MATCH REPORT
Date : 11th May 2024
Opposition : Kennoway Star Hearts
Venue : Away
Scorers : Christian Temple
Booked : Rhys Dixon, Evan Smith, Riley Lightfoot, TJ Adebayo,
Sent Off : None
Attendance : 36
Referee : Keiran Gibson
Team Lineup :
Ryan Dunn
Tommy Malcolm
Rhys Dixon (c)
Craig Heath
Evan Smith
Christian Temple
Riley Lightfoot
Sam Straughan
Ross Aitchison
Craig Bell
Jay Baverstock
Subs :
Jake Gibson
TJ Adebayo on for Jay Baverstock
Match Report :
Two penalties for similar infringements, the second in the eighth of nine minutes of second half added time, sent Tweedmouth to defeat at Treaton Park in Star, Fife. Rangers could have been, perhaps should have been, two or three up by half time but, not for the first time this season, could not turn a long period of dominance into goals.
Kyle Moran certainly made some decent saves including clutching tightly a drive from Riley Lightfoot who, during a performance which caught the eye, spotted an opportunity to test him from distance. At other times, the home keeper enjoyed something of a charmed life as when Craig Bell was wide with a header from an early Sam Straughan cross, when after he stopped a shot from Jay Baverstock, Rangers’ return ball was cleared off the line and, when meeting Bell’s cross, Christian Temple hit the bar and the ball kindly dropped into Moran’s hands.
Hearts got the occasional look-in. Craig Heath put paid to early danger with a great piece of defensive work whilst midway through the half and then just before the interval, Dylan Walker and Alan Higgins respectively, fired over the bar the former with an ambitious overhead kick.
It was a touch ironic that after 45 minutes of fruitless effort, Tweedmouth should take just sixty seconds of the new half to finally score. Out on the right wing, Bell took a long pass from Tommy Malcolm and shrugged off the challenge of his marker to cross towards goal where Temple was waiting to make it 1-0.
Kennoway realised they had to lift their game but got a helping hand just five minutes later. Keeper Ryan Dunn was penalised for bringing down Hearts’ man closest to goal and Walker smashed home the spot kick.
The second period went on to be more evenly balanced than the first though Moran was soon forced to rush forward to punch away Rhys Dixon’s free kick from the tightest of angles. Midway through the half the hosts were down to ten men when Ronnie McGill was red carded for a tackle on Baverstock which eventually led to his departure, too.
Walker for Hearts and Temple for Rangers each saw further shots go over the bar. Then, going into stoppage time, Kennoway lost Moran, injured in a collision with TJ Adebayo for which the Tweedmouth man was booked. The experienced Lee Bryce who had not long since come on as an outfield sub now took over in goal.
With the end in sight, Dunn made a good save but as he went down to grab the resulting corner ball, a home player again finished face down on the turf. This time, sub Liam Gartshore hit home the penalty.
It was little consolation for Tweedmouth that as the players trooped off at the end Bryce commented that Kennoway had ‘stolen a win’.
Tweedmouth are scheduled to wrap up their season next Saturday, May 18th, at home to Stirling University. Kick off at Shielfield is at 2:30 p.m.