Ross Balantine Cup - Quarter Final
St Andrews Colts v Dundee West Royals
Starting Line-up
GK - McColl
LB - Morris
CB - Smart
CB - Hughes
RB - Chalmers
LW - Tennant
CM - Johnstone
CM - Smith
RW - Paton
ST - Storrie
ST - McManamon
Substitutes
Nixon
Crabb
Mitchell
Gilmurray
Clark
Singer
MATCH REPORT
Dundee West Royals 2006's travelled to St Andrews Colts in the Ross Balantine Cup Quarter Finals, after a weeks break in which they enjoyed a trip to St James Park on their Premiership Experience, also playing a local side, Kader U13's. The boys were high in spirit having enjoyed their trip, and were keen to progress in yet another cup.
Dundee West started the better team, pushing up and earning a corner in first few minutes. The corner was cleared, and St Andrews launched their first attack on the counter, but Chalmers put in a good tackle to stop the attack.
As the game grew, both teams were hard in the challenge, and Smith and Johnstone had to battle in the middle of the pitch to break up St Andrews play, which they dealt with superbly.
On 7mins, West created their first real chance, when McManamon broke free up the right hand side. Shrugging off the last defender, he went for the near post, but the keeper saved well and held the effort.
A few mins later, West were in on goal again, with a great move starting with McColl in goal. Gathering a loose St Andrews ball, he started the move up the left passing to Morris, who played a long through ball up the line, that McManamon gathered. McManamon's pace took him in on goal past the St Andrews defence again, but his low shot was saved well by the opposition keeper. The blocked shot fell to McManamon with his back to goal, but a backheel attempt was blocked, and the ball went behind for a corner.
West kept the pressure up, earning another run of corners, one of which fell to Johnstone on the edge of the box, but his effort was saved well again by the keeper.
On 12mins, another good move gave Tennant space up the left, but after being wrongly ruled offside, his top corner effort was ruled out, with the keeper rooted to the spot.
Moments later, McManamon was played in again from a good through ball by Storrie, but unfortunately his shot was tame and the keeper held it comfortably.
15mins in, McManamon forced the St Andrews keeper into another good save, having received a lovely through ball from Smith. Rushing in on goal, the keeper was off his line quickly again to put the ball behind for yet another West corner.
The left hand side of the pitch was proving to be the best opportunity for West to get in front, and another great link up by Morris and Tennant gave him space up the line. Tennant burst through, holding off the backtracking defender to reach the by-line, and played a good low cross into the penalty spot, but the West shot was blocked for another corner.
0-1: St Andrews hit on the counter, earning their first chance on goal, and made it count totally against the run of play. With West high up the pitch, St Andrews attacked up the left, and McColl was left one-on-one, unfortuanely being beaten at the near post.
Dundee West continued to push to get back into the game, having controlled most of it. On 25mins, several clear penalty decisions were waved away within seconds of each other. McManamon flew up the left flank yet again, and having reached the by-line, turned inside leaving the defender to take his leg away form him. Staying on his feet, he played in a cross which was blocked, but the play wasn't called back for a penalty, despite a suspicion of handball on the blocked cross as well as the initial blatant foul. Having cleared, West pressed again and may well have seen another penalty given, albeit softer than the first claims, with a shove in the box. But the ref never acknowledged the possible foul and play went on.
6mins from half time, St Andrews earned their first corner of the match, West didn't deal with it, but when the ball fell inside the 6yd box, McColl was fouled trying to gather the ball.
On the stroke of half time, a lovely chip through from Paton gave McManamon another chance, but again the ball went out for a corner. The resulting corner was met by the keeper, McManamon challenged to header over the bar, but was adjudged to have fouled.
Half-time: Dundee West Royals 0 – 1 St Andrews Colts
St Andrews started the second half better, seeing a header from afar go safely wide, and a long shot also wide of the post, neither really troubling McColl.
4mins into the second half, McManamon yet again outpaced the St Andrews backline, up the left flank, and played a low cross into Storries feet, but he was met by the keeper who again was alert to the danger.
A minute later, West were undone with a long ball over the top, leaving the St Andrews striker in on goal, but he shot well over the bar as McColl rushed to narrow the angle.
Substitution 42mins = Storrie off, Gilmurray on.
1-1: Gilmurray came on and was involved straight away, bursting up the right flank and holding off the St Andrews defender. With the defender going to ground, he had time to look up and play a low cross into the box to pickup Smith, who controlled and fired the ball into the top left corner on his weaker left foot, leaving the goalkeeper no chance.
Substitution 46mins = Paton off, Mitchell on.
The game became a batlle in midfield, with West trying to go on and win the tie, and St Andrews growing into the game. Johnstone was solid, breaking up the play of his St Andrews counterpart in the middle of the pitch.
On 55mins, West earned a free kick just inside the oppostion half. Johnstone stepped up, playing a dangerous ball into the box. Smith met the ball and took a snapshot, but never connected well, and the shot went wide.
Both teams continued to push on for a winner, but St Andrews looked to be the hungrier team, meeting the ball first on most occasions. West mustered up a chance when Johnstone hit a shot from the edge of the box after a failed clearance, but it didn't trouble the keeper.
With 7mins to play, St Andrews were awarded a free kick just outside the box. The free kick was hit well, but McColl made a great save with a strong hand, pushing the ball over his bar for the corner.
West gained a hold of the ball again in the last few minutes, and almost made a chance to steal the game when Gilmurray met a through ball, but the St Andrews defender stopped the attack with a good challenge.
Substitution 70mins = Chalmers off, Singer on.
The game ended in a draw, leaving a penalty shootout to decide the tie.
Full time: Dundee West Royals 1-1 St Andrews Colts
PENALITES
1-0: Scored - Smith stepped up first, with an excellent penalty low into the corner
1-1: Scored - St Andrews scored, with McColl getting a hand to the penalty
2-1: Scored - Tennant scored with a great penalty low to the right, in off the post
2-1: Missed - St Andrews hit the left hand post, giving West the advantage
3-1: Scored - Smart slotted bottom right to keep West ahead
3-2: Scored - McColl yet again guessed correctly and got a hand to the shot
4-2: Scored - Singer with another good penalty, low to the right, having been subbed on for the shoot-out
4-3: Scored - After two retakes, both scored, St Andrews scored to keep the shoot-out alive.
4-3: Missed - Gilmurray seen his penalty saved, having hit it well, but the keeper guessed correctly
4-3: Missed - West win the tie, with McColl deservedly saving a poor penalty
Dundee West Royals win 4-3 on pens
Scorers: Smith
Man of the Match: Johnstone
Dundee West started the game well, and continued to be the much better side for the first half, but just couldn't find the net and went into the break 1-0 down, from the only real chance St Andrews created. The second half was tigher, and a battle against a physical team, but West never gave up and scored a much deserved equaliser, and should really have won the tie in normal time, given strong penalty claims in the first half, and being the better side for the majority.
The boys did well to deal with the pressure of the penalty shoot-out, with all 5 being taken very well, but unfortunately the St Andrews keeper made a good save on the 5th. But with an earlier miss, St Andrews needed to score their final penalty, but a great save seen Dundee West advanced to the semi finals, winning 4-3 in the shoot-out.
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