowatt, Rae, Anderson, Cruickshank, Bailey & Greig. Subs: M Smith, Campbell & Findlater

Roselea lost the toss and were put in to bat first with the Treaton Park slope in their favour with a slight wind and a low sun at their backs.

Roselea took full advantage of this and made a great start to the game on a wet surface. In 3 minutes Greig had a low effort from 25 yards which looked to be going well wide but home keeper Sutherland did Roselea a favour by tipping the ball round the post for a corner.

Jack Dalgarno and Michael Cruickshank then had shots which did not hit the target as Roselea continued to dominate the opening quarter.

In 17 minutes Kennoway had their first opening when Mowatt conceded a free kick in the middle of the pitch. When the long ball came in Mcleod looked to be comfortably holding the ball but let it slip and McDowell had to clear and when the ball came back in he cleared for a corner as he intercepted a cut back.

In 25 minutes Calum Rae picked up a rather harsh booking as he slid in on equal terms with a tackle on Kevin Byers. The referee indicated he thought it had been two footed.

Kennoway had the best chance of the game so far in 28 minutes after Roselea had dominated without unlocking the door. The ball fell to Wilson the Kennoway striker and Mcleod saved well with his feet.

It was to be a warning that Roselea never heeded as the home side took the lead in 29 minutes. The ball was squared to WILSON and this time he made sure with a low pass into the back of the net.

Roselea again pressed down the slope and despite getting into good areas both Anderson and Cruickshank had their shots blocked.

In 36 minutes Greig had a blast for Roselea from 25 yards and after the ball took a deflection it looped into the air and looked netbound only for it to fall wide for a corner.

Ryan Taylor picked up a short corner and tried his luck from the corner of the 18 yard box but his curling shot was slightly too high to trouble Sutherland in the goal.

Half Time: Kennoway Star Hearts 1 Montrose Roselea 0

Roselea had failed to take anything from the first half and with the slope now in the home teams favour it was going to be an uphill challenge especially with the lowering sun in their faces.

Kyle Findlater replaced the injured Jack Dalgarno straight after the break.

The second half opened evenly however Roselea passed up a great chance to get level in 55 minutes. Greig raced up the left and poked the ball past keeper Sutherland who had slid and missed the ball, he then squared to Bailey on the penalty spot who seemed to have the goal at his mercy however a great sliding tackle saw the ball deflect behind for a corner.

In a strange move Kennoway Star replaced keeper Sutherland who was perhaps carrying an injury with sweeper Bremner straight after this.

Shaw the Kennoway left winger was giving Findlater a tough time down the line and Mcleod had to be brave to save at the feet of Gray in 60 minutes.

Grant Mowatt was starting to look very dangerous and went on a run up the middle beating two men but he couldn’t get enough power in his curling shot to bother the replacement keeper.

It just didn’t look like being Roselea’s day when in 75 minutes Craig Anderson hit a screamer from 30 yards which came back off the corner of the post and bar.

In 80 minutes Roselea made a double change with Campbell & Smith coming on for Rae & Bailey.

The home side looked to have the points sealed in 84 minutes. Roselea could not clear their lines from a throw in and then Findlater was adjudged to have fouled Shaw after the ball had gone out for a throw. Eventually when the ball was crossed in Ryan Taylor was left with two men to mark and Gavin GRAY headed past Mcleod to make it 2-0.

Roselea tried to get back into the game however it was the home side who took the last honour of the day with a well worked goal from Kevin BYERS who used all his experience to play a nice one-two at the edge of the box before stroking home.

Full Time: Kennoway Star Hearts 3 Montrose Roselea 0

This was a harsh lesson for Roselea who had actually played well enough but failed to turn their early dominance into goals often making the wrong decision to shoot or pass. As always in the Premier League the first goal can be crucial. There was always the feeling that if Roselea had scored they could go on to win. This defeat drops Roselea into one of the four relegation spots as Kennoway leapfrog them by one point although Roselea have a game in hand.

The team will have to pick themselves up for the first of two home fixtures against Dalkeith then Dundonald Bluebell who are both sitting in the upper reaches of the Division. Both matches at Broomfield Park kick off at 2.00pm.

Roselea are offering their usual Hospitality packages for both games please contact the club for further details or to book.