Castle have spot of problems in draw
DOUNE CASTLE ....................................... 2 WESTERLANDS ........................................ 2
Christopher Macdonald salvaged a point for Doune with a stunning free-kick goal deep into added time at the end of a dramatic and incident-packed match.
A strangely disjointed home side were 2-0 down at the interval and had even missed two penalties.
Then a frantic second half saw each side reduced to nine men as a late Graham McClymont goal gave Doune hope before Macdonald’s last-ditch equaliser.
Doune’s early play lacked sharpness. Time after time they squandered possession, too often opting for the difficult pass - and Westerlands took full advantage.
They went 1-0 up after 18 minutes, a fierce drive from 25 yards flying into the top corner. They doubled their lead after 26 minutes when Doune gifted possession in midfield to leave their backline exposed, taking full advantage to make it 2-0.
On 36 minutes, Doune were given a golden opportunity to get back into the game when they were awarded a penalty.
Alan Inglis hit the ball well, but saw the keeper pull off a fine save.
Right on half-time, Doune were awarded a second spot kick. Inglis again took the penalty but was denied by another outstanding stop from the keeper.
Inglis’ day went from bad to worse in 61 minutes when he was harshly redcarded after tangling with a defender in the middle of the park.
But Westerlands were also reduced to 10 men after 73 minutes when a defender was red-carded following a foul on Tam
Nelson and five minutes later, Doune hauled themselves back into the game with a fine goal.
Jamie Brown won possession with a strong challenge wide on the right. He cut inside and curled an inch-perfect cross to the back post where McClymont powered home a header from four yards.
The game erupted on 86 minutes with an unseemly melee after a Westerlands defender had felled Robbie Hurst with a crunching tackle from behind. When order was restored the referee sent off both the defender and Hurst for his reaction to the challenge.
Four minutes into added time, Doune won a free-kick in a central position some 35 yards from goal. Macdonald unleashed a fierce, dipping drive that flew high over the defensive wall before dropping at pace beyond the despairing reach of the keeper to nestle into the top corner.
The 2-2 final score-line was no more than Doune deserved after showing tremendous character to come back.
Doune Castle: Davison, Macfarlane (Brown), D Innes, Duncanson, Nelson, Gibson (McClymont), Macdougall (Smith), McClure, Macdonald, Inglis, Hurst Substitutes (unused): Gillespie, Ferguson