Celebration at Rosyth

Match Reports by Shane Fenton

Week Beginning 14th April 2008

Star Hearts had a busy time last week playing three matches in the space of five days.
The hectic spell produced mixed fortunes for the Treaton Park side with a loss, a draw and a penalty shoot-out win.
Despite leading twice at Ochilview Park against Lumphinnans United in a Glendale Plastics League match through strikes from Steve Greenlaw and Kevin Laidlaw, Hearts left empty handed after eventually losing out 3-2 to the hosts.
The penultimate league match of the campaign for Star saw Bowhill Rovers visit Treaton Park, a tremendous strike from 25 yards from Mark Reilly put the homesters in front, however, a Bowhill equaliser a minute later saw the sides share the spoils.
Saturday saw Star on the road for a second round Fence N Deck cup clash against Rosyth Civil Service, in an evenly balanced contest, neither side could conjure up a goal in the 90 minutes or the extra 30 minute period so the tie was decided on penalty kicks, Michael Sullivan, Rab Martin, Mark Reilly and Kevin Laidlaw all netted for Star, and with Rosyth missing one and Hearts 'keeper Chris Pratt saving one, it was Star who emerged 4-2 victors to progress to the semi-final of a cup of which they are the holders.

Star Hearts are due to play their final league game of the season on Tuesday evening at Treaton Park against Cupar Hearts.

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Saturday 12th April 2008

FAIR CITY ----- 0     STAR HEARTS ----- 2 (Reilly,80mins; Sullivan,90mins)

Hearts, with their temporary management team in charge left Perth with all three points with two late goals sealing a well deserved win against a home side that had one eye on their big midweek North of Tay Cup semi-final tie.
City were first to threaten, a long punt from Chris Jones fell for Graeme McKay, just as he was about to strike Rab Martin nipped in to save the situation by nodding back to 'keeper Chris Pratt.
Hearts replied with Mark Reilly sending in a left foot drive which was gathered by 'keeper Craig Sutherland.
A net bound deflected effort from Paul Douglas was cleared away by Majid Albawani.
Hearts were then denied a stonewall penalty when everyone at Huntingtower with the exception of referee Ryan Woodrow saw Lee Swan's deliberate hand ball from a Steve Greenlaw centre.
The visitors were well on top, Greenlaw set up Kevin Laidlaw who dragged his effort from the edge of the box wide.
Laidlaw then played in Ronnie Napier but with only Sutherland to beat, he somehow sent his effort spiraling high of the crossbar.
The second period started in a similar vein with the visitors on the ascendancy,
Greenlaw did well to create an opening for himself before firing straight at Sutherland.
The’ keeper came to his sides rescue again when he got his fingertips to a dipping shot from Laidlaw to push over for a corner.
Midway through the half Hearts were reduced to 10 men when Stevie Paterson was sent packing by referee Woodrow for talking out of turn to the whistler.
On an afternoon when he was seldom employed Star 'keeper Chris Pratt was called to action to gather an effort from substitute Craig Stephen.
McKay then cut the ball along the edge of the box for Stephen who dragged his shot wide.
Star deservedly went in front in the 80th minute, from wide on the right substitute Michael Sullivan sent the ball across the face of the goal it was met by Reilly  who drilled the ball low past  Sutherland.
The Perth men were then forced to play the remainder of the game with 10 men when McKay was ordered off for a second yellow card.
The points were finally sealed in time added on with Laidlaw setting up Sullivan to net.

FAIR CITY  - Sutherland; Fairley; Honeyman; Inglis; Swan; Albawani; Young; Jones; McKay; Wylie; A.Birrell.
SUBS – Jack; L.Birrell; Stephen; Fraser; McGillvary.

STAR HEARTS – Pratt; Douglas; Nicholson; Soutar; Martin; Paterson; Greenlaw; Hutchison; Laidlaw; R.Napier; Reilly.
SUBS – Sullivan; B.Napier; Mitchell; Grieve; Clements[gk].

Referee: Mr. R. Woodrow.

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Saturday 5th April 2008

BOWHILL ROVERS -----3   

(Thomson 12mins;Wright 38mins;Haxton90mins)

STAR HEARTS -----1      (R.Napier 90mins)

This was typical end of season fare on a bitterly cold afternoon with either side little to play for other than pride.
Rovers were first to threaten with Danny Moffat firing a shot straight at Star 'keeper Chris Pratt. Play transferred to the other end and a Mark Reilly effort flew high over the crossbar.
The home side opened there account in 12 minutes, when David Thomson got in to slam a high drive beyond the despairing fingers of Pratt into the net from the corner of the box.
Star replied and Brendan Napier beat his marker before playing in Gary Hutchison who fired over the top.
A slick move from the homesters ended with Thomas Bennett drilling the ball straight at Pratt.
A powering run from Stevie Paterson took him into the box where the ball found Michael Sullivan who shot directly at 'keeper Dewar.
A comedy of errors from the Star defence brought about the the home side’s second goal in 38 minutes. A wayward pass back from Rab Martin forced Pratt to come from his goal to clear; his skewed clearance went only as far as Wayne Wright out on the left flank and he promptly propelled the ball over the stranded custodian and into the net.
Star had a chance to get back into the game just before the break, when a Sullivan corner fell for Graham Soutar only for the defender to shoot straight at Dewar.
Star had their best spell in the opening stages of the second period, when Ronnie Napier dipped a shot just wide from the edge of the box; with Dewar beaten, Steve Greenlaw then played the ball into the path of Reilly who shot weakly at the 'keeper when he should have done better.
 Another darting run from Paterson saw him set up Reilly whose effort this time came off the post and cleared.
Star were reduced to ten men for the closing 20 minutes when Mike Spence hobbled off injured, with all three substitutes already on the park.
Rovers went close when a rasping shot from Wright produced a good one-handed save from Pratt.
As the hailstones battered down, the scoring was completed in time added on, substitute Darren Haxton headed in a third for Rovers with Star's reply coming from Ronnie Napier who tapped home from close in after being set up by Greenlaw.

BOWHILL ROVERS:-Dewar; Mayne; Reddington; Mellon; S.McGuiness; Bennett; Baird; Kinnel; Moffat; Wright; Thomson.

SUBS:- Haxton; McKiele; Smith; Penman; K.McGuiness.

STAR HEARTS:- Pratt; Martin; Spence; Soutar; Hutchison; B.Napier; Greenlaw; Paterson; Sullivan; Reilly; Nicholson.

SUBS:- R.Napier; Douglas; Grieve; Laidlaw; Clements.

Referee:- Mr D.McLaren.