MIDLANDS LEAGUE REVIEW
Carnoustie Panmure are five points clear at the top of the Midlands League table after this weekends games that threw up more than one surprise.
The Gowfers are the only club with a 100% record following their 4-1 victory over Scone Thistle at Farquharson Park and it was fitting that Sam Simpson who was captain for the day as he played his 200th game for the club was among the scorers. Carnoustie took the lead on 18 minutes through an own goal and a minute later Simpson made it 2-0. Kieran Forber volleyed the ball home on 23 minutes to pull a goal back for Scone but Ryan Suttie crashed the ball in to the roof of the net on 41 minutes and then Robert Smith struck a 25 yard free kick to send Carnoustie in at the break 4-1 in front. Despite their second half dominance The Gowfers couldn’t add to their tally while the home side were reduced to ten men with 15 minutes remaining.
Lochee United were held 2-2 at home by Dundee North End and were a little lucky to take a point with the equaliser coming with just a couple of minutes left. It had started well for United with Kerr Hay putting his side in front after just four minutes but North End were far from overawed and Jamie Montgomery struck a deserved equaliser on 36 minutes. The visitors came out like a train for the second half and a Gary Sutherland header put them 2-1 in front just a minute in to the second half. It looked like North End would take all three points but substitute Kevin Buchan had other ideas, heading home a Kerr Hay cross in the 90th minute.
Broughty Athletic moved in to second place, five points behind Carnoustie with a game in hand after they thrashed Brechin Vics 6-0 at the Quest Precision Engineering Arena. Josh Skelly helped himself to four goals with the other two coming from Ryan Ferguson and Gregor Anderson.
Lochee Harp bounced back from their defeat in the Lochee derby in midweek with a comfortable 5-0 victory against Coupar Angus at Foxhall Park. Lee Roeleveld put Harp in front on 40 minutes and Kieran Egan made it 2-0 in first half stoppage time. Owen Neave added the third early in the second half and Robbie Norrie made it 4-0 with fifteen minutes left before Sean Tucker scored the fifth in stoppage time
Stephen McNally’s Kirriemuir Thistle had to come from behind to beat Dundee St James at Westview Park. The visitors had taken the lead on 15 minutes and took their advantage in at half time. However, whatever McNally had said at half time came to fruition when Stewart Russell equalised on 62 minutes before Bryan Duell scored the winner ten minutes later.
Arbroath Vics were beaten 2-1 by Blairgowrie at Ogilvy Park with the winner coming in stoppage time. Vics took the lead through John Dye early in the second half but Darren Neave levelled things up with 15 minutes remaining and unfortunately for Eddie Gray’s side the Blairgowrie winner came on 90 minutes courtesy of a Ryan Stirton own goal.
Forfar United had to settle for a point at Downfield after leading for the majority of the game. The visitors took the lead on 18 minutes through Kieran Crighton and it stayed that way until the 89th minute when Jamie Graham put the ball in to his own net to give the Spiders their first point of the season.
A much improved performance from Dundee East Craigie after the break saw them comfortably beat Letham at Seven Acres after the sides went in at half time at 1-1. Grady McGrath put the visitors in front on 22 minutes but seven minutes before half time it was level as Connor Galletly equalised for Letham. After the break it was all Craigie, and McGrath restored the lead withing 90 seconds of the restart before completing his hat trick on 55 minutes, Adam Brown adding a fourth on 72 minutes.
Tayport came back from being 2-0 down after a poor first half at Dundee Violet but had to settle for a point, slipping further behind the leaders. Violet took the lead on 28 minutes through Barry Wilson and doubled their advantage ten minutes later when Ryan Hush added a second. Dayle Robertson pulled a goal back on 64 minutes and four minutes later equalised but Chris Macphersons side couldn’t find a winner. After the game Tayport boss Chris Macpherson said “In the end we probably should have won, we got a couple of goals without playing that well in the second half, disappointing to be perfectly honest.”