Café Royale League - Match 1
Montrose Youths v Dundee West Royals
Starting Line-up
GK - McColl
LB - Morris
CB - Smart
CB - Singer
RB - Crabb
LW - Tennant
CM - Johnstone
CM - Smith
RW - Clark
ST - Paton
ST - McManamon
Substitutes
Nixon
Chalmers
Gilmurray
Mitchell
Storrie
Gibson
MATCH REPORT
Dundee West Royals 2006 opened their Café Royale League campaign with an away trip to face Montrose Youths, in what will ultimately be a very competitive league. Fresh off the back of a good win away to Brechin in their last Jubilee Cup match, the team were in high spirits to put in a good performance, and take something from their first full 11-a-side league fixture.
Dundee West started well, and almost took the lead from kick-off, with a well worked passing move, ending with Clark smashing an effort off the bar from the edge of the penalty area.
5mins into the game, West created another opportunity to go ahead, when Smith played a lovely lobbed through ball into McManamon’s path, but one-on-one with the keeper, he couldn’t take the ball in his stride and the Montrose keeper gathered the ball comfortably.
A minute later, yet another opportunity arose for West, again Smith with a key pass through into Paton’s feet, and a dink inside left him in on goal, but the keeper made a good save down low to push the ball behind for a corner. The resulting corner came to nothing.
Montrose started to come into the game for the first time, and a long ball over the top of the West defence, allowed them a chance on goal from just outside the box on the right-hand side, but the Montrose striker pulled his shot across goal and wide of the far post.
West continued to pile pressure on to get the opener, and on 10mins after a poor clearance attempt by the home side from a cross into the box, Johnstone found himself space to settle the ball and fire a beautiful shot towards the top corner, but unfortunately it was just too high and cleared the bar.
1-0: A minute later, West scored a deserved opening goal. Morris found himself in space in the West half, and played a fantastic defence splitting pass through to McManamon, who took a great touch left, leaving the advancing keeper for dead. With an open goal, and a tight angle on his weak left foot, he was able to guide the ball in between the posts, with the sliding Montrose defender unable prevent the goal.
Montrose reacted in good fashion, and started to advance into the West half to look for an equaliser. After a foul wide right, the free kick was met at the back post by the Montrose player, but his header smashed back off the post and McColl could catch the ball before it fell to any feet in the box.
The game grew tighter as West looked for a second, and Montrose fought to get back into the game. Another foul on Montrose gave them a shooting chance from a free kick on the edge, but the resulting shot was just over the bar.
Montrose continued to come back into the game, and a good passing move down the right-hand side almost resulted in a goal, but the shot from the edge of the box sailed wide.
With 5mins to play in the first half, McManamon was alert to a poor clearance, and was able to steal the ball, skilfully dribbling past two Montrose defenders to find a low cross from wide left, but the ball was too close to the keeper and he gathered with ease at the near post.
Half-time: Dundee West Royals 1 – 0 Montrose Youths
Dundee West came out the traps looking for a second, and another chance for Clark was saved well and resulted in a corner.
On 40mins, Smith found himself with a split second of space to fire a snapshot at the near post, and the keeper made a good save down low after seeing it late.
5mins later, another Montrose free kick was blocked by the wall, but the ball fell to an opposition player who fired a shot at goal, but McColl caught it well with firm hands.
On 48mins, with the game becoming scrappy and tempers flaring, Smart was fouled just inside the opposition half after advancing with the ball. With no foul given, Montrose pushed up and then found themselves earning a free kick for a similar challenge. Justice was served, as McColl wasn’t troubled by the free kick, holding the ball well.
McColl played the ball out quickly up the left wing, the ball being played into McManamon’s path, but after bursting past the defence and the keeper, the ball unfortunately ran out for a goal kick.
Substitution 51mins = Paton off, Storrie on.
1-1: After several free kicks given to Montrose in dangerous areas, they finally made one count. The free kick was again blocked well by the West defence, however the ball bounced to the feet of the Montrose player, who’s long shot was high and dipped in under the bar, giving McColl no chance.
2-1: West reacted to losing a goal superbly, almost immediately equalising with a similar long range effort. With West pushing forward, the Montrose right back cleared the ball into the middle of the park. Johnstone controlled the clearance, stepped in-field to give himself a clear sight of goal, and the shot lobbed high over the keeper’s head and into the net to put West ahead again deservedly.
The game became more tense as the clock ticked on, and a strong clearance by Crabb fell to Storrie, who controlled superbly and floated a high ball over the defence, but the keeper reacted quickly and rushed out to clear before McManamon could take advantage.
2-2: A sucker punch equaliser from yet another Montrose free kick came on 61mins, when McColl was unlucky to spill the shot, and it fell to the Montrose attacker who only had to pass the ball into the net.
Substitution 62mins = Tennant off, Gilmurray on.
Storrie created another good chance with a through ball on 63mins, but Clark’s touch was heavy and the ball rolled ahead of him with the keeper collecting easily.
With 6mins left to play, West created the last clear cut chance for a winner when Gilmurray played in McManamon up the left wing, but again the shot was saved well by the Montrose keeper and the ball went behind for a corner. The corner was cleared at the front post.
The remaining 5mins provided nothing clear cut, with West trying to push on for a winner, but having to settle for a draw.
Full time: Dundee West Royals 2-2 Montrose Youths
Scorers: McManamon, Johnstone
Dundee West will feel robbed of the win, after having created more than enough to win the game. The game grew heated, disrupting the flow, which favoured the home side. Montrose created numerous chances from a raft of free kicks they were awarded, which ultimately led to both of their equalising goals. And although West reacted brilliantly to both goals against the run of play, they could not find that final goal to kill the game in the end
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