Garnethill hosted Division 3 deputaunts Anderton Victoria in the GDSML league cup 1st round at Huntly. After some discussion over the pitch surface the game kicked off at 10:15 and both teams made a positive start to the game with Rovers playing 442 and Victoria playing a 352.
Much of Victorias early attacks came through the centre of the pitch with their Woolley mammoth of a striker holding the ball up well however the Garnethill back 4 were more than a match for any attack that came their way.
Rovers played some good football with only a couple of minor scares at the back during the 1st half due to a frosty, bobbly surface. Tommy MacIntyre and rory watson linked the play well with good supporting runs from all four of the rovers midfield which created a few good opportunities, the Victoria keeper showed some poor handling skills! On 10 minutes the Rovers had good build up down the right flank and a defence splitting pass through to Frank Coia who made a great run forward, unfortunately the move broke down when frank performed a face plant in the box, chants of SNIPER ensued from the Rovers dugout. Both teams had chances and on 20 minutes Darren McDowell made a world class save to his top right hand corner after a good cross and shot from the right hand side of the pitch.
Victoria had a good 10 minute spell of pressure leading up to half time and on 45 minutes stuart conway made a colin Hendry style tackle tacking man, ball and no prisoners only for short sighted referee Danny Boyle to blow for a free kick leaving the rovers bench enraged! The Victoria player struck the ball very well and the movement in the air wrong footed Darren McDowell in goal, Victoria go in at half time 1-0 up and the Rovers disappointed at conceding another goal this season direct from a free kick.
Mark 'slide tackle' lyons came on at right back during the interval for Liam Donaghy with chris conway moving to left back and the Rovers looked to push back the Victoria wide men. Rovers started the second half well and on 58 minutes MacIntyre pulled the ball out the air wonderfully in the final third, he played to ball to Coia who made a supporting run, Coia squared to Graham who hit a 25 yard first time shot past the Victoria keeper, 1-1! Rovers kept the pressure on and on 62 minutes, David Clancy whipped a cross into the front post from deep on the right flank, Rory Watson made a run across his marker and headed goal-ward beating the keeper at his near post, 2-1.
Victoria were not giving up and battled for every ball, this took its toll on both team, on 65 minutes Clancy was replaced with Lewis Barns. This pushed Lyons into RM and Kevin Donaghy to RB. Minutes latter Victoria attacked the heart of the defence and a great strike from 25 yards saw them draw level 2-2. On 80 minutes Fraser Veitch replaced Watson up front for more arial power and the game ended 2-2, Extra Time and penalties to come!
Graham was replaced with Anton Conetta with him taking up the CM position and Carlo Santi moving to LM after a great shift in there with fans favourite Coia. Rovers started Extra Time determined to get a result, Victoria reverted to a 3-4-3 and played long balls down the right flank at every opportunity but this was handled well by the Conway brothers and Rovers started to turn on the style. First with good build up on the right with Coia linking with Santi, Santi played into Veitch, Veitch whipped the ball across the box from 25 yards into the keepers bottom left hand corner - MacIntyre made a good run into the box inches from touching the ball and getting his 1st Goal for the rovers, 3-2.
Rovers 4th goal came from a deep cross on the right by Lyons with Veitch making a back post run, he out jumped his marker heading the ball off the back post into the net, 4-2. Iain MacGregor came on at RB for Chris Conway with Donaghy moving to LB Rovers pilled on the pressure. In the 2nd half of Extra time Rovers counter attacked with santi flicking onto another run from Coia, Coia drives forward and squares to Veitch who stings the keepers hands with 20 yard screamer, Santi follows ip and drills home the 5th. the rovers 6th and very well deserved goal came from another deep cross from man of the match Mark Lyons on the right, Conetta rose like a scottish salmon in the box and headed the ball at goal, the looping header beat the stand-in Victoria keeper, 6-2.
The Rovers squad performed very well over the full 120 minutes and more importantly battled for every ball.
