MONTROSE ROSELEA v DUNDEE NORTH END

MCBOOKIE.COM EAST PREMIER LEAGUE
SAT 28^th FEB 2015 

After a start stop beginning to 2015 with postponements Roselea hoped to get back on track when Dundee North End come to Broomfield Park. Roselea of course were looking to extend their current form in the League whilst North End come searching for points after finding themselves at the wrong end of a tight table compared to when the two sides met in October near the start of Roseleas great run. Roselea had a couple of absentees with Collier and Reid big misses for the home side and Scott McComiskie a big player for the away side still recovering from a broken leg. Despite the weather improving it turned out to be a bitterly cold day at Broomfield with a cross wind going to cause difficulty. 

Roselea: Mcleod, Findlater, Reoch, Whyte, R Taylor, Mitchell, Anderson, Rae, Cruickshank, Watson & Tringham. Subs: McDowell, Greig, Keogh, Smith & Thomson 

North End were involved in the first chance of the game when a long cross was almost met by Gibb but he was given offside in anycase in 5 minutes. 

In 10 minutes Anderson broke down the right hand side and with three men in the middle he clipped the ball in and a North End defender cleared as Mitchell looked to take the ball down. Gibb had an excellent chance to put the visitors ahead in 15 minutes when Rae was robbed in midfield and the ball broke to the striker leaving him one on one with Mcleod however he  tried to chip the keeper but his weak effort was easily held by McLeod. 

In 16 minutes Craig Anderson was gifted a great chance when Smart played the ball straight to him however as he bore down on goal he squared to Watson to knock home but Stewart had tracked back to get a tackle in. 

North End had the next attempt in 28 minutes when a free kick was headed goalwards by Johnathon Smart and Mcleod had to climb to clutch the ball from the top corner of the goal. 

Calum Watson then had a great chanced to get the opening goal on the half hour when he caught Smart napping but the keeper stood up well as he tried to curl the ball around and into the net. 

North End conjoured something out of nothing when Gibb shot from a tight angle and although it didn’t look dangerous Mcleod palmed the ball with one hand and it came down off the bar before Taylor cleared. North End also had the last chance of the half but yet again the ball was scooped over the bar. 

Half Time: Montrose Roselea 0 Dundee North End 0 

North End had the first chance of the half when Reoch was dispossessed on the byeline by Gibb and he cut the ball back to Nije who shot goalwards and when Mcleod spilled the ball it took a good tackle from Taylor to clear the danger. 

It was 1-0 North End in 55 minutes and the goal had been coming. A corner was cleared and the right back went on a great run from the half way line before sending a great cross to the far post which was chested home by NIJE. 

Roselea made a change on the hour mark with McDowell replacing Findlater. They then made another change in 75 minutes with Stephen Greig coming on for Calum Rae. 

In 78 minutes Mitchell put in a great far post cross and Whyte seemed to be impeded as he tried to attack the ball but referee Traynor did not agree. 

A minute later Roselea got back level with a goal out of nothing. A free kick was given in a central area and Tringham met Andersons free kick with a header which fell to Calum WATSON who managed to hook the ball in off the post with an acrobatic effort. 

Both sides pushed in the remaining minutes with Roselea looking in danger at the back as they pushed bodies forward as they hunted for the win but both sides had to settle for a point. 

Full Time: Montrose Roselea 1 Dundee North End 1 

This was a very frustrating performance from the home side against a very poor North End side. It was more of a point gained as it was not a classy performance. Both sides missed chances before the deadlock was broken . With St Andrews and Dalkeith both drawing Roselea did not lose any ground at the top of the Table but they will need to improve if they are to maintain a challenge. The result keeps Roselea’s unbeaten League run going and now have 10 games undefeated.