Carnoustie Panmure 0 Lochee United 4

Lochee United took another step towards a possible Superleague title with a comprehensive win over Angus rivals Carnoustie.

The Bluebells had to start the game without skipper and ‘five-goals-in-two-games’ Greg Kirk but he was soon on the park as a replacement for the injured Danny Millar.

The game was fairly even at first but Lochee almost made the breakthrough on 14 minutes when a long ball from keeper Jordan Millar caught out Gowfers’ full back Michael Cruickshank, leaving Danny Cavanagh through on Jamie Robbie, but the Lochee midfielder lobbed the ball wide of the target.

Kieran McWalter and the tireless Cavanagh both had shots on goal for the Bluebells blocked by the Gowfers’ defence and Garry Kenneth headed over from a Dougie Cameron corner.

With Cameron pulling the strings in midfield and Jamie Winter doing likewise for Carnoustie, the game was deadlocked. However, a loose pass from Scott Webster almost let Ryan Dignan in for Panmure’s first chance of the game.

Two goals in two minutes swung the tie in Lochee’s favour, however. On 32 minutes Grant LAWSON moved down the left wing, cut in on his right foot and sent in a ball across the face of goal which keeper Robbie, possibly with one eye on a lurking Connor Birse, missed completely, the ball ending up in the back of his net.

Then Birse sent LAWSON through and he deftly chipped the ball over the head of Robbie.

Lawson might have had a hat-trick just two minutes later but he unselfishly headed a Birse cross into the path of Reece Ritchie who saw his goalbound effort blocked.

Just on half time Lochee lost their second defender with Webster being replaced by Ross McDonald.

At the start of the second half Lawson repaid Birse by skipping up the left and laying the ball on a plate, but it bounced off Birse’s shin and was easily collected by Robbie.

On 62 minutes Lochee were awarded a free kick on the edge of the Carnoustie box and CAMERON executed the kick perfectly, giving Robbie no chance.

A McDonald shot had Robbie scrambling to turn the ball away for a corner as Lochee took control of the game and they wrapped things up with a fourth goal after 83 minutes. Stephen McNally sent BIRSE away down the right and he coolly finished in the far corner.

Birse almost grabbed a second three minutes later after being set up by Lawson, but Robbie brilliantly saved his close-in header with his legs.

This was the first of three games in two weeks between these two and this win will give Lochee belief that they can succeed in the other two.

Having played three games in five days and won them all with a goal tally of 13 for and none against, confidence has never been higher at Thomson Park.

Carnoustie Panmure: Robbie, Steel, Cruickshank, McCabe, Dailly, Hearn, Martin, Winter (Scott 62), Dignan, McPhee, Mair.

Lochee United: J Millar, D Millar (Kirk 6), Kenneth, McNally, Webster (McDonald 44), Ritchie, Cameron, Lawson, McWalter (Davie 78), Cavanagh, Birse.

Reporter: Jim Davie