Coldstream 2

Peebles Rovers 0

By David Knox

at Home Park

PEEBLES manager Ryan Bisset admits the pressure is building on his players as they continue to search for their first win of the season.

Rovers competed well at a blustery Home Park in this Qualifying Cup clash.

And even when reduced to 10 players and falling two goals behind, never gave up the fight.

But the continuing wait for a win under the new manager is taking its toll.

Bisset told us: “Things just didn’t go our way today.

“The quality is there and we played well for long spells but we just need a little luck at times.

“We’re all aware that we’re still waiting on the win but we just have to stick to what we are doing and it will come.

“A win will give everyone the lift they deserve.”

A strong cross wind proved disruptive during the early exchanges, but it was Peebles who adapted quickest and created a couple of early chances.

David Brown cut in from the flank to test Elliot Turnbull at his near post on 11 minutes, and just after the quarter hour Robbie Renwick couldn’t quite get his shot away in front of goal after controlling an angled cross.

It was the home team, though, who broke the deadlock just a couple of minutes later.

A cynical foul by Ben Brown on the edge of the area earned him a yellow card and allowed Kris Dixon to curl a terrific freekick inside Tom Kerr’s near post.

The closest Rovers came to equalising was from Ross Lamb’s freekick from out wide which evaded everyone in the area except Turnbull, whose finger-tips pushed the ball round the post.

Coldstream could have given themselves a cushion before the interval as Buster Briggs deflected Matt Corfield’s overhead kick over the bar.

And Kerr made two excellent saves to deny both Dixon and Briggs ahead of the half time whistle.

Turnbull came to Coldstream’s rescue in the 50th minute as Renwick was threaded through on goal.

But the home team were handed a huge advantage a couple of minutes later as Brown was shown his second yellow card.

And from the resultant 40-yard freekick Briggs nipped in front of Kerr to steer the ball into the net.

Kerr got his own back just after the hour to deny the home striker with a brave block.

Peebles were thrown a lifeline in the 66th minute as Owen Renton was shown a straight red card for an off the ball incident to level up the player numbers.

And, with a change of formation and the introduction of three substitutes, it was the visitors who piled on the pressure in the closing stages.

Peebles had already had a strong penalty claim waved away before they were finally awarded a spot kick in the 85th minute after Mike McEwan was chopped down by Corfield.

But David Lyndsey’s penalty rattled the cross bar.

Coldstream manager Paul McGovern said: “It was a difficult game with both teams having their chances, but I’m pleased to be through and also to have a second clean sheet in our last two games.”

Peebles Rovers. T Kerr, B Gettel, A Cursiter, B Brown, C Smith, G lamb, C Crawford, C Sclater, R Renwick, Renwick, D Brown & R Lamb. Subs: S Mitchell, D Lyndsey, M McEwan, J Dodds & J Mackay.