Montrose Roselea

EAST KILBRIDE THISTLE v MONTROSE ROSELEA

SCOTTISH JUNIOR CUP 2ND ROUND

SAT NOV 2ND 2013

Roselea travelled to the Showpark East Kilbride to face Thistle. After the home side being unable to play the game the week before their Ground staff worked wonders to get the pitch playable.

Roselea travelled with six players missing, Calum Rae & Jo Reoch were sidelined with injury, Stuart Richardson & Scott Riach were tied up with work James Collier will be absent for 6 weeks and Stewart Fletcher was unavailable. On the plus side Roselea made a signing on Friday with 43 year old Steve Kerrigan coming back into the squad with perhaps half an eye on the vacant Assistant Managers position.

East Kilbride had been busy too with the Glasgow Evening Times reporting that new Manager Alan Wardlaw had made no fewer than 11 signings in the week running up to the game. Roselea had faced Mr Wardlaw in the Junior Cup two seasons previous with his then Cambuslang Rangers beating them 3-0.

Roselea arrived at the Showpark to find a very sodden surface and all credit to the home side for getting the match referee to agree to play the game.

Roselea: Mcleod. P Taylor, R Taylor, Anderson, Thomson, Whyte, Duncan Reid, Rausch, Watson. Dale Reid, Cruickshank. Subs: Gammie. Brand, Kerrigan. & Reoch.

East Kilbride were the first to show on a very difficult pitch and forced a corner in 4 minutes but Roselea held firm and cleared.

Roselea then swung in a deep free kick on the right from Paul Taylor and although Whyte connected he could not direct to a team-mate in the box.

East Kilbride were not sitting down and a long throw not to be the first of the afternoon from McRobert found McFarlane but his shot was deflected behind for a corner.

Roselea had a good chance in 17 minutes when Whyte almost cut the ball into a crowded goalmouth but it was blocked for a corner. When the ball came in Whyte had a free header and somehow managed to miss the goal from 10 yards out in the middle of the goals.

On a heavy surface bookings were going to be inevitable and Mackey of the home side found himself in the referees book for a late challenge on Cruickshank. A couple of minutes later Febers of the home side also found himself a yellow card for a late challenge.

Roselea thought that they had opened the scoring in the 28th minute when Duncan Reid sent in a great cross from the Bye line and Dale Reid headed goalwards however somehow the ball did not have enough power to cross the line and Kilbride cleared as it failed to cross the line.

Roselea were getting on top and they won a penalty in 29 minutes. Dale Reid flicked on to Watson and he pushed the ball past Kinghorn who brought him down however escaped a booking. Dale Reid took the spot kick and his placed shot was well saved by Aitken in the home goal.

East Kilbride seemed to be spurred on by this and Boyle had a shot saved by Mcleod then Thomson had to block at the second attempt. Roselea then lived dangerously in the 40th minute when Bain got in a free header but just could not direct it on goal. East Kilbride then had a chance when McFarlane shot and his deflected shot sent Mcleod the wrong way but fortunately for Rsoelea it spun behind for a corner.

Just on half time Calum Watson cut in and saw a left footed shot go just over the top as the half ended all square.

Half Time: East Kilbride Thistle 0 Montrose Roselea 0

Both teams came out in the second half to face atrocious conditions with the rain pounding down on an already sodden surface.

Roselea had an early chance when Watson broke away and appeared to be pulled back but after he got this shot away the referee pulled play back for a shirt pull booking Butler in the process. Anderson took the tick and shot wildly over.

East Kilbride looked lively on the break after introducing two speedy wingers and Whyte had to be sharp to block from Boyle in 60 minutes.

It was Paul WHYTE who gave Roselea the advantage in 63 minutes. A free kick was sent into the box by Cruickshank and Watson headed back across goal for Whyte to head home at the far post from close range.

Watson was looking sharp and East Kilbride’s Kinghorn who had already given away a penalty was lucky to stay on the pitch for a shirt pull on the danger man then Butler was in exactly the same position for another shirt pull as Watson broke free. Watson then hit the post when he shot from the byeline but much to the anger of two players who were square in the box. Watson broke free again and looked to have hit a great shot but was inches off target.

Roselea looked on top and heading into the 3rd Round but a double mistake by Cruickshank then Ryan Taylor led to the equaliser. Both players had a chance to clear before sub Brown crossed for McFARLANE to finish well from 8 yards.

This spurred Roselea on looking for a winner and despite pressing the home side for the last 15 minutes they could not force a winner despite going close on a couple of occasions with a Cruickshank free kick being the closest and brought out a fine save from Aitken.

Full Time: East Kilbride Thistle 1 Montrose Roselea 1

It was quite clear to see that the new East Kilbride Manager had pulled in some new players and will be happy with the result. On a very tricky and perhaps in some eyes an unplayable surface, Roselea will be happy to take the tie back to Broomfield Park and will feel confident that their name will be the one that will be the name that will facing a side in the 3rd Round which was drawn on Monday Nov 4th. This means that Roselea’s scheduled away cup tie at Carnoustie Panmure on Sat 9th October will be put back to another date, The Kick Off for the replay will be at 2.00pm with the tie settled on the day.