Rothie Rovers v Ellon Thistle

Division Two East

Ellon travelled to Rothienorman to face Rothie Rovers on Monday night. The hosts were looking for their first points of the season after failing in their first three attempts. As for Ellon, after their indifferent start to the campaign the burning question was what team was going to turn up.

As in the previous encounter with Grammar FP’s, Ellon started the game sluggishly and didn’t seem to have any urgency about them. This was to be the story of the game.

From the kick-off, Rovers took the game to Thistle creating a few chances in the early stages but failing to test Adamson. Ellon were fortunate when Rovers had the ball in the net only for it to be ruled out for offside. A lucky but undeserved escape. The hosts should have had the ball in the net again when after breaking up the right their number 2 had a great chance to square to his team mate who would have had a tap in but instead he chose to take the shot on and go for glory only to blaze the ball into the trees.

Adamson’s goal was finally breached when after good play down the left and a fortunate defensive error, the ball was fired across the face of goal where the striker finished with a back heel which snuck in at the post.

The last action of the first half came in the forty first minute when Rothie’s number 3 had the duty of taking a throw in, in a decent attacking position, only to be booked for time wasting. This was a ludicrous decision taking into account there was still forty nine minutes of the match remaining and there was potential for an attack from the throw.

Half-Time: Rothie Rovers 1 Ellon Thistle 0

Ellon’s start to the second half was a bright one. They were unlucky to score in a good spell of pressure with balls being fired in left, right and centre only for the Rothie defenders coming to the aid of the keeper who thus far had not made a save. This was to be Ellon’s only real threat of the game.

Neil Henderson received a caution when slack play in the midfield meant he had to “take one for the team” and break up an attack by fouling the Rovers midfielder with a ferocious studs in challenge which many other referees might have seen as a red card offence.

Paul Ironside was introduced to the game when Duncan McGill pulled up with a hamstring injury and was almost taking centre straight away when Ellon conceded again after a free-kick on the edge of the Rothie box was wasted only for the home side to break straight from the poor effort and put a second past the helpless Adamson. 2-0

Ellon were given a lifeline in the sixty fifth minute when they were given a penalty due to a handball offence. IRONSIDE stepped up and fired the ball into the roof of the net, this led to a tinkering of formation and the welcoming of Beaton to the fray to provide more attacking options. But it was all in vain.

Rothie put the game beyond doubt when they were awarded a penalty for handball against Cruickshanks who was booked for his protests. The penalty was coolly slotted away with just over ten minutes to play. To add insult to injury Rothie grabbed a fourth when after having absolutely nothing to do all game the goal keeper claimed an assist when he cleared the ball to the striker who rifled the ball home to make it a comfortable an convincing demolition of the lacklustre Jags.

A very bad day at the races for Thistle who need to have a big rethink if they are looking to gain promotion this season. Sub standard performances like this will not merit a top three finish.

Final Score: Rothie Rovers 4 Ellon Thistle 1

Ellon Thistle: D Adamson, B Alexander, N Henderson, S Cruickshanks, C Duncan (Beaton), M Duncan, D Anderson, J McNeil, M Cockburn (Mathers), D McGill (Ironside), M Wild. Subs Not Used: R Birnie, R Longmuir