Ross Balantine Cup – Semi Final
Dundee West Royals V Monifieth
Starting Line-up
GK - McColl
LB - Morris
CB - Hughes
CB - Smart
RB - Chalmers
LM - Gilmurray
CM - Johnstone
CM - Smith
RM - Crabb
ST - Paton
ST - McManamon
Substitutes
Nixon
Singer
Mitchell
Clark
Storrie
MATCH REPORT
Dundee West Royals 2006’s faced a tough fixture away to Monifieth in the Ross Balantine Cup Semi Final, off the back of their first win in 8 games against Fairmuir the previous week. Although West won comfortably, they knew they would have to raise their game against a side who had only lost 2 games all season.
Monifieth started as expected, having most of the ball and pressuring Dundee West at every opportunity. They earned a corner early on but West defended it well and regrouped.
3mins in, West advanced up the left flank through McManamon, after a good long ball from Johnstone. With nothing on in the box, McManamon played for a corner. The ball was swung in but Monifieth defended it well and cleared at the near post.
0-1: A disaster start for West on 4mins, when Monifieth’s lightning quick striker burst through the defence and slotted the ball past McColl from just inside the box, although there was a hint of offside about the goal.
2mins later, an almost identical chance for the Monifieth No. 15 came, but McColl was equal to it this time and dived to ground to save well and keep his side in it.
0-2: 7mins in, West conceded again, this time from a corner. The ball found the Monifieth player just inside the edge of the box from the low cross, and he slotted it first time into the corner, with McColl unlucky to spill the shot into the side net having got in front of it.
11mins in, another through ball found their No. 15, but again McColl was the hero to keep his side in the game.
Monifieth dominated the early stages of the game, targeting the pace of their striker in every attack, whenever they regained possession.
18mins in, with West trying to get a foothold in the game, Monifieth received a yellow card, when Gilmurray did well to slide challenge, and the Monifieth player retaliated pushing the West winger blatantly in front of the Referee.
On 23mins, Monifieth’s right winger found acres of space, but blasted well wide of the far post when he had time to take the ball in further on goal.
Monifieth continued to press, with several through balls being met by the keeper, McColl.
On 30mins, McColl almost gifted a goal having been solid for the first half hour, when a high lobbed shot was spilled to Monifieth feet inside his box, but the keeper made a great recovery save down to his left to push the rebound behind for a corner.
0-3: Monifieth effectively ended the tie from the resulting corner, with a good header direct from the corner kick, high into the near post leaving McColl no chance.
West made it to half time after a difficult first 35mins, with Monifieth almost adding a fourth just before time, with another low cross into the box, but the striker couldn’t guide the shot goalward and the ball went well wide of the post.
Half-time: Dundee West Royals 0 – 3 Monifieth
Substitution HT = Paton off, Storrie on.
2mins into the second half, Monifieth advanced again, this time McColl sprinted off his line and out of his box to kick the ball clear of the advancing striker, alert again to the breakaway.
On 41mins, Monifieth had a soft claim for a penalty, which was rightly waved away, when Chalmers showed great strength to track back and get in front of the Monifieth left winger, who instantly went to ground claiming a push, as the game grew heated and tense with West trying to match Monifieths physicality.
McColl was again at the rescue for his side on 45mins, when he rushed out and slid to clear another trademark Monifieth ball through the middle.
Substitution 48mins = Crabb off, Clark on.
17mins from time, McColl yet again made a good save, this time from another low corner into the box and first time shot, he got down to his right-hand side to catch comfortably.
15mins from time, West started to show some signs of making Monifieth uncomfortable in the closing stages, with some good possession, having started to pressure their opponents, McManamon received a good through ball into feet in the box, but was crowded out by the Monifieth defenders and couldn’t turn for a clear shot on goal, eventually being dispossessed.
On 59mins, with West trying to claw their way back into the tie, Monifieth found themselves camped in their box with a string of West corners; the first being cleared at the back post, and another falling to the feet of Hughes, who couldn’t turn and get a shot away.
8mins from time, Clark burst through for West up the right, playing in a decent cross, but the ball was too fast for the onrushing McManamon, and the Monifieth keeper was alert and rushed out to smother the ball.
Substitution 63mins = Hughes off, Singer on.
= gilmureay off, Mitchell on.
West continued to try and chip away at a very organised and resilient Monifieth, but couldn’t create any clear chances to cause any alarm for the hosts.
Full time: Dundee West Royals 0-3 Monifieth
Man of the Match: McColl (G)
Dundee West never really landed a punch on an in-form Monifieth side, who controlled a majority of the match but for some West possession in the last 15mins of the match. West were ultimately doomed from the start, conceding 2 goals in the first 7mins, which left a mountain to climb against one of the best teams in the U13’s league. They missed the chance to advance to their first final at 11-asides, but were well beaten on the day, and will need to raise their game for the closing matches if they have any chance of staying in the top division.
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