Montrose Roselea

MONTROSE ROSELEA v JEANFIELD SWIFTS

GA CUP FINAL, WHITTON PARK, BROUGHTY ATH

SAT MAY 25^th 2013

 

Roselea travelled to Whitton Park the home of Broughty Athletic for the GA Cup final which is contested by Tayside and North Teams. Roselea have a great recent record in this competition having been losing finalists to Lochee Utd by 3-2 in 2005/6 season then winning the 2006/7 competition 12-11 on penalties after drawing 1-1 with Forfar West End. Jeanfield Swifts are the current holders after winning against Culter at Sunnybank last May. Roselea were defeated 5-0 by Jeanfield in the Scottish Junior cup replay after a 1-1 draw in Montrose in February.

 

Roselea entered the game with a major headache with two left sided players Ewan Graham missing through holiday and Ryan Taylor who was carried off in Monday nights win over Forfar Albion. Veteran co Manager Doug Craig was drafted in at left back to prevent major reshuffling of other positions.

 

Whitton Park was in perfect condition for the final and it was a credit to their Groundsman. Roselea as always carried a big support through to Dundee for the final.

 

Roselea: Mcleod, P Taylor, Craig, Reoch, Whyte, Cruickshank, Rae, Collier, Anderson, Watson & Reid. Subs: Watt, Ross, Beedie, Riach, & Brand.

 

Jeanfield were first to threaten in 8 minutes after Holt played the ball to Mackie and Mcleod did well to come and block the ball for a corner. When the corner came in dangerman John Anderson was given too much room and this time Mcleod saved the big strikers header with his feet.

 

Jeanfield took the lead in 12 minutes when a Holt shot was not properly cleared by the Roselea defence and ANDERSON swept the ball into the corner of the net from 12 yards.

 

Roselea started to come into things and Reid had a shot from the edge of the box deflected behind for a corner in 17 minutes. Cruickshank sent in a dangerous inswinging corner and Whyte forced a great save from Bruce in the Swifts goal.

 

Roselea were getting on top at half hour stage and Craig had a dipping shot just go over the bar then Rae had a shot which went agonisingly along the face of the goal.

 

There was to be a massive let off for Jeanfield in 37 minutes when Cruickshank crossed to the far post and the normally reliable Paul Whyte just couldn’t direct his header on target with the goal gaping.

 

Roselea finished the half the stronger team but but just couldn’t turn their superiority into goals.

 

Half Time Montrose Roselea 0 Jeanfield Swifts 1

 

Roselea came out with a belief that they could get back into the game but disaster struck just two minutes into the second period. Holden was allowed to run at Reoch and he twisted and turned before slipping a lovely pass to MACKIE and he slotted the ball into the net from 14 yards.

 

In 50 minutes Roselea had a big let off after Jeanfield were allowed to take a short corner and when the cross came in Holt headed the ball against the bar.

 

Roselea were needing a shot in the vein to get back at Jeanfield and Cruickshank had a great chance in 60 minutes when a Rae pass put him through but Bruce stood his ground and saved the right footed shot.

 

In 62 minutes Mcleod had to tip a 30 yard Holt drive over the bar.

 

It was 3-0 to Jeanfield in 67 minutes and effectively game over when ANDERSON netted his second after getting a kind break of the ball just inside the box but finished well.

 

Roselea made a change with Ross replacing Rae in midfield in 75 minutes.

 

Roselea kept plugging away but there was to be no way back and the excellent Jeanfield side were never going to give anything away before the end.

 

Full Time: Montrose Roselea 0 Jeanfield Swifts 3

 

A cup final loss is never easy to take but Roselea can come away with their heads held high as they were beaten by a very good Swifts team. Had they managed to get a goal it could have been a very different story. Swifts now are one of only three teams to have retained the GA Cup.

 

Roselea can look on this as a successful season with promotion achieved from a very tight league and getting to the final of an Inter Regional Cup final is a fantastic achievement for a club with limited resources. They will now take part in the new look 16 team Premier League and will be up against clubs of a similar stature to Jeanfield. It will be tough but with the younger players now benefiting from further experience they should be in a position to compete.

 

Roselea will round off the season with a meal at the Mercantile Golf Club then a trophy presentation evening at the Clubs main Sponsors The Golf Inn at 7.30pm. All supporters and family are welcome to attend the Trophy presentation event.