Inspiresport Scottish Cup Round 2
Rothes Juniors Reds v Dundee West Royals
Starting Line-up
GK - Nixon
LB - Morris
CB - Smart
CB - Singer
RB - Crabb
LW - Clark
CM - Johnstone
CM - Smith
RW - Mitchell
ST - Storrie
ST - McManamon
Substitutes
McColl
Chalmers
Gilmurray
Hughes
Tennant
Gibson
MATCH REPORT
Dundee West Royals 2006’s travelled to Glenrothes to face Rothes Juniors Reds, in their first ever Inspiresport Scottish Cup game. The boys were keen to put in a good performance after dropping points against Montrose the week before, earning only a draw in a game they did enough to win easily.
Dundee West started well, and controlled the early minutes with some slick passing and good attacking play, which took Rothes by surprise
3mins in, Rothes had their first half chance, with a hopeful ball over the top which found their striker, but his shot was dragged well wide. Shortly after, Rothes advanced again and gained a corner, but the cross was poor and drifted out for a goal kick.
5mins into the game, West created their first real chance when McManamon burst up the left flank, and played the ball across the 6-yard box, but his team mates weren’t there to collect and the ball was put behind for a corner. The resulting corner was blocked at the front post and cleared easily by the home side.
Moments later, West were on the attack again. Storrie received the ball wide on the right, and played a lovely diagonal ball to the edge of the box, having spotted McManamon’s run through the middle. McManamon tried a half volley first time, but the connection was poor and the ball sailed right of the post.
Rothes started to come into the game and put some pressure on the West defence, forcing a few corners, but nothing came of them and West got back on the front foot.
11mins in, after a foul wide on the right, Johnstone crossed the free-kick in to the penalty spot, which fell at McManamon’s feet, but on his weak left foot, the finish was tame and the keeper saved easily.
On 17mins, West created another half chance, when Mitchell made progress up the right-hand side, and cut back for Johnstone, who had a go from distance, but the shot was lobbed high into the air and the keeper collected comfortably.
0-1: against the run of play, West found themselves down a goal, after a very harsh penalty was converted. A high ball fell just inside the box, and Smart made a strong 50/50 challenge on the Rothes striker, which should have resulted in a corner, but the Referee awarded a soft penalty.
A minute later, Rothes had the ball in the back of the net again, after a ball through fell to their striker, but he was well offside and the goal wasn’t given.
On 23mins, Rothes almost made it 2-0, starting to come into the game again. After a cross came in from wide on the right, Nixon came to collect the ball but collided with the Rothes player, and the ball rolled towards goal, but Crabb was on the line to make a clearance and turn it behind for a corner. The resulting corner fell to an unmarked Rothes player at the back post, but his shot was poor and was well wide.
0-2: Rothes continued to attack and were rewarded with another goal. After a through ball split the West defence, Smart got himself tight with the striker to make a challenge, but the Rothes player pushed him off the ball and slotted past Nixon. Another soft goal to concede, which may well have been a foul on the Smart, on another day.
The remaining minutes of the half seen a hopeful longshot from Rothes go over the bar, and a shot wide from the home team after a gifted chance from a poor goal kick.
Half-time: Dundee West Royals 0 – 2 Rothes Jnrs Reds
Substitution HT = Mitchell and Storrie off, Gilmurray and Tennant on. Clark to RW, Tennant to LW.
1-2: Only 3mins into the second half, West clawed a goal back, having come out after half time with a point to prove. Clark, having moved to RW, made a great run up the line, squaring the ball into Johnstone, who in turn, passed sideways to Smith on the edge of the area, and on his left foot, he shot into the roof of the net, giving the Rothes keeper no chance.
2-2: West were fired up, and on 41mins McManamon made it all square in the tie. After a throw in from just inside the West half, Tennant controlled on his chest and brought he ball down, releasing Gilmurray up the left-hand side. Gilmurray’s touch was fantastic, playing the ball past the Rothes RB for himself to run on to, and then his first time cross into the edge of the area was perfect, controlled by McManamon and finished low past the keeper.
3-2: 2mins after equalising, West took the lead, stunning Rothes in the first 8mins of the half. Tennant, Gilmurray and McManamon linked up well again, bursting up the left flank, and with the ball played across the box into McManamon’s feet, he controlled and slotted low and left past the helpless keeper.
On 44mins, West could have had a 4th, and McManamon’s hat-trick. A good ball from Tennant up the left was chased down by McManamon, and with his blistering pace he beat the back-tracking Rothes defenders. Turning inside, and back on to his right foot, he shot for the far corner, but was narrowly wide of the mark.
A minute later, Rothes finally looked like coming back into the game, and found themselves in on goal after West pushed forward, but the striker shot well wide and didn’t trouble Nixon.
West continued to dominate, and a corner was met by Johnstone, but he couldn’t get over the ball, and his header was well over. 2mins later, Tennant burst through and finished past the keeper, but was judged to be offside and the goal didn’t stand.
On 52mins, West were denied a stone-wall penalty, which may well have killed the game. After a long through ball down the left side of the box was chased by McManamon yet again, having gotten his body in from of the defender, the Rothes defender lunged in with a bad challenge, taking McManamons legs from underneath him, and injuring his foot in the process. The Referee waved for a goal kick having apparently not seen the blatant foul. After a short break for the injury, the game continued with no foul, nor a dive given.
Moments later, a trademark McManamon run down the left, and cut inside, gave him another chance on goal, but the keeper saved well at the near post.
Substitution 58mins = Clark off, Gibson on.
A minute after coming on as a sub, Gibson was played in on goal just right of centre, but his first touch was heavy and his resulting shot was blocked by the defender who was able to catch up and make the challenge.
4-2: 8mins from time, West scored what looked like the killer goal in the tie to go up 4-2. With Rothes pushing up to get back into the game, the West centre backs Smart and Singer made good strong challenges to deny any opportunities, and the resulting counter attack found McManamon down the left hand wing. Having beaten the Rothes full back, he picked a pass across the box, finding Gilmurray darting between two defenders, to stroke the ball into the goal.
1min later, Rothes nearly scored with another hit from distance; the shot rattled off of the bar and fell inside the penalty box to a team mate, but his first touch was poor and the ball bounced off of his shin and went behind for a goal kick.
Substitution 64mins = Crabb off, Chalmers on.
On 65mins, Rothes hit the bar yet again, trying to get back into the game, but the shot was a long lobbed effort, which bounced off of the top of the bar and behind to safety.
4:3: With the last kick of the ball, Rothes did find a third goal, when the West defence were caught out on the left hand side, and their striker was played in and slotted past Nixon at his near post. The goal was too little, too late, as the whistle was blew straight after the resulting kick off.
Full time: Dundee West Royals 4-3 Rothes Juniors Reds
Scorers: McManamon (2), Smith and Gilmurray.
Man of the Match: Gilmurray
Dundee West advanced to the third round of the Inspiresport Scottish Cup, having seen off Rothes Juniors Reds. The 4-3 score-line flattered the home side, as West dominated for long periods of the game, and also seen 2 penalty decisions at either end, both in Rothes favour. West reacted brilliantly after the half time break to totally overwhelm Rothes and get back into the game within the first ten mins, and went on to control most of the second half but for a few half chances against them, and a last minute consolation goal for Rothes. An overall solid, and professional performance by the team.
Back to news