Ormiston 1

Peebles Rovers 3

Neil Hobson at East Mains

THREE really was the magic number for Ger Rossi’s men last Saturday, as Peebles Rovers got their league campaign off to a flying start with a comfortable 3-1 win over Ormiston at East Mains.

Goals from Lee Zavaroni, Ross Lamb and David Lindsay saw the East Lothian side put to the sword on a windy afternoon at the Hibs training ground, with Rossi delighted at his players’ performances after their collapse against Eyemouth in the League Cup the previous week.

He said: “We asked for a reaction after the Eyemouth match, and, to a man, I felt we certainly got that. I thought we managed the game well in what was extremely difficult conditions for both sides.

“There wasn’t much product when it came to our passing game, but the most disappointing thing for myself was the way in which we lost a goal late on.

“It does take a little bit of the shine away from today but it was a strong three points to kick-start our season and we now look ahead to next Saturday against Preston.”

Rovers started the match in fine fashion, adapting to the blustery conditions swiftly- as they looked to use it to their advantage as they attacked the Ormiston goal.

With barely eleven minutes played, Zavaroni hoovered up a loose ball in the middle of the park before marauding forward and blasting a shot at goal.

The flight of the ball deceived the Ormiston ‘keeper, with Zavaroni’s strike just creeping over the line to hand Peebles the initiative early on.

Such early momentum was enough to hand Rossi’s men the lion’s share of possession for the majority of the first half, with the lethal figures of Gregor Lamb and Saul Schulz-Keith looking menacing as they prowled around the box, eyeing up a second goal.

However, it was David Lindsay who was on hand to pile the pressure on Ritchie Weir’s men; after some tidy link-up play between Ross Lamb, Rossi and Gregor Lamb saw Schulz-Keith dart through a lethargic Ormiston back-line.

Some nifty footwork from the former Tynecastle man saw him go close to prodding the ball home, before his shot was booted away by the feet of the Ormiston goalkeeper.

As the ball spun back in the wind, Lindsay was on hand to nod the ball home from close-range to hand the Rovers the lead going into half-time.

Ormiston were reduced to ten men on 82 minutes, with their man sent for an early shower after a lunge on Colin Smith - prompting a second yellow.

Ross Lamb was then on hand shortly after to put the game to bed, as a sweet through-ball from midfield unlocked the defence; allowing him to skate through and hit a deft dink past the goalkeeper to make it 3-0.

On 90 minutes, some slack play on the right hand side opened up a path for Ormiston, who promptly nipped through on goal to stab home a consolation effort at full-time.

Peebles Rovers: Bejaoui, Dodds, Smith, Brown, Newell, G. Lamb, R. Lamb, Rossi, Schulz-Keith, Lindsay & Zavaroni.