Dundee West Royals V Arbroath Lads
Starting Line-up
GK - McColl
CB - Hughes
CB - Smart
CB - Singer
LWB – Morris
RWB - Chalmers
CM - Johnstone
CM - Smith
ST - Gilmurray
ST - Storrie
ST - McManamon
Substitutes
Crabb
Mitchell
Paton
MATCH REPORT
Dundee West Royals 2006’s faced Arbroath Lads in the East Regions Cup Round 3, having comfortably advanced from Round 2 against ACSC in the game prior. They knew this would be a tougher game, with Arbroath Lads in decent form ahead of the game.
The game started very scrappy in the first 4 or 5 minutes, with the wind causing problems for both teams.
On 8mins, McManamon almost found himself clean through on goal when Smart cleared the ball from deep and it fell into his path, but the Arbroath defender was able to make a challenge to deny him any opportunity to shoot.
A minute later, Arbroath had a free-kick in a dangerous area for their first real chance, but it was blocked well by Smart and went out for a throw.
11mins in and West this time had an opportunity from a set-piece, to the right-hand side of the pitch, 25yds from goal. Smith stepped up and played the ball high into the back post, but there was no clean contact made and the ball went behind for a goal kick.
2mins later, Arbroath found space up the right flank, with their winger opting to shoot early from a distance, but shot straight at McColl, who held it comfortably.
On 15mins, Smith almost hit the target, when a goal-kick up the right was collected by Gilmurray, and he made good progress against the full-back to slide in Smith, just outside the box, but his shot deflected for a corner.
2mins later, and Arbroath almost broke free but for a great recovery by Smart. With Arbroath bursting through, Smart was able to track back and collect the ball, taking the ball wide left and clearing the danger.
West continued to press up the right-hand side, with good work from Storrie, Gilmurray and Smith, but couldn’t break through for any clear goal scoring opportunities.
On 20mins, Arbroath again almost countered, this time Singer made a great tackle inside the penalty area, with Smith mopping up thereafter and being fouled in the process to take the pressure off his team.
McManamon again broke free after a lovely chip through from Gilmurray on 22mins, but was again tackled, before he could get sight of the goal.
A few minutes later, Arbroath should have taken the lead, when McColl misjudged a low cross and let the ball slip underneath him, but Singer was there to block the shot on the line, and the keeper dived on to the rebound to make amends.
On 27mins, Johnstone seen a long-range effort go over the bar, after having taken on 2 men to create space for the opening.
A minute later, Johnstone again was involved, this time lobbing the defence from deep for Gilmurray to run on to, but it was just too far for the striker and the keeper collected the loose ball.
With 5mins to play of the first half, McColl was called into action to keep his team level, with a great stop from a counter attack up the left and a shot from the edge of the area.
McColl then made another good stop moments later, from a long-range effort by Arbroath.
On the stroke of half time, West should have sneaked a lead, when Chalmers fought well to regain possession on the edge of Arbroath’s box, playing in Morris on the by-line, who turned back onto his left foot and sent a dangerous low cross into the 6yd box, but Arbroath cleared it well for a corner. The corner was defended well, with Gilmurray picking up the loose ball and shooting from distance, but Arbroath cleared their lines again to go into the interval all square.
Half-time: Dundee West Royals 0 – 0 Arbroath Lads
West started the half well, with Smith working the keeper almost from kick-off with another long-range effort.
2mins in, Arbroath mounted a counter, with Smart mis-controlling a through ball, allowing the striker in on goal, but his shot was sliced well wide, as McColl advanced to put pressure on him.
On 40mins, McManamon again found a way through wide on the left, but his low cross was weak and gathered easily by the Arbroath stopper.
A minute later, Gilmurray was released up the right and played a first time cross into the back post from wide, but McManamon was too far behind the ball to make any contact, and the ball went into touch for a goal kick.
0-1: With West piling on the pressure, Arbroath hit with a counter, the striker dummying a through ball and fooling Smart, giving himself a one-on-one with McColl, and he finished well down low.
West started to push forwards, and the Arbroath goalie almost made a howler, trying to take on McManamon after a back-pass, but got away with it to clear square to his defender.
On 49mins, West earned another corner, with Smith playing a lovely ball into the centre of the box, but no-one could make contact to trouble the Arbroath keeper.
A minute later, with West again on the attack, McManamon thought he was fouled just outside the box on the left, but the ref waved play on. Smith picked up the loose ball and shot from the edge of the area, but the Arbroath keeper made a stunning save down to his left to push the ball behind for another corner. The corner was whipped in yet again by Smith, but no takers.
Substitution 52mins = Gilmurray and Singer off, Paton and Mitchell on. Paton to ST, Mitchell to RM, McManamon LM
1-1: On 58mins, West finally equalised after good pressure in the 2nd half. They earnt a corner after a great shot by Johnstone from the edge of the box was pushed round the post. After the initial corner was headed clear, Smith put the ball back into the area, and Smart rose fantastically, to head the ball high into the far corner, giving the keeper no chance.
2mins later, Arbroath’s frustrations at losing their lead were evident after they received a booking by the ref.
7mins from time, West almost stole the tie, after the Arbroath keeper yet again tried to play out with his feet from a pass back. Storrie closed down the keeper and robbed him of the ball, stabbing a left toe at it to push it into the box, but the ball was cleared before West could capitalise on the keeper’s error.
On 65mins, Smart took a free kick deep inside the West half and dinked it through again, falling to McManamon, but again, his weaker left foot shot was saved fairly easily.
With 4mins to go of normal time, Arbroath should have won the match, when their striker ran through, shrugging off both Chalmers and Smart to leave himself one-on-one and nut-meg McColl, only to see his shot go narrowly wide of the left-hand post.
West could well have stolen it in the last minute, when Mitchell burst up the right flank and crossed to Paton, but his shot was saved at the near post to send the game to Extra Time.
Full time: Dundee West Royals 1-1 Arbroath Lads
Extra Time
1-2: A disaster start to extra time for West 2mins in, when Smart decided to clear the ball rather than allow it to run out, the West defence were caught off guard from the resulting throw-in, and the Arbroath striker got just enough on his shot to roll the ball underneath McColl from close range.
4mins into ET, and Arbroath may well have had a 3rd, when again West’s defence were stooped by a dummy on the through ball which eluded Smart, but Hughes got over well to cover and cleared the ball. The resulting throw-in seen a cross fly into West’s box, and McColl spilled it, but West cleared their lines.
On 6mins, McManamon seen another weak left foot shot saved by the keeper, and Smith followed up only to shoot wide.
7mins in, West conceded a penalty after Smart lost his man at the by-line and the Arbroath striker knocked the ball past McColl, only to be brought down in the process. McColl redeemed himself however, saving incredibly from the spot, with a strong hand down to his left from a well hit penalty, to keep his side in the tie.
ET half-time: Dundee West Royals 1 – 2 Arbroath Lads
2-2: West equalised 2mins into the second half of Extra Time, when McManamon was brought down on the edge of the box. Smith went direct, with a superbly hit free kick high into the roof of the net, leaving Arbroath’s keeper helpless.
On 14mins of ET, Arbroath had the ball in the net again, but the play was called back for a foul on Chalmers in the build up just outside the West area, where he collided with the Arbroath striker and McColl, who was injured in the process with a boot to the mouth.
2-3: Play commenced after a few mins, and Arbroath scored their third almost immediately after, with a longshot from way out wide on the left, giving McColl no chance as it sailed in to the far corner.
2-4: With West now pressing forward to get back into the game, Arbroath hit on the counter again to kill the tie with a 4th goal, albeit looking offside. With West’s defenders camped on the halfway line as everyone pushed up, Arbroath broke free, one-on-one with McColl and slotted the ball between his legs in the closing stages of the game.
Full time: Dundee West Royals 2-4 Arbroath Lads (AET)
Man of the Match:
Scorers: Smart, Smith
Dundee West were knocked out of the cup in a pretty even contest, but again they fell victim to their own simple mistakes. Although they battled hard to get back into the game and take it to extra time, they were ultimately undone by simple errors and counter attacks by the opposition. West now have to focus on putting in some good performances in their remaining 3 league fixtures to end the season on a high after a disappointing day.
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