Saturday 15 August 2009
Armadale Thistle v Linlithgow Rose
League Cup Group Section Match

Two goals within the last 5 minutes of this match spared Rose’s blushes in their third sectional league cup match. Until then Rose had struggled against the side from a division below them putting Rose’s high scoring exploits in the two previous fixtures into some context.
The Rose manager named a team with only 3 players remaining in the starting line up from the previous match against West Calder. Herd was on the bench (surely the best substitute in Scottish junior football) with Manson being tried out up front with Coyne.
In addition to changing the personnel the Rose resorted to a traditional 4-4-2 with McEwan fulfilling the anchor role in midfield, Livingston and McArthur in wider midfield positions and Hogg at centre back alongside Ward.
The new look side began with some purpose and soon had the home defence under some pressure. All too often however the midfield players did not get into the box and some good runs by Manson and Robertson down the flanks either resulted in poor crosses from them or the absence of attackers when the ball was delivered.
As the half wore on holes began to appear within the Rose defence and Armadale soon took advantage after 20 minutes when their number 10, Lee Johnstone, was able to run straight through between Hogg and McDermott and fire an unstoppable rising shot beyond Coyle to the delight (and apparent amazement) of the Dale support. Rose rallied and Coyne soon netted a deserved equaliser. No sooner had the Rose celebrations ended when the same Armadale striker, Johnstone dispossessed McDermott and dispatched a carbon copy of his first shot beyond Coyle.

Shortly before halftime after another narrow escape which resulted in a Dale corner the Rose defence again made a complete hash of clearing their lines resulting in the ball breaking to an unmarked home player who netted easily from 4 yards out. McEwan had injured himself in a late challnge towards the end of the half and was clearly struggling.

Half time; Armadale Thistle 3, Rose 1.

Rose surprisingly emerged after half time with the same starting line up but after only 2 minutes it became clear that McEwan was not able to continue and the Rose manager decided it was time to ring the changes bringing on Smith and Herd for McEwan and Livingston. These changes were ultimately to save the match for Linlithgow. Smith’s presence and passing in midfield and Herd’ clever and determined runs started to change the pattern of the game. The goal of the match (and possibly of his career) was scored when Mark Tyrell thundered an unstoppable shot past a ruck of defenders and the Dale keeper form just outside the penalty.
The Rose were now on the ascendancy and the out of sorts McArthur was replaced by McLennan who took up a wide right position with Manson now on the left and Herd through the middle. Rose looked like scoring again when further concentration lapses appeared to have cost them the game. Coyne headed the ball back towards his defence from the half way line but the ball dropped to the unmarked Johnstone (who else!) who ran through unopposed and swept the ball beyond the again defenceless Coyle in the Rose goal. The Dale not unsurprisingly with 10 minutes to go and 4-2 up thought the game was in the bag and substituted their two best players including their hat trick striker in an effort to rum down time.

The beamimg Armadale players leaving the pitch were given a match winning heroes’ welcome by the home support but their beams soon turned to blushes when, with five minutes left and following some good play on the Rose attacking left, the ball was swung across and the unmarked Coyne Rose to head his second and Rose’s third goal of the day with 5 minutes to go. Rose threw everyone forward to save a point and in the dying seconds Gordon Herd managed to escape his markers, round the keeper and score a dramatic last minute equaliser which on balance of play throughout the whole match the Rose probably deserved but did not look like getting.
The Rose fans who missed these last 2 goals scored in the dying embers clearly had not been around on that famous occasion at Newton Park Bo’ness when a not dissimilar feat was achieved.
The point kept us on tract to win the section but we probably have to win our remaining two fixtures away to Newtongrange and home to Spartans to qualify for the semi-finals.

Full Time: Armadale Thistle 4 Rose 4

Rose Side
Coyle, Robertson, Ward, Hogg, McDermott, Livingston, McEwan, Tyrell, McArthur, Manson and Coyne.
Substitures were Pinkowski, Wilson, Donnelly, McLellan, Smith, Herd and McDowall