Gary’s last-gasp goal wins thriller
A last-minute stunner from Axworthy Thornton Hibs .... 4 Blairgowrie ........ 5
For the second successive Saturday, Blairgowrie bounced back off the ropes to score a lastminute winner.
Gary Axworthy lashed home a dipping, swerving 30-yard free-kick to bring all three points back from Fife following a thrilling North Division match against Thornton Hibs.
Blairgowrie started well and Allan Cruickshank gave them the lead after 11 minutes with a well-paced shot after good build-up play by Rudi Brown and Paul Maloney.
Home side Hibs pressed and had some half chances, but Blair were in control and could have been further ahead if three presentable chances were not passed up.
But, as is often inevitable in football, Hibs equalised with a soft goal from a corner after 23 minutes, making Blair regret the earlier misses.
However, Gordon Pirie volleyed home a loose ball to put Blair back in front on 28 minutes.
Momentum would once again swing in the other direction when more slack defending allowed an equaliser for Thornton which was a carbon copy of their first goal.
The scoring continued after the break, when Hibs converted a disputed penalty to go into the lead.
Minutes later, Maloney pounced on a Cruickshank knock down to make it 3-3.
Yet the topsy-turvy nature of this game saw Hibs regain the lead before Findlay made a brave goal-line clearance to keep Blair in the match.
The equaliser came after 68 minutes. Blair had several efforts cleared, then a Brown shot smacked off the upright before Maloney turned the loose ball in from close range.
The final quarter of the match brought more near things, but no goals until Axworthy’s stunning strike following a foul on Pirie. There followed five agonising minutes of added time, but Blair held on.
It was little wonder a Blair supporter had to ask at the end: “It was 5-4 to Blair wasn’t it?”
Blairgowrie: O’Brien, Findlay, McDonald, Millar, Brash, Axworthy, Brown, Pirie, Maloney, Plenderleith, Cruickshank. Subs: Mitchell, Kelly.
Blairgowrie entertain vastly improved Forfar Albion at Davie Park on Saturday this week in the North Division. Kick-off is 2.30pm.
Elsewhere, Albion held Tayport until the closing stages in the East of Scotland Cup last week and will pose a tough test for the Davie Park side.
Blair’s squad was severely depleted at Thornton, with five players absent, but it is hoped that most will return in time for this weekend’s clash.
Meanwhile, at the club’s AGM on Monday night at Davie Park, the following were elected as office bearers:
President – Billy Mackay; vice-president – Dennis Elder; secretary – Martin Mackay; treasurer – Mike Coyle.
Special thanks were expressed to Eoin Walker, who retired from his post as treasurer after 11 years.
z This week’s berry-pickers’ weigh-in numbers were 4, 10, 13 and 18.
There were no winners. The jackpot next week is £750.