KIRRIE THISTLE v MONTROSE ROSELEA

McBookie.com North Division

Sat March 3^rd 2012 

Roselea travelled to Westview Park, Kirriemuir to face Kirrie Thistle. Both sides were in a rich vein of form and a tight match was expected. Roselea were still without injury victims Calum Rae and Ross Colquhoun and Lee Hood and Jack Rodger are still out on loan. One change was made with Stewart Fletcher coming in to replace Jo Aitken. 

Roselea had drawn level with leaders Violet and a win would be a must to continue putting pressure on them considering they also have two games in hand. 

The heavy morning rain meant that the normally good surface at Kirrie would cut up and it was going to be heavy going. 

Roselea: Mcleod, P Taylor, R Taylor, Reoch, Whyte, Anderson, Mustard, Webster, Urquhart, Fletcher & Collier. Subs: Aitken, Riach, Kennedy, Strachan, Craig & Brand. 

There were a couple of early chances in the first five minutes. A dangerous Kirrie cross fell nicely into the hands on Mcleod after it deflected off Whyte then at the other end a dangerous Webster cross was turned behind for a corner. Archibald of Kirrie then had a blast from 30 yards but was way off target. 

The pitch was cutting up badly and it was already hard for some players to keep their feet. 

In 7 minutes good refereeing saw a foul on Urquhart waved on and Collier slipped Fletcher in and he should have done better than blasting the ball wide from 12 yards. 

Roselea were caught on a break in 11 minutes when Scott played in a great ball to Sievwright but his curling effort went wide and Mcleod seemed to have it covered. 

Both sides had mirror chances in 15 minutes. First good play between Fletcher and Collier saw Anderson one on one with keeper Hutchison but the big stopper saved with his feet then at the other end Sievwright was granted the same opportunity but Mcleod saved with his feet. 

In 18 minutes Roselea took the lead with a goal their play merited. Stewart FLETCHER picked the ball up inside the Kirrie penalty box and shimmied his marker before striking a great left foot shot home from 14 yards. 

Kirries Robbie Black was lucky to escape a booking on two occasions within minutes of each other with a particularly heavy challenge on Urquhart escaping the referee’s attention. 

In 38 minutes Roselea increased their lead and it was FLETCHER who finished well from 8 yards after Hutchison had to parry a curling Webster shot out.   

Roselea increased their lead further in 41 minutes and it was a first half hat-trick from Stewart Fletcher again doing the damage. A long free kick was flighted at Collier in the Kirrie box and when he challenged Hutchison in the air the ball broke to FLETCHER and he finished through a ruck of players to make it 3-0. 

Kirrie had the last chance of the half in 43 minutes as they battled to get back in the game. Archibald tried his luck from 25 yards and with the ball moving in the air Mcleod had to tip the ball over and was glad to see it drop over. 

Half Time: Kirrie Thistle 0 Montrose Roselea 3

Archibald had the first attempt after the break when he swung his left foot at a knockdown from a corner but his attempt was wide and high. 

In 51 minutes Reoch had to block a shot in the box and as play raged to the other end Fletcher also had a defender getting in the way of his shot. 

On the slippy pitch sliding blocks were all the rage and Mustard did so when he blocked a Scott shot. 

In 65 minutes Collier almost added to Roselea’s lead when his first time left foot flick went just over. 

Roselea made a change in 74 minutes with Kennedy replacing Urquhart who had worked hard. 

Roselea were awarded a penalty in 78 minutes. Webster twisted and turned his man before sending a deep cross and just as Fletcher was about to head goalwards he was bundled to the ground. Before the penalty could be taken Taylor of the home side was shown a straight red card for dissent. WEBSTER remained calm and slotted the penalty kick home. 

Roselea made a double substitution with 5 minutes remaining and Riach and Strachan replaced Fletcher and Webster. In 86 minutes Kennedy picked out Riach’s run in the box and his headed flick went just wide. 

Just on time there was another straight red card for the frustrated Kirrie side when Gorman received a card for chopping down Riach from behind.  

Full Time: Kirrie Thistle 0 Montrose Roselea 4

Referee K Beats (Forfar)