MONTROSE ROSELEA v ARNISTON RANGERS

McBOOKIE.COM EAST PREMIER LEAGUE
SAT 15^th NOV 2014 

Roselea entertained Arniston Rangers the club where they snatched a last gasp Premier League place at the end of last season having come back from 3-0 down to escape with a 3-3 draw to survive. Roselea were on the back of a three game winning streak in the Premier League whilst Arniston after a promising start had faltered in their last few games. 

Roselea had some personnel changes with Morgan Smith after his impressive game fell to the side by injury with Scott McDowell struggling with injury and Andrew Tringham unavailable. Michael Cruickshank came back into the starting line up after missing the previous week. 

After the most miserable Friday with torrential rain the Broomfield Park eco system managed to filter the water away the surface was in impeccable order for the start of the match. 

Roselea: Mcleod, Findlater, R Taylor, Reoch, Whyte, Rae, Anderson, Collier, Cruickshank, Reid & Watson. Subs: P Taylor, McDowell, Thomson & Mitchell.

In 3 minutes Roselea won a free kick when Rae played a quick one-two with Watson on the edge of the box and was brought down. Ryan Taylor took the kick and sent a brilliant free kick towards the corner of the net and Cornet pulled off a great save to turn the ball round for a corner. 

Roselea were claiming for an offside when Mcfadden broke away and when the ball fell at the far post Kataleza scooped over with vain attempts to claim for a corner. 

In 12 minutes Roselea should have taken the lead. Callaghan under pressure from Reid lost the ball as he ushered it out for a corner and Reid squared to Cruickshank who managed to miss from 3 yards out. 

Arniston should also have take the lead in 26 minutes when a long ball caught Reoch out and Kataleza twisted and turned giving himself an easy chance but elected to blast the ball past the post. 

On the half hour Calum Rae was chopped down on the corner of the 18 yard box and despite his best efforts to stay on his feet the referee correctly pulled back play for a free kick. Roselea wasted the chance when Taylor played the ball wide to Rae who was in a worse position and his cross was blocked for a corner. 

In 37 minutes a bit better from Roselea when Reid and Cruickshank combined well and Watson connected at the near post but could not direct his header goalwards. 

There was a massive moment in the match in the 43 minute. Bauld of Arniston went down in the box and to most it looked like a clear cut penalty however the referee showed a yellow card for a dive. Interestingly the assistant flagged for a corner kick which backed the referee up. 

Half Time: Montrose Roselea 0 Arniston Rangers 0

Roselea had the first bite of the second half in 53 minutes when Reid broke away from Callaghan but his low shot from 25 yards was held by Cornet with Rae claiming a square ball may have been the better option! 

A minute later Anderson played a long ball which caught the Arniston defence square however keeper Cornet did well to stand up and blocked the shot with his feet. 

Roselea were looking the more likely side to score and some good link up play between Watson & Rae saw the Watson hit the byeline but his cross was high and wide instead of low and cutback. 

Roselea made the breakthrough that was coming on the hour mark. Keeper Cornet was keeping a high line and when Watson managed to get a challenge in the ball broke to Reid who looked to shoot into the empty net however Callaghan got in a great tackle only to see the ball break to RAE who had a lot of work to do before sliding the ball home from a full 40 yards. 

This was the goal that Roselea needed to settle the nerves and they soon capitalised by making it two in 67 minutes. Collier picked up a loose Arniston pass in midfield and played a slide rule pass to Watson into the box and after a great touch to take the ball past the defender REID took a great touch round the defender and prodded home from 8 yards out. 

Arniston had a little spell of pressure and Reoch firstly cleared a dangerous cross before Mcleod tipped a Shaun Maloney type shot from Arniston sub Moriarty onto the post when it looked goal bound. 

In 75 minutes despite the earlier scares Roselea made fully sure of the points with a crucial 3^rd goal. Cruickshank picked up the ball wide left and sent in a dipping left footed cross which Calum WATSON rose majestically to flick beyond Cornet into the net. 

Arniston were down but not out and a great block from Reoch was followed up with a tip over the bar from Mcleod when a Baulds cross was heading for the top corner. 

Roselea made three subs as the clock run down with Mitchell replacing Rae, Thomson on for Collier and Paul Taylor on for Watson. Mcleod made a great safe in the last minute when Arniston sub Rixon was foiled twice by the Roselea keeper the second a brave save at his feet. 

Full Time: Montrose Roselea 3 Arniston Rangers 0

After a very equal opening 45 minutes Roselea turned Arniston over with yet another disciplined performance. Sometimes at this level chances don’t come along but you have to be concentrated at the back. In the second half the breaks came and there were three well taken goals again. Despite the scoreline Ross Mcleod was Man of the Match by doing all thrown at him.

The win takes Roselea into 11^th position and out of the bottom four relegation positions for the first time this season following four straight League wins. 

Roselea can now focus on the upcoming Scottish Cup 3^rd Round tie v Linlithgow Rose and push the pressures of the Premier League to the back of their minds. Linlithgow will arrive with a big travelling support but they know that they will be in for a massive test form an inform team. Kick Off is at 1.45pm and entry is £5 for adults and £2 for concessions. Roselea are hoping that there will be a bumper crowd at Broomfield Park to urge them on to a Cup shock. Hospitality for the match is sold out.