Worse was
to come for the Scorries two minutes later when Michael Steven dived in with a
two footed tackle on Ryan Maitland and referee Kerrigan flashed the Academy
defender the red card.
Maitland
received several minutes of treatment and was able to resume but was clearly
suffering and was substituted shortly after.
Academy
looked as if they had scored with just over a half hour played when Mackay
worked his way into the box before passing to Davie Allan and the ball broke
off him and looked goal-bound but keeper Reid got something on it and the spin
on the ball took it just wide of the post.
A minute
later the Harmsworth roar must have been heard across the town, Academy worked
the ball into the Locos box. Cunningham took it on his chest with back to goal
and the ball dropped to his feet and he swivelled on it and his shot crept
inside Reid's left hand post.
1 – 1
A minute
later the Locos play-maker Neil Gauld had to be substituted as he looked to have
pulled a hamstring.
Martin Gunn
was next to have a crack at goal as he took the ball on the half-volley and
fired a flashing drive across goal and just wide of target.
In the
final action of the half it was the Locos that should have taken the lead. A
long drive hit off Stewart Ross and went behind for a corner. That was
delivered into the box and was met by the forehead of Kieren Adams who ghosted
in unmarked but his powerful header went high of the target.
Half Time 1
– 1
The Locos
started the second half at a high tempo forcing a corner in the 1st
minute. That was fired into the Academy box and in a desperate scramble Ross
Allan saved a certain goal when he cleared it off the line.
The match
started to hot up and in a 5 minute period Clark Bain picked up two yellow cards
so joined Michael Steven for an early bath, and Steven Park and Nicky Gordon
also had their names added to the referee's note-book.
In the next
Locos attack Michael Gray pulled off a great blocking save from an Andy Low
shot and the ball fell to Scott Begg but he skied his follow-up shot over the
cross-bar.
By this
stage of the game it was end-to-end stuff and Stewart Ross dinked the ball over
the top of the Locos back-line for Sam Mackay and he took one touch before
attempting to chip it over Andy Reid who had gone down low and spread his body
and got a hand to the ball to make a good save.
Academy
started to look as if they could sniff a win and Macadie came on for Mackay.
Macadie was minutes on the park when he put keeper Reid under pressure as he
tried to kick out a back-pass and Reid smacked the ball against Macadie and it
spun just past the post with the net laying empty.
Up the
other end it was Locos that came close. Craig Ross broke to the right edge of
the Academy box and unleashed a pile-drive that smacked off the outside of
Gray's left hand post and behind for a bye-kick.
Manson
picked up and injury and was replaced by Weir with 5 minutes left.
With 2
minutes on the clock Academy were winding up for a grandstand finish and went
within a whisker of scoring the winner. Macadie drove down the right flank, cut
inside the box and fired the ball across goal where Davie Allan steamed in and
went full length to try to get a toe on the ball to turn it home but it just
evaded him and went wide of target.
In the last
kick off the game Davie Allan broke free of his marker and charged to the right
edge of the Locos box. Keeper Reid came to meet him and Allan smacked a right
foot shot on the run. The ball got past the outstretched Reid but whistled past
the keeper's right hand post with Weir standing unmarked if the ball had been a
yard further back.
Full Time 1
– 1
Sponsor's man of the match Stewart Ross
Pictured receiving his award
from William Ronaldson
on behalf of match sponsor Subsea7
