BLAIR BATTLE BUT LOSE OUT
Disappoining home defeat for injury-hit local side
Blairgowrie Juniors lost 2-1 at home to Lochee Harp in the North Division on Saturday.
Although this was another disappointing result for Billy Mackay’s men, supporters were cheered by the appearance of Mark Brash, whose injury in his side’s previous outing forced the match to be abandoned.
Although heavily bandaged and in some pain, the Blair skipper is on the mend following treatment at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee under general anaesthetic for a severely dislocated elbow.
The home camp was also heartened by the performance of Rattray’s Stefan Brown who came on as a substitute and came close to scoring.
Harp took the initiative from the start and squandered a few half chances before Blairgowrie came into the game.
Gary Axworthy fired in a trademark free-kick which was brilliantly saved and, in flashes, Blair looked impressive while struggling to find clear-cut openings.
Against the run of play, Harp broke clear to open the scoring after 37 minutes – but, in truth, they probably deserved their lead at the interval.
Blairgowrie totally dominated the second period in terms of possession and territory, but chances were stubbornly reluctant to come by.
Substitute Rudi Brown just failed to connect in front of goal, then the lively Stefan Brown saw a header brilliantly tipped onto the crossbar by Harp’s keeper.
Football being football, these encouraging moments were followed by a Harp breakaway and a succession of errors allowed a second goal which was flattering to the Dundee side to say the least.
Blair kept plugging away and Ian Plenderleith nodded home an Axworthy cross in the 88th minute.
The Harp goal had a series of close calls in the remaining minutes. A header was goalbound when a Harp defender stooped to guide the ball round the post with his hand but the referee was unsighted.
This led to a period of mayhem, with several players from both teams booked as intense frustration boiled over.
Blairgowrie: O’Brien, Menzies, McDonald, Pirie, Millar, Axworthy, Neave, Black, Cruickshank, Plenderleith, Findlay; subs R Brown, S Brown, Maloney.
Blair’s unprecedented injury woes continue with Greg McDonald taken off versus Harp.
He is doubtful for this Saturday’s match at high-flying Kirrie Thistle. Kick-off 2.30pm.
• This week’s berry-pickers’ weigh-in numbers were 3, 8, 16 and 20.
There were no winners and the prize will be £950 next week.