Patience was the key to Swifts’victory
Jeanfield Swifts manager Ross Gunnion was pleased with the patience shown by his squad to defeat Montrose Roselea on Saturday.
The Perth side were forced to work hard but two second half goals at the Riverside resulted in a place in the last eight of the GA Cup.
Rhys Davies and Jamie Reid were the men to send the Swifts marching on as Gunnion reflects on a productive afternoon.
“I was pleased with the performance given the stop-start nature of the last three months in terms of competitive games,”he said.
“We took maybe 20-30 minutes to find a bit of rhythm and get the rusty passes out of our system.
“But once we started loosening up I never felt we were in danger of losing the game.
“Montrose made it difficult for us to break them down but our midfield pressed well and controlled the ball for long spells to nullify any attacking threat they could pose.
“The players stuck to their tasks and had a determination not to concede which was extremely pleasing.
“We always felt it was a matter of time before we got the breakthrough. Scone edged the Perthshire derby against Coupar Angus
“The players showed great patience and were duly rewarded with two well worked goals.”
Now Gunnion is looking forward to the remainder of the season.
He went on:“Getting back playing competitively, getting back to winning ways and keeping a clean sheet made for a perfect Saturday.
“Now we’ve got to use this game and build from it.
“Training has been of a very high standard of late and the players are responding well to the tasks we are setting for them.
“I think there’s a lot more to
come from this crop of young players and I’m looking forward to the next two to three months of the season.
“We’ve got some big Super League games and the chance of lifting some silverware.”
Luncarty’s GA Cup adventure came to an end on Saturday following a 3-2 defeat at home to Aberdeenshire’s Hermes.
Sean Fergus netted a double for the Bleachers but it was not enough to halt Jon Kelly’s men from exiting the competition.
Martin Strachan netted the winner as Scone Thistle took the bragging rights in PICTURE: JON BAKER
Saturday’s Perthshire derby against Coupar Angus.
The midfielder’s 74th minute strike proved to be the difference in a North Division match that was switched from Foxhall Park to Farquharson Park.
Lee Maloney went close to opening the scoring for Coupar in the 13th minute but his free kick narrowly cleared the cross bar.
Scone were creating chances of their own and Arran McKay found himself with only the goalkeeper to beat just shy of the half hour mark.
But Ryan Stewart was on hand to block the attempt to keep the score locked at 0-0.
McKay would later head a Fraser MacDonald cross off the bar before the breakthrough eventually came in the 74th minute.
It was Max Avolio who reached the byline to cut back for Strachan to guide into the top corner.
“We’re delighted to keep a clean sheet and get the three points which keeps us hanging in around the top end of the table,”said Scone boss Derek Lawson.
Kinnoull’s promotion push remained on track on Saturday with an impressive home victory against Dundee Violet.
Violet had started the game strongly but the Perth men were awarded a penalty in the 16th minute when Mark Smith was wiped out.
Captain Greg Whyte stepped up to take the spot kick and dispatched into the corner of the net, despite the home stopper getting a touch.
A battling performance would follow as Alan Cameron’s side remained solid to net a valuable three points.
Meanwhile, Gordon Norrie’s hat-trick helped Blairgowrie bag a 5-3 victory against Newburgh.
Gary Axworthy and Darren Neave were also on the scoresheet for the east Perthshire men.