ST ANDREWS UTD v MONTROSE ROSELEA

MCBOOKIE.COM EAST PREMIER LEAGUE

SAT APRIL 4^TH 2015 

Today's visit to St Andrews was going to be a stiff test for the Roselea as the homesters were sitting proudly at the top of the league and a 
great performance was needed to take anything from the game. 

Roselea: McLeod, Thomson, R Taylor, Collier, Reoch, Whyte, Reid, Anderson, Watson, 
Greig, Campbell 
Subs: Smith, Mitchell, C Taylor, Brand, Bailey 

10 mins gone and the Roselea have the first chance of the game a freekick from 25 yards Anderson and Cambell link up well with the ball landing to Watson whos shot goes a foot wide of the keepers left hand post, good effort.

15 mins a great ball from St Andrews captain Ricky Patrick making his 350th appearance to Darren Kelly the cross lands to Barry Sibanda who shoots of keeper McLeods left hand post.

17 mins a long ball from Kelly goes over the Roselea defence and Sibanda heads narrowly past the right hand post.

18 mins gone St Andrews take the lead Ricky Patrick pushes the ball out wide to Danny Dobie who beats Ryan Taylor to the byeline and his cross is headed home by Barry Sibanda.

25 mins Liam Campbell plays a 1-2 with Calum Watson then finds himself on the edge of the St Andrews box his shot narrowly goes wide of the keepers right hand post.

42 mins A chance for Robbie Holden as the ball comes across the Roselea box 12 yards out his header sneaks past the post.

44 mins another cross from Danny Dobie lands to Ricky Patrick as he shoots on goal Ryan Taylor throws himself in front of the ball to block a certain goal.

HALF TIME St Andrews 1  Montrose Roselea 0

Second half starts and within 20 seconds St Andrews Darren Kelly showing some good skills by back healing the ball and turning through on goal with Ryan Taylor once again reacting quickly knocking the ball out for a corner kick.

MONTROSE ROSELEA V DUNDONALD BLUEBELL

MCBOOKIE.COM EAST PREMIER LEAGUE

SAT MARCH 28^TH 2015 

Roselea were at home to Dundonald Bluebell and looking to get back in the winning frame after a poor run fo results following the nine game winning run. After a cup KO they have picked up two points from the last four League matches. The nine game run started at Dundonald in October when after trailing by two goals they came back to win 3-2. A lot of that was down to a tremendous goalkeeping display by Ross Mcleod which kept them in the game until half time. 

Roselea were missing five players with Calum Rae & Michael Cruickhshank suspended, Aaron Thomson & James Collier on holiday and Scott McDowell injured. On the plus side Liam Campbell was signed from St Andrews Utd in time to play and Liam Bailey was recalled from Johnshaven as a Trialist. Dundonald also had suspension problems with their first choice keeper out for a straight red card last week so James Lennox took over in goal. 

The weather forecasters got it spot on as a gale force wind brewed at kick off time and caused havoc for both teams. 

Roselea: Mcleod, Findlater, R Taylor, Reoch, Whyte, Mitchell, Tringham, Anderson, Campbell, Reid & Watson. Subs: Greig, Bailey (T), Smith & Brand.

Conditions as expected were going to be testing and early on the ball was swirling when in the air. It was Roselea who started brightly against the wind and got success up the left hand side with Anderson and Watson both having crosses cut out by keeper Lennox in the first few minutes. 

There was a half chance for Dundonald in six minutes when the ball bobbled about in the box and fell to Elder who hit his shot straight at Mcleod. 

In 9 minutes Watson showed great strength before swivelling to the bye line but his cut back was intercepted by Forbes and behind for a corner. 

It was to be the visitors who struck first blood in 15 minutes. A long free kick from Grieve hung in the wind and when Reoch’s attempted headed clearance fell to ELDER his sclaffed effort found the corner of the net. 

It did not take the home side to level in 17 minutes which they deserved to after a bright start. Debutant Campbell shut down the keeper when a ball went into the box and was brought down as he squared but the referee correctly waved an advantage and Ross MITCHELL scored from close in. Interestingly the referee did not punish keeper Lennox for the clear foul on Campbell and if a penalty had been awarded a different scenario would have resulted for the stopper. 

In 25 minutes Hendry drove down the left for Bluebell and his rasping effort was punched over by Mcleod and with the wind carrying the ball probably ended up in Kinnaber. 

On the half hour there was another penalty claim for Roselea this time Watson poked the ball through the legs of the lunging challenge from Forbes but the referee saw it differently. Keeper Lennox then caused mayhem at the other end when his long kick almost caught Mcleod out with the ball bouncing awkwardly but the keeper redeemed himself and pushed the ball behind for a corner. 

In 37 minutes Orrock of Dundonald was booked for a dive in the box but it was a convincing attempt as a few home mouths were in their hearts. 

Roselea would have been happy to see the half out all square but that was thrown out of the window on the 40^th minute. A long ball down Roselea’s left hand side gave Mcleod the option to come out and with him caught in no mans lad he made YOUNG’s mind up for him and he clipped the ball into the net. 

Half Time: Montrose Roselea 1 Dundonald Bluebell 2

With the wind at their backs Craig Anderson had an audacious but very worthwhile attempt from the half way line with Lennox off his line and the ball just slipped wide of the post.                       

In 49 minutes Tringham was dispossessed in midfield and when the ball broke to Elder, Mcleod had to punch the ball behind for a corner. 

Roselea made a change in 57 minutes with Liam Bailey on for Ross Mitchell in an attempt to spark a revival. 

The home side were out of luck in 63 minutes when Campbell played a short corner to Findlater who struck a sweet left foot curler from 25 yards and when the ball crashed down of the bar Reid was only foiled by a great stop from Lennox who turned behind for a corner. 

Roselea made a second change with Morgan Smith replacing Andy Tringham in 73 minutes. 

Roselea and Kyle Findlater were out of luck thanks to a terrific save from his header from Lennox just inside the post in 75 minutes. 

Roselea made their final change when Findlater was replaced with Stephen Greig in 80 minutes. 

Dundonald barely attacked in the second half however with Roselea pressing a breakaway was sure to happen and only a brilliant tackle from Ryan Taylor on 83 minutes prevented Wallace breaking away. 

Roselea piled on the pressure with a series of long throws from Anderson creating panic in the Dundonald area and their perseverance paid off for the second time in three weeks at home when they grabbed a deserved equaliser. Joe Reoch headed the ball on and Stuart PATERSON forced the ball over the line in the 93^rd minute for a dramatic end to a great game played in very tough conditions. 

Full Time: Montrose Roselea 2 Dundonald Bluebell 2

This was a very tough game played in horrendous conditions with the scoreline about right over the piece. Roselea conceded two very preventable goals but then created better chances than the visitors did with the wind at their backs. It took a scrambled goal in stoppage time to rescue a point. The draw sees Roselea drop to 4^th in the League with Tayport leapfrogging them however it is another point towards safety in the Premier League.  

Roselea now travel to Recreation Park to face League leaders St Andrews Utd on Sat 4^th April. Kick Off is 2.30pm

KINNOULL v MONTROSE ROSELEA

McBOOKIE.COM EAST PREMIER LEAGUE
SAT MARCH 21^st 2015 

Roselea travelled to Tulloch Park, Perth to face bottom side Kinnoull and were looking to get their first win in four games. The home side were not having the best of seasons having shedded most of last years squad however they were boosted by their first League win of the season the previous week at Edinburgh Utd and also ran Boness Utd close in a cup match. 

Roselea travelled without the suspended Michael Cruickshank who picked up a three game ban for his red card against Jeanfield however fellow sending off Calum Watson was clear to play by virtue of having received two yellow cards. Paul Taylor missed out through work and Scott McDowell was out injured. 

Tulloch Park was looking very spring like and the groundsman was still putting the finishing touches to the soft pitch with a cut and roll as the visitors arrived. 

Roselea: Mcleod, Findlater, R Taylor, Whyte, Thomson, Rae, Anderson, Reoch, Tringham, Collier & Reid. Subs: Mitchell, Watson, Greig, Smith & C Taylor. 

Roselea started brightly with Reid almost springing the offside trap in the first couple of minutes before Collier did so in four minutes and his shot was deflected just wide of the post for a corner. 

In 18 minutes Anderson hurled a long throw to Collier and Reid not having time to think snapped his chance over the bar. 

In 19 minutes Kinnoull had their first attempt when Mackie hit a rasping shot from all of 30 yards but Mcleod was behind it and held safely. 

Kinnoull took the lead in 22 minutes with a poor goal from a Roselea point of view. Fleming threw in a free kick which bounced on the penalty spot leaving Mcleod in no mans land as he came out and Jamie GILL flicked the ball over him and into the corner of the net. 

On the half hour mark it was Kinnoull who caused problems with a free kick again. Thomson gave away a needless foul on the corner of the box and Gill flighted the ball in with Mcleod getting a touch but the ball finally came off a Kinnoull head before going behind. There was one more scramble in the Roselea box again from a free kick and when the ball bounced off Mcleod it was Calum Rae who finally cleared. 

Half Time: Kinnoull 1 Montrose Roselea 0

Roselea made a couple of changes at the break with two first half bookings, Findlater & Thomson being replaced by Watson & Mitchell. The changes seemed to give Roselea a far better balance and shape and they started the second half strongly. In 51 minutes Roselea were out of luck when the post prevented them scoring. Reoch sent in a diagonal ball which Watson flicked past the keeper, Reid could have slotted home but perhaps thought he was offside before the ball came off the post and Gaffney cleared for Kinnoull. 

Roselea continued to press Kinnoull and Mitchell had a prodded shot from 8 yards out which keeper Christie failed to hold and somehow Reid missed the rebound from point blank range. 

With Roselea pretty much pinning Kinnoull back there was always going to be a slight risk of a break away and in what was Ross Mcleods only involvment of the second half he held from McCaughie at the second attempt in 68 minutes. 

Reid was then given offside when he timed his run perfectly to latch on to a Mitchell header but was incorrectly given offside. With 20 minutes remaining keeper Christie got a great touch to a corner with Whyte ready to pounce then he saved well from a Ryan Taylor 20 yard drive. In 80 minutes

Reid looked offside when he was through and looked to hesitate in guilt and as a result his pass to Watson was intercepted when the goal was gaping. 

It was starting to look like it wasn’t going to be Roselea’s day and that was further confirmed when Ross Mitchell hit a cracking 20 yard shot when the ball came back from a corner and the ball hit the corner of the bar and post before bouncing on the line and then straight into keeper Christie’s arms. 

The day was complete when Rae was shown a straight red card for retaliation in 82 minutes leaving his team mates to scrape for a point. 

Roselea made a final change with Greig coming on for Tringham. The ten men pounded the Kinnoull goal for the remaining minutes but there was to be no breaks and the home side held out and adopted some gamesmanship to ensure the clock run down. Referee Fordyce added five extra minutes but it was not enough for the visitors. 

Full Time: Kinnoull 1 Montrose Roselea 0

This was a typical banana skin of a game for Roselea and it turned out that way with them losing a poor goal before pounding the home goal for much of the game. The home side set out their stall and managed to frustrate the visitors. Roselea were out of luck though and the home side would probably concede that they rode their luck on several occasions in the second half. 

With St Andrews beating Dalkeith Thistle 2-1, Roselea slipped down to third in the table and with a host of clubs on their tails they will need to start gathering more points to mount a challenge and indeed guarantee their safety in the Division. 

This week Dundonald Bluebell visit Broomfield Park in the League. Bluebell were the first team Roselea beat in their 9 game winning run however they should have had that match tied up before Roselea came back to win 3-2. Dundonald beat Bathgate 4-3 to move into 5^th place, a point behind Roselea with 2 games in hand. The match kicks off at 2.30pm and Hospitality is available, please contact Roselea for further details.    

MONTROSE ROSELEA v JEANFIELD SWIFTS
McBOOKIE.COM EAST PREMIER LEAGUE
SAT MARCH 14th 2015  

Roselea aimed to get their Premier League challenge up and running again when they face Jeanfield Swifts. The Swifts inflicted the biggest defeat of the season with a 5-2 win at Riverside and have been on a good run of form under their new Management team of Andy Heggie & Neil Thomson. Roselea had pretty much a full squad to choose from with only a couple of players carrying injuries. Scott McDowell and Craig Taylor sat out whilst Calum Rae & Ryan Taylor dropped to the bench from last weeks starting line up with Kyle Findlater and Michael Cruiskhank coming in. 

Unusually Broomfield Park was very calm as the teams kicked off on a nice flat pitch but there was still a winter chill in the air. 

Roselea: Mcleod, Findlater, Tringham, Reoch, Whyte, Mitchell, Anderson, Collier, Cruickshank, Reid & Watson. Subs: P Taylor, R Taylor, Smith, Thomson & Rae

Roselea had started the previous two games slowly so made sure their warm up was of a high tempo but that seemed to make no difference as Jeanfield missed two great chances in the opening three minutes. First a long clearance caught Jo Reoch out and only quick thinking by Mcleod averted McLeish latching on to it then Gary Fraser twisted Findlater inside out before sending a great ball that Dodd should have sent net bound but somehow screwed the ball wide.

Watson and Reid combined well in 5 minutes and only a great tackle from Whitehead stopped Reid getting in for a shot. In 9 minutes a great throw out by Mcleod send Cruickshank on his way up the left hand side and when the ball was played into Reid his shot was well struck and turned away by Bruce in the Swifts goal for a corner. 

Jeanfield should really have taken the lead in 13 minutes when a great times run by Holt saw him beat the offside trap however instead of lobbing Mcleod he tamely clipped the ball into his hands. 

Jeanfield deservedly took the lead in 19 minutes when McLEISH headed home from close range from a Fraser chip. 

Roselea were up against a slick and lively Jeanfield side who were moving ball around the pitch quickly and looked dangerous every time they broke however there was always a danger that the home side would snatch a goal. Roselea did go very close in 27 minutes when Findlater pinged a ball low and hard from the right back area which everyone missed apart from Reid who went very close from a very tight angle. 

In 34 minutes Watson turned well in the box taking himself to the bye line but his cross was picked off at the front post by Bruce. 

In 35 minutes Roselea drew level pretty much against the run of play. Collier shot from the edge of the box and when the ball was deflected to REID who wasted no time in despatching the ball into the net. 

In 41 minutes Fraser was brought down by Collier and Holt hit a low shot which Mcleod saved well. 

Disaster struck Roselea for the second week running when they conceded a decisive goal right on half time. Roselea were caught out 3 on 2 despite a great tackle from Reoch the ball broke to DODD who curled an excellent finish past Mcleod and into the corner for the net. 

Half Time: Montrose Roselea 1 Jeanfield Swifts 1

Things got worse for Roselea with a very simple goal conceded just two minutes into the second period. Dodd broke away down the right and squared for FRASER to knock home from close range. 

Roselea made a change with Calum Rae going on for Ross Mitchell in 55 minutes. 

Roselea were still srtuggling to cope with Jeanfield’s pace and they went close again when Fleming crossed for Fraser to head just wide in 67 minutes. 

Tringham had a good run which ended with a low shot which Bruce dealt with easily. 

Reid had a chance to pull one back in 71 minutes when Collier slipped the ball to him inside the penalty box but he could not beat Bruce who stood up and blocked the ball. 

Calum Watson had been on a booking since the first half and was starting to get too involved in matters away from the ball and found himself red carded for a late tackle in 75 minutes.

Reid had a chance in 76 minutes when Rae flighted the ball over the top and his chip went just wide and looked like he may have had a case for a penalty when Bruce clattered into him after the ball was away.

REID did reduce the leeway when Tringham squared the ball and he poked the ball home from close range at the second attempt. 

Jeanfield were looking decidely uncomfortable having controlled the game for long periods however they were given some breathing space when Cruickshank was shown a straight red after a stamp in 85 minutes. 

Roselea were down but not out and their battling spirit saw them win a penalty in the 90^th minute when REID was brought down. It did look decidely soft as he seemed to leave his foot trailing as Bruce came out to block. He did not worry about that and he struck a great low penalty into the corner of the net to complete his hatrick. The referee indicated there would be two added minutes however he ended up playing 5 so it was Roselea’s turn to be on edge as they cleared the ball to safety several times before the full time whistle came. 

Full Time: Montrose Roselea 3 Jeanfield Swifts 3

On the balance of the 90 minutes Roselea did not deserve this draw with Swifts looking far slicker and looking likely to score every time they attacked however there can be no taking away the battling spirit shown especially after going down to 9 men. Calum Rae made a big difference when coming on and certainly looked more composed on the ball in midfield. With Dalkeith winning they now move four points ahead of Roselea in second place with St Andrews a further point behind but having three games in hand.

DALKEITH THISTLE V MONTROSE ROSELEA
MCBOOKIE.COM EAST PREMIER LEAGUE
SAT MARCH 7TH 2015  

Roselea travel to Kings Park, Dalkeith for a very tricky League encounter. Roselea were sitting top equal in the Premier League with 32 points howver Dalkeith were one point behind with both teams having played 18 games out of the 30 to be played. Roselea beat Dalkeith 3-0 in an East of Scotland Cup tie early in the season however a depleted Lea side also went down 2-0 a few weeks later in the League. After last weeks draw with North End which saw the nine game winning streak come to an end Roselea will be boosted by the return of James Collier and Dale Reid. Reid didn’t hang about getting back amongst the goals having scored the only goal in a friendly win over Brechin Vics on Monday night. Stephen Greig was out injured meaning there were also going to be two unstripped players. 

Dalkeith gave the visitors a warm welcome and made them feel at home however that was more down to the Broomfield esque wind blowing right down the pitch  

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

In the first minute Manson of the home team should have found his way into the referee’s book for ungentlemanly conduct after impeding Mcleod as he tried to kick off and sticking the ball in the net. 

Roselea had the wind at their back which is not often an advantage when attacking but they made a chance in 8 minutes. The ball was played across the midfield from Collier to Anderson and on to Tringham who threw in a dangerous cross ball which Watson was inches from connecting with. 

Manson was then booked for a high challenge and after what had happened in the first minute he could count himself lucky to be still in the game. 

Dalkeith took the lead in 14 minutes under a slight bit of controversy. McNaughton of Dalkeith went down with a leg injury and after play had raged on for 30 seconds he then pulled play back and awarded a free kick. When the ball came in Rae missed his clearance and after a fine save from the first effort from MORRIS his second low shot found its way into the net. 

Dalkeith doubled their lead in 18 minutes and it was the same player who cuased the problems. A clever ball was played in behind Whyte and held up in the wind and MORRIS wasted no time in shooting in off the post to makde it 2-0. 

In 27 minutes Craig Anderson had a great run and shot from 25 yards out with the Dalkeith keeper managing to turn it over the bar. Roselea were coming back into things and Reid had a well struck overhead kick saved when if it had gone anywhere else in the goals it would have gone in. Roselea forced a string of corners and despite a couple of scrambles where the ball would not drop for them they could not reduce the defecit. Reid then laid another ball back to Rae who had a blast from 20 yards and despite the ball strinking the hand of a Dalkeith defender it was in the line of his body and correctly not given as a penalty. 

Play flowed from end to end and Mcleod reacted very well when a long ball almost coaught Roselea out and as he punted the ball to the other end a mistake from a home defender allowed Reid in but he shot over when he had time to compose himself. Roselea were forced to make a change in 36 minutes when Reoch was replaced by Thomson following a head knock. 

Roselea looked to have given themselves a lifeline in 43 minutes when Craig Anderson flighted in a great ball and Andy TRINGHAM guided his header over the keeper and into the corner fo the net. In first half stoppage time

Disaster struck for Roselea when Dalkeith stretched that lead back to two goals when again some sloppy defending saw MANSON skipped onto a ball which fell perfectly for him before shooting low past Mcleod with a great finish. 

Half Time: Dalkeith Thistle 3 Montrose Roselea 2

Roselea started the second half with their final two substitutes being used as the Management team made a statement as to their intent for the second period. Cruickshank & Findlater came on to replace the two full backs Rae & Taylor with Andy Tringham slotting back to left back. 

Roselea had two early chances with Watson just failing to get a shot away as the ball crossed his path in the bo then Reid had a well struck snapshot from the edge of the bo which the keeper held well. 

Roselea were given a glimmer of getting back into the game in 63 minutes when the home sweeper was sent off for an off the ball incident involving Watson. Although he did kick out it was never going to be dangerous and a booking might have sufficed. 

In 67 minutes Roselea were frustrated by the referee when Waston flicked the ball onto Reid who was in a great position but he pulled play back for the free kick. 

Sub Cruickshank was coming into the game and almost got Roselea back to within one goal in 73 minutes when he turned the full back over but shot over with his ledd favoured right foot. Reid then had a chance in 80 minutes when a mistake allowed him to cut along the bye line but his shot curled away from the goal. 

Roselea got the chance they were waiting on in 83 minutes and it was a piece of brave refereeing which it came from. Dalkeith were defending a free kick and despite clearing the ball the referee spotted an off the ball infringement away from the action and awarded a penalty. Michael CRUICKSHANK took on the responsobility and put his foot through the ball strinking an unstoppable penalty into the net. Roselea did press for the remaining time however despite forcing a couple of corners they could not get a dramatic equaliser and Dalkeith deserverdly took the three points. 

Full Time: Dalkeith Thistle 3 Montrose Roselea 2

 This was a disappointing end to the ten game unbeaten run however it was always going to be a tough ask to go to Dalkeith and take something against the team who now top the League. Some poor defending in the first half cost Roselea and Dalkeith barely had four attempts at goal. The third goal coming just on half time was a cruel blow to Roselea’s hopes. Overall it was a deserved win for the home side but Roselea did not give up and battled away to the final whistle. 

Roselea have a chance to get back on to the points run when Jeanfield Swifts visit Broomfield Park for a McBookie.com East Premier League match with a 2.30pm Kick Off. Roselea will be looking to avenge their heaviest League defeat of the season when they went down 5-2 at the Riverside Stadium in September