Glens Rescue Point with Last Gasp Equaliser

Genrothes earned a point with the last kick off the match that had hardly looked likely. Substitute Bissett banged the equaliser in with a shot from the left side of the six yard box - after total confusion in the Arniston defence.

Aniston Rangers welcomed Glenrothes to Newbyres Park for this East Premier League match. Rangers have been on a good run and have put themselves on the fringes of the promotion argument with only one league loss in their last nine. Glenrothes are struggling near the bottom of the league, without a league victory since December. However, the visitors have a better win record away from home than in Fife and certainly are difficult opposition on the road.

On a fine afternoon for football, Arniston were straight onto the attack when Kataleza got on the end of a through ball but his effort was turned for a corner which came to nothing. Glenrothes looked dangerous in their first attack with Martin and Wallace creating a chance for Meikle, but he was crowded out.

After ten minutes Kataleza blocked an attempted clearance but Pearson was quick to close down the striker's effort. From the resultant corner by Moffat, Kataleza managed to win a header but it went wide.

Arniston were just shading things with Jeffrey and Garden prominent and the latter put in a fine run and cross after twenty minutes. A minute later Kataleza played a delightful through ball for McFadden,  but the striker failed when one on one with keeper Gay.

The visitors were still well in things and after twenty six minutes a free kick from Forbes ricocheted off Garden in the Rangers wall. From the resultant corner swung in by Wallace, Pearson headed over.

Kataleza was a thorn in the visitor's defence and a great run on the half hour produced a good save from Gay at his near post - the keeper turned the net bound shot for a corner. From the corner Glens conceded another corner and from that, Faulds opened the scoring. Moriarty fired his corner from the left deep to the far post and the centre back headed into the postage stamp corner via a defender's head.

Arniston were now dominating and just before the break nearly doubled their lead when Faulds just about got on the end of another Moriarty corner - almost a carbon copy of the goal !

Half Time: Arniston Rangers 1; Glenrothes 0

Glenrothes made a change at the break with Kinnes replacing Sawyers.

The Glens manager had clearly fired up his players at the break and they piled on the pressure creating a series of free kicks and corners all taken by Forbes,  but despite creating half chances,  Cornet in the home goal was untroubled.

However after fifty five minutes,  a fine Griffen cross did call the keeper into action but he dealt well with the effort.

After sixty three minutes, Garden went down the right and after twisting and turning eventually put in a fine, right footed cross - Moriarty was at the far post but his effort was deflected by a defender onto the outside of the post and behind for a corner. After seventy minutes, a kick out from Glens keeper Gay was returned by Jeffrey into the path of Kataleza. The usually reliable front man found himself in on goal,  but his attempted chip sailed over the bar. Two minutes later Kataleza turned provider, but his fine cross was headed over by Garden.

After seventy six minutes Martin had a shooting chance on the left side of the home team's box and might well have won a penalty if he'd gone down - to his credit he stayed in his feet and the opportunity was lost. After seventy eight minutes, a Glenrothes corner was not cleared but when the ball fell to Pearson the centre back pulled his shooting chance well wide when he had time to pick his spot!!

Both teams made substitutions and it was two those which changed the game. Bissett replaced Pearson for Glens and Lunn replaced centre back Faulds.

In the added time, Glenrothes won a free kick when Callaghan was yellow carded for a poor tackle. The ball was played into the box and not cleared. It eventually fell to Napier on the touch line wide on the left and when he put his cross in, Bissett was on hand to smash the equaliser home. Up until that point Faulds had been dominant in the home defence and with him off the field, Glens got their first success from a cross ball.

This was a scrappy game which Arniston always looked likely to win but to their credit, Glenrothes threw everything at the home team in the last few minutes and probably deserved an equaliser. Arniston lost a great chance to improve their promotion hopes.

Best for Arniston were Kataleza, Garden, Faulds and Jeffrey. The visitors were best served by their substitutes Gay and Bissett, who energised them in the final few minutes.

Full Time:  Arniston Rangers 1; Glenrothes 1

Next up for Arniston is a trip to in form Kinnoull while Glenrothes entertain Edinburgh United. 

Referee Paul Reid was always in control and handled the game well.

Teams

Arniston Rangers
Cornet, Pullen, Faulds, Callaghan, Watson, Garden, Jeffrey, Moriarty, Moffat, McFadden and Katealeza
Subs
Lunn, Munro, Lucas, Thomson and Beattie

Glenrothes
Gay, Steele, Sawyers, Pearson, MacBride, Griffen, Napier, Forbes, Martin, Meikle and Wallace
Subs
Kinnes, Gay, Bissett, Moffat and Guppy

Gordon Baird - Neutral Reporter