East  Region - North District League

Dundee North End  v  Arbroath Vics  10th September 2011

Having lost narrowly to Carnoustie Panmure in the G.A Cup the previous week, Arbroath Vics returned to the business of collecting league points with a trip into Perthshire to meet Coupar Angus on Saturday. David McLeish and Ryan Owbridge both returned to the starting line-up, while Kevin Durno slotted into his more accustomed role in central defence.  Steve Florence missed out due to a wedding, while Garry Warren dropped down to the bench.

Vics started positively, taking the game to Coupar Angus and after hemming the Perthshire side back in their own half, it came as no surprise when they took the lead in the sixth minute.  Craig Stephen sent a lovely pass through a square Coupar defence and MARK FOTHERINGHAM beat the offside trap to run on and shoot beyond Scott Ewan from 19 yards. The keeper was kept busy as Vics bomarded the Coupar box and he did well to fist away a David McLeish corner inside a packed area.

A second goal looked inevitable and it duly arrived in the 14th minute.  David McLeish flighted a pass through the home defence, which Mark Fotheringham raced on to and he pulled the ball back for DANNY McKENZIE to turn into the net. A minute later, Craig Stephen and Colin Lawson helped the ball across to the far side of the box where Matty Johnston, up with the attack, saw his shot deflected onto the post and behind for a corner off the foot of Alan Smith. In a rare spell of Coupar pressure, they managed to force several corners, but each of them was easily cleared by Vics defence.

Apart from that it was all one way traffic and with only 27 minutes played, Vics increased their lead to 3-0.  David McLeish swung over a corner, which Mark Fotheringham brought under control inside the box, setting up RYAN OWBRIDGE for him to curl a shot beyond the keeper. Lee Hutcheson was called into action for the first time in the match soon after when Gareth Lamb got a shot on target, but it was easily dealt with by the keeper. Vics came within inches of adding to their lead just short of the 30 minute mark when Craig Stephen raced up the right and whipped over a cross, which Danny McKenzie headed beyond Scott Ewan, but the ball crashed back into play off the bar.  Ryan Owbridge was first to the rebound, setting up Colin Lawson, but the keeper managed to smother his shot inside the six-yard box.

Coupar at least kept trying and but for David Burgess failing to gather a Mark McColl cross, which flew across the six-yard line, they might have found themselves on the scoresheet. Johnny McBride then flashed a shot just wide as the home side began to believe they might be able to prevent what looked like becoming a rout inside the first 30 minutes at bay. Ryan Williamson found himself in the referee’s book when he took exception to a challenge in the 36th minute.

There would have been long odds on the home side staging a comeback, but Vics undid all their good work in the first half by conceding two goals inside the last four minutes before the interval. A corner from David Brgess caused Vics all sorts of bother in the 42nd minute and when the ball eventually broke to GARETH LAMB he swept a shot beyond Lee Hutcheson from just inside the area,

Incredibly, just as everyone was looking towards the referee blowing for half-time, Craig Sturrock fired a passback at Lee Hutcheson, which the keeper was unable to control and when it broke away from him he upended Gareth Lamb as he tried to reach the loose ball, leaving the referee little option but to award a penalty, which DEREK DUNCAN duly converted.

                                                                          Half-time: Coupar Angus 2   Arbroath Vics 3

The home side were first to show after the interval when they were awarded a free-kick towards the left-hand side of the box, but Johnny McBride’s effort was straight at Lee Hutcheson. Matty Johnston almost grabbed a fourth for Vics with a blistering drive from distance, but Scott Ewan managed to block the ball away with his foot.

The same player then sent the ball down the right wing where Danny McKenzie got in behind the defence, but he failed to get his cut-back beyond the keeper, stationed at the near post. A desperate clearance from Derek Duncan almost ended up with him blasting David McLeish’s cross into his own net, but fortunately for the home side the ball cleared the bar with the keeper out of position. Vics made a change in the 57th minute when Colin Lawson was replaced by Garry Warren.

The substitute almost scored with his first touch when Vics were awarded an indirect free-kick inside the box when Scott Ewan handled a pass-back, but he made amends by diving to push Garry Warren’s netbound effort round the post. Lee Hutcheson made an equally important save soon after when David Burgess curled a shot towards the far post, which the keeper did well to get a hand to, before diving out to smother the loose ball. Kevin Durno was yellow carded for dissent before Coupar made a change, sending on Ross McCaw for David Burgess.

Coupar almost levelled the game in the 69th minute when Mark McColl hoisted a free-kick into the box and Duncan Cocker made space to lob the ball over Lee Hutcheson, but the keeper made a great save, leaping backwards to tip the ball over the bar. In the 75th minute, the home side made a second change when Michael Malone was introduced in place of Duncan Cocker.

Three minutes later, Vics gave themselves a two goal cushion when the Coupar defence failed to properly clear a Garry Warren corner and when Kevin Durno nodded the ball back towards the box, CRAIG STEPHEN ran on to pick his spot beyond Scott Ewan. Straight from the re-start, Johnny McBride broke free on the right and whipped over a cross, which picked out Gareth Lamb and his header beat Lee Hutcheson to his left, but cannoned back off the post.

Both teams made further changes with Scott Blair replacing Johnny McBride in the Coupar ranks, while Vics withdrew Danny McKenzie for Danny Brown. Inside the last five minutes, Vics had further chances to add to their lead, with Scott Ewan making a fine save from Craig Stephen, before Ryan Owbridge turned a Garry Warren cross over the bar from close range and with the last kick of the ball, Craig Sturrock shot into the side net, but they had to settle for a 4-2 win.

Teams:
Coupar Angus:  1 Scott Ewan  2 Mark McColl  3 Ryan Williamson  4 Alan Smith  5 Rory Cromb  6 Johnny McBride (sub 14 Scott Blair 83 mins)  7 David Burgess (sub 12 Ross McCaw 68 mins)  8 Derek Duncan  9 Matty Henderson  10 Gareth Lamb  11 Duncan Cocker (sub 15 Michael Malone 75 mins).  Unused sub: 13 Laurie Spence.

Arbroath Vics:  1 Lee Hutcheson  2 Kevin Laing  3 David McLeish  4 Matty Johnston  5 Kevin Durno  6 Craig Sturrock  7 Danny McKenzie (sub 14 Danny Brown 84 mins)  8 Mark Fotheringham  9 Craig Stephen  10 Colin Lawson (sub 12 Garry Warren 57 mins)  11 Ryan Owbridge.  Unused subs: 15 Chris Simpson  Gk Chris Cargill.

Referee: Mr. K. Graham (Perth).

Vics are at home this Saturday when they are again pitted against Perthshire opponents, when Blairgowrie are guests at Ogilvy Park in a league fixture.  Kick-off is at 2.30 p.m.

                                                                                 Emirates Scottish Junior Cup

In the second round of the Emirates Scottish Junior Cup, drawn at Pollok Social Club on Sunday, Vics were handed a tough tie away to former winners, Tayport.  The tie is scheduled to take place on October 29.

                                                                          Arbroath Victoria Sportsman’s Dinner
Arbroath Vics have attracted a great line-up of speakers to provide the entertainment for their annual Sportsman’s Dinner at the Meadowbank Inn on the 22nd October, and if past Dinners are anything to go by; they hope to have another superb evening of speaking this year.

Emcee for the evening is local wit and raconteur, Mr Matt Paterson.  Matt is blessed with a sharp wit and great mind.  He was for a number of years a committee member of ASC, and is a supporter of Ayr United, so clearly has a great sense of humour.

Steve Kindon, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers centre forward is making a great name for himself on the after dinner circuit across the UK, and is very much in demand, so Vics are pleased to have secured his services for the night.  He will no doubt regale us with tales from his days in the top flight of the English game.

The final speaker is John Gahagan, ex Motherwell.  John is a gifted speaker who knows the game inside out and has carved a good niche for himself as an after dinner speaker.

With The Meadowbank Inn providing what is sure to be another top class meal, Vics are more than confident that a good night is in store.  Ticket prices have been held at the same level as they have been for the last four years, namely £35.
 
Should anyone be interested in booking a seat, (or a table), tickets are available from Neil Hardie, (07774 030 028), Jim Hodson (07904 857 544), or any committee member.