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Weekly Bulletin |
Sunday 20 April 2008
Issue No. 1910 |
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Haunted by Hillhead & Panned by Panmure |
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Rainbow International Super League: - Culter I Hillhead 2 H-T 0-0 GA Engineering Inter Regional Cup Semi Final: - Culter 2 Carnoustie Panmure 4 H-T 1-0 |
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Culter’s chances of retaining the Super League took a severe dunt at Crombie
Park on Monday 15th April when they lost to relegation haunted Hillhead. The
match was evenly contested throughout by the visitor stole the show. The Deesiders started brightly when a Murray Rattray free kick was knocked on by Adam Wilson to Graham Cadger who found Martin Shand but his attempt at the target was wild. Hillhead then had a spell of pressure but did not bother Culter custodian Scott Knox. Steve Rintoul then went on a strong run for Culter from the middle of the park but his parting shot went way over the bar. Martin Shand should have put Culter ahead in the 32nd minute but his first touch was bad and allowed John Farquhar to make an easy save Minutes later Hillhead should have gone in front when the bounce of the ball deceived Cohn Craik but Neale Allan clean through missed badly. With half time approaching Andy Sim found Martin Shand free in the area but the Hillhead keeper made a good save with his legs. At the start of the second half Adam Wilson had a chance for the Deesiders but he headed wide before Scott Knox pulled off a great save from Neale Allan as the game swung from end to end. Soon after Martin Shand had a good opportunity to put Culter in front but he fired past. The home side then sent on a posse of subs to try and change the game but it was Hillhead who took the lead when former player Steve Morrison picked out Neale Allan and he did not hesitate in blasting the ball past the Culter ‘keeper. Culter looked to have equalised straight after but Mike Ords try from a Cohn Craik pass was rightly ruled offside. Culter were thrown a lifeline in the 78th minute when skipper Murray Rattray curled a beauty of a free kick past the Hillhead keeper and into the net. All this good work was undone two minutes later when sub Calum Murray found space in the box and stroked the ball past the unguarded Scott Knox t earn the visitors all three points. Culter: Knox, Sim, Rattray, Wilson, Cooper, Craik, McBain, Shand, Cadger, Rintoul, Brown, Substitutes: Adam, Stewart, Ord, Farmer, Mountford. Hillhead: Farquhar, Adams, Cruickshank, Leahy, Morrison, Pyper, Strachan, Keith, Stewart, Allan, Morrice. Substitutes: Murray, Stephen, Henry, Anderson, Forbes. Referee: M. McNab The Deesiders season looks a bit in disarray after another defeat this time at the hands of Carnoustie but it could have beer all so different as the home side were two up with just 30 minutes remaining but they failed to hang on and were eventually well overhauled. Remarkably our second stand in ‘keeper got injured in the first half when he suffered a broken toe. Culter’s goalkeeping crisis is getting deeper. In the early stages it was all Culter with Andy Sim prominent down the right. The diminutive player sent in a great cross which was cleared only as far as Cohn Craik but his flashing drive whistled just over. Moments later Donny Adam found the same player but this time his attempt rocketed past the upright. In a pulsating game Carnoustie almost went in front when stand in Keeper, Fraser Spiers, flapped at a ball but Andy Campbell recovered to boot the ball to safety before Stuart Abbott missed a snip for the visitors. At the other end Andy Sim darted forward before smashing a rocket barely over the bar. The home side justly got their noses in front in the 27ll minute when Murray Rattray chested down an Andy Campbell free kick before blasting an unstoppable volley past the stranded ‘keeper. Soon after Martin Shand had an opportunity from a Steve Rintoul free kick but his parting shot was weak and Mike Whyte gathered easily. Just before the interval Darren Smith of Carnoustie had to have lengthy treatment before being replaced. Culter got off to a flyer four minutes into the second half when Martin Shand turned his marker in the box a rifled a great shot past the bemused ‘keeper. Rather than set up Culter for victory this seemed to galvanise the visitors and they were right back in the game in the 59w’ minute when Stuart Abbott found space in the area following a long ball and he fired past the stranded Culter ‘keeper. In the 66th minute the tie was level when the ball broke to Stuart Abbot following a good save from Fraser Spiers and the hit man blasted the ball home. The writing was on the wall for Culter in the 70th minute when sub Jim Collier steered the ball into the net although the Culter ‘keeper did get a hand to it. Culter then sent on a posse of subs but the game was drifting away from them and Carnoustie sealed the victory when Stuart Abbott raced clear to set up Gavin Beith who scored with a great finish.
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