SFA Youth Cup R3: Inverurie 1 – 3 Raith Rovers

Match Report

Harlaw Park, 29th October 2017

Inverurie Loco Works 1 (Cooper, 66)

Raith Rovers 3 (Osei 29, Smith 74, McLeod – Kay 82)

Scottish FA Youth Cup 3rd Round

Raith Rovers progressed to the last sixteen of the cup after a hard slog against an excellent Inverurie youth side, who would not be out of place in our own development league.

The opening exchanges of the game were tentative courtesy of the wind and driving rain, players slipped on the damp surface and crossed balls went wayward, however this somehow aided the Rovers later in the game.
The first shot on goal saw Stevenson in space 25 yards out hit a low ball which was gathered low by Butler who coped well with the slight swing the ball took in flight.

The first twenty-odd minutes of the tie was spent by both sides probing for weak spots, Inverurie moved forward to be thwarted and Rovers trying to break down the host’s midfield thus limiting opportunities.
On 17 minutes the home side broke with a great diagonal pass from Josh Bolton was met on the run by Ethan Grant who hit the ball from outside the area straight to Brian.

Four minutes later, Yaw Osei struck from distance, hitting the ball through a forest of legs in the box, only to see the ball trundle wide of the right post.
Rovers were starting to pick up the pace, Osei the provider passed to Kyle Bell whose strike had to be tipped over by Bolton.

From the corner the ball was punched out and MacDonald would have scored from a memorable overhead kick were it not for Jamie Butler in goal.
From another corner on the far side of the pitch, Ryan Stevenson whipped in a cracking cross, Yaw Osei timed his leap perfectly and bulleted his header over Butler and into the net at the back post 0 – 1

The goal should have livened things up, but both sides finished the half in defensive mode. At the break, the near three figure crowd were entertained by a skein of geese whose movement was an antidote to the spells of stalemate on the pitch.
The rain had abated at half time and this seemed to open up play, Smith struck from 18 yards, the pace forcing Butler to fumble and despite defenders trying to clear he eventually smothered the ball.

A free kick from Hinks fell to Watt who headed over, minutes later, it was Smith’s turn to head over, this time from a corner.
Just after the hour, Smith shrugged off his marker and from the bye-line cut the ball into Osei who had the ball in the net, however the far side official had spotted him a tad offside and denied him his brace.

With Rovers in possession, there seemed to be a lapse in communication at the back, a loose pass was pounced on 30 yards out by Jordan Cooper who took a few paces and lobbed the ball over Brian who was 8 yards off his line 1 – 1

Craig Easton made the first change of the game, Fionn McLeod – Kay replacing Kieran Dall on the 71st minute. From the restart the teams traded shots, Reynolds picking up a loose ball and shooting over then Bell firing wide from the edge of the box which took a deflection on the way out.
Stevenson took the corner which took a weird turn in the wind but fell perfectly for Jack Smith near the penalty spot to head downwards and a bounce later the ball was in the net, Yaw Osei had bind-sided keeper Butler and seemed to get a touch as it went in, however, Barry Smith (no relation), who was watching from the stand said ‘Smith all the way’ 1 – 2

Four minutes on, Rovers were denied an obvious penalty when Butler who had been robbed of the ball by Smith, brought the Rovers forward down right in front of the referee, however Jack’s appeal was ignored and play went on.
As the game progressed, Inverurie became a stranger to the visitor’s half, an incursion from Grant being the exception, his run to the line and cut in saw his shot land on the top of the net.

From Brian’s kick out the ball fell to Fionn McLeod – Kay on the right, the super sub danced past several defenders on his way into the box where he hit a beauty across the diving Butler and into the net from just inside the box 1 – 3

On 84 minutes Rovers second change saw the introduction of James Collins who replaced Jack Smith.
In the remaining minutes Ryan Stevenson could have had a couple of goals, firstly he ghosted past three defenders, his shot being blocked by the out-stretched foot of Butler, then with a thunderbolt from 30 yards which was pushed round the post by the busy home keeper.

Speaking after the match, Development Squad Head Coach Craig Easton said “As expected, it was a tough cup tie against a hard working and organised Inverurie side.

Whilst it wasn’t the best game to watch, getting through to the last 16 was the objective and the lads ground out the required result. It’d always good to see two strikers (Yaw and Jack) getting on the scoresheet and a brilliant Fionn McLeod Kay solo effort was the pick of the bunch. We now look forward to facing Forfar in the league at Kelty on Wednesday night”.

Remember, RRFC Season Ticket holders get free entry to all Development League games. View the Development League (East) Fixture list & Table here.

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