Montrose Roselea

FORFAR WEST END V MONTROSE ROSELEA

MCBOOKIE.COM EAST PREMIER LEAGUE

SAT FEB 6^TH 2016

Roselea finally got 2016 up and running with a trip to Strathmore Park Forfar to face West End. There were several casualties due to the weather with many surrounding games off so it was great credit to the West End Groundstaff to get the game played. They had pumped off water which was lying from midweek and the pump was still running during the game. The pitch was heavy but in good condition for both sides.

Calum Watson missed out for Roselea having picked up a two game suspension from their last game which was a win over Kennoway in mid December. Euan Duff recovered from an injury sustained in a friendly against Carnosutie and took up a place in the starting line up. Roselea also welcomed Ross Mitchell back from his leg break but there was no place on the bench for him or Aaron Thomson. Jordan Reoch took up the right back slot following his move back from Montrose FC.

Roselea: Mcleod, Reoch, Sturrock, Whyte, Collier, Mowatt, Rae, Anderson, Campbell, Duff & S Watson. Subs: Cruickshank, Smith, Milne, Dalgarno & Greig.

In 3 minutes a handball by West End player manager Daryl Mckenzie gave Roselea a chance from a free kick 25 yards out. Campbell curled the ball around wall and just wide but not enough to cause Burns in the West End goal to worry.

Euan Duff latched on to bad pass back 8 mins and he shot low when through on Burns but the big keeper saved with his feet. Hart managed to create room in the box and his shot is tipped over by an alert Mcleod.

Disaster struck for Roselea in 19 mins with a double blow. Ramsay got in behind the Roselea back line and despite Mcleod getting a touch the ball Ramsay shot and Collier saved on the line with his hands. This left referee Soutar no choice but to send him off and award a penalty. Once collier was dismissed Hart struck his kick off the post and when the rebound hit his foot played was stopped for a foul to Roselea.

In 34 minutes Hart headed a Fullerton cross just over as West End looked to press their numbers superiority home.

Roselea continued to frustrate and limited West End’s chances. Sturrock banged into Ramsays back with a clumsy challenge giving West End a shooting opportunity however Hart shoots over from the 25 yard free kick.

There was an edginess creeping into the home side with their support growing more and more anxious with the lack of breakthrough. Roselea were also breaking well and looked more likely to score.

Scott Watson went close from 30 yards with a great effort which deceived Burns and with him scrambling to his far post and was very happy to see it drop wide.

Half time 0-0

Roselea made a half time change with Chris Milne replacing Euan Duff as they shuffled their formation to cope better with a man less.

There were two early chances for Roselea in first five minutes of 2nd half. Whyte met a corner and somehow the ball stayed out of the goal before being cleared off the line then Mowatt rounded the keeper and hit the post from a very tight angle.

Reynolds then found himself clear for West End in a mirror of Duffs early chance and he had the same result finding Mcleod hard to beat as he saved with his feet.

On the hour mark Mowatt almost caught west end out with a free kick which Burns tipped over. From the corner Watson beat Burns to the ball with claims for a foul and the ball was cleared off the line.

Cruickshank replaced Campbell as Roselea looked to freshen things up again.

In 72 mins a great chance for the home side when the ball was layed back to Ramsay and Mcleod did well to push the ball over from a powerful shot.

Morgan Smith then replaced Craig Anderson in 82 minutes.

West End went close on a couple of occasions with Mcleod saving well at his near post then Ramsay smacked the ball off the bar with a great strike at the end of a good passing move.

The sides were evened up in 84 minutes when Godfrey was shown a second yellow card after he took offence to a Rae tackle.

Roselea took the lead in the 85^th minute. Mowatt drove in to the West End box going past two players before being felled by McKenzie and ref Soutar had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. MOWATT kept very composed and drove the ball into the corner of the net.

Roselea were in dreamland and eying up a very valuable three points but that was to be shattered with a goal from West End with just two minutes remaining. RAMSAY picked the ball up a hit a great strike from 30 yards and although Mcleod seemed to have it covered the ball moved in the air allowing it to slip under a distraught Mcleod and into the net. This led to massive celebrations from the home side who rescued a point.

Full Time: Forfar West End 1 Montrose Roselea 1

Taking the surface into account this was a really enjoyable game to watch and probably to play in. Roselea coped well with the loss of James Collier and looked really compact whilst also threatening on the break. The team kept their shape well and the fitness levels looked good on a strength sapping pitch. It may be viewed as a point gained in the circumstances however with five minutes to go that may have changed the viewpoint with three points looking to be heading to Montrose. The point keeps Roselea in tenth place however most teams have games in hand so more work will be required to maintain Premier League survival. Displays like that will go a long way and it was something to build on.