Swifts can’t recover from their slow start
Poorest performance of the season, says Gunnion
Jeanfield Swifts manager Ross Gunnion believes his side were punished for a sluggish start against Broughty Athletic on Saturday.
The Riverside boss is well aware that his squad of players can’t gift teams a two goal lead in the Super League and expect to pick up points.
Swifts did mount a late comeback with substitute Fraser Mills pulling one back. And there was a chance to level in the last minute from the penalty spot.
But the usually reliable Tony Holt watched his effort from 12 yards come back off the post before the referee blew the final whistle.
“Saturday was disappointing for a number of reasons,” said boss Gunnion. “It was the poorest we’ve played since the season has started and it’s the only game where I feel we’ve not ended up with less than we deserved.
“First half we were poor and didn’t string any passes of note together, but having said that I didn’t feel like Broughty were much better and they didn’t look like troubling us too much, even with the slope and wind in their favour.
“However a poor piece of defending gifted them a penalty.
“At half time we regrouped and going down hill started to exert pressure on them, but again a bit of slack play and a fortunate finish from a miss hit cross leads to us going 2-0 down.
“At that point we finally started to play and when we did we were the better team and to be honest we should have been sitting here talking about a draw instead of a defeat.
“The disappointing thing is that we are every bit as good as our opponents on Saturday but didn’t show up for the first hour. And in this league you get punished for that. When afforded the opportunity to get something from the game we didn’t do what other teams have done to us lately, and take that opportunity.”
NORTH DIVISION
Scone Thistle manager Derek Lawson is hoping his team can stop conceding late goals after a 1-1 draw with Kinnoull.
The Jags had the lead in the weekend Perthshire derby through Craig Mitchell, but Tulloch Park player Cameron Ogg headed home an 82nd minute leveller.
That came after Thistle defender Stephen Moon had been sent off and boss Lawson said: “It was a fair result in the end but we were disappointed to concede late in the game. The sending off changed the game for us and it put us on the back foot for the last 20 minutes.
“I’m happy enough, especially with so many players missing through holidays and injuries.
“It’s disappointing to concede late goals against East Craigie and now Kinnoull. We will still be missing players again this weekend but we just have to deal with it.”
Luncarty manager Jon Kelly is savouring their win against local rivals Blairgowrie more than usual - because he scored the winner.
The Bleachers, whose other scorers were Darren Kelly and Kieran Donald, ran out 3-2 winners at Davie Park. Gordon Norrie netted a double for Blair.
Delighted boss Kelly said: “I thought it was very important that we got a win on Saturday after last weekend’s defeat to Dundee North End.
“We asked the lads to go out and show the hunger we saw previous to North End and I thought we got that.
“It was 3-2 in the end on Saturday, but I thought we could have had more of a cushion at the end of the game. All in all we were well worth our three points.
“Getting the winner myself was a great feeling and you can’t beat it in my view. It’s been a long time since it’s happened so I will savour it!”
Coupar Angus conceded a last minute sickener to lose 3-2 away at Brechin Vics on Saturday.
Alex Gibb and Stuart Banks netted for the east Perthshire side to have the score poised at 2-2. But Steven Eaton struck for Vics in the closing stages. Scone’s Craig Mitchell (right) netted their opener