Late strikes punish Peebles

Published 11 Nov 2011 09:30 0 Comments

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Peebles Rovers 0 v 3 Heriot-Watt University

ROVERS' hopes to remain in the hunt for a promotion place crashed on Saturday after running out of steam at Whitestone Park.

Both teams appeared to be bogged down on the heavy surface - but the Students found the legs in the final quarter hour to snatch the points.

Peebles manager Stuart Robertson said: "It was really heavy out there and I knew that whoever got the first goal would win the game. They got a lift from the goal while we just sunk.

"We had a few key players missing today but they boys who came in did well enough - we had our chances to win that one."

An early chance for debutant Jimmy Telfer was wasted as the striker tamely struck Greg Shortreed's through pass straight at Craig Saunders.

The Students showed the most appetite for playing passing football on the sticky surface - and they were almost rewarded on several occasions with shots which deflected narrowly past.

Charles Nwanze did muster up a 25 yard bullet for the home team but the ball whistled by the far post.

The pace of Heriot-Watt's wide men Chris Donnelly and Erik Thomson was causing plenty of problems for Rovers defence.

And the home team were extremely fortunate on 26 minutes when Brendan Napier tucked away Thomson's cross - only to be harshly ruled offside.

Just seconds before the break Thomson was denied by a magnificent Andy Williamson recovery tackle as he was about to pull the trigger just 10 yards from goal.

It looked as though it would just be a matter of time before Heriot-Watt would make the breakthrough.

But it was a different Rovers who appeared after the interval. Robertson made a few tactical changes and somehow injected more fire into their bellies.

Scott Watson was sent through on 48 minutes only to blast a shot a foot over the bar.

Michael McKenzie and Nicky Cairns were enjoying much more of the ball as the Students were forced back. Watson had a golden chance on 70 minutes but again fired over from close range.

But the mud began to take its toll with more and more space opening up all over the park.

And it was Heriot-Watt who capitalised. Donnelly's deep freekick on 78 minutes was allowed to bounce in front of goal and substitute Michael Webster had the simple task of nodding the ball beyond a stranded John Nisbet.

Just a minute later Napier danced his way through a static home defence to pass the ball beneath the Peebles keeper.

Rovers attempted to rally, but from a corner the Students charged downfield for Donnelly to finish off the breakaway move.

To compound Rovers' misery substitute Peter Conaghan was red carded in the final minute.

Peebles Rovers would like ot thank John Scott Motors of Innerleithen for their continued sponsorship.

Peebles Rovers. J Nisbet, D Urey (D Knox 46), J Girdwood, R Fleming, A Williamson, C Nwanze, M McKenzie, N Cairns, J Telfer (G Knox 59), S Watson & G Shortreed (P Conaghan 67).

This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 11 Nov 11

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