SHIRE 4 FORFAR ATHLETIC 1

A superb second half surge saw Shire  end their three game losing streak and ease the pressure at the bottom end of the Third Division table.

After falling behind to a 21st minute goal from Forfar's trialist centre-forward, the Firs Park faithful had to wait until the hour mark for something to cheer when Andrew Brand headed home his 11th goal of the season.

Joe Savage put the home team in front after 72 minutes and eight minutes later Forfar were reduced to ten men when Paul Lunan was sent-off.

Shire made sure of the points with late goals from Craig Donaldson and Kevin McBride.

Coach Gordon Wylde made three changes to the team which lost the New Year derby at Stenhousemuir.

Out went Paul Doyle, Paul Brownlie and Sean Simpson to be replaced by Stephen Oates, Gary Kelly and Joe Savage.

Neither side made an impressive start on a gluepot pitch which cut up badly within minutes of the start after heavy rain during the week.

But Forfar's Alan Rattray was given time and space inside the Shire penalty box after just five minutes although his goalbound effort was blocked by Scott Gibb.

After ten minutes the visitors' Michael Stuart proved how tricky the conditions could be when he fired in a shot from 18 yards which Shire keeper, Michael Brown, had to dive full-length to save.

A minute later Savage's clever back heeled pass sent Craig Donaldson clean through on goal but the Shire midfielder's effort had the sting taken out of it by Lunan's sliding tackle and Sandy Wood in the Loons' goal made an easy save.

Both teams looked evenly matched but Forfar got their noses in front on 21 minutes. Lunan's corner kick was flicked on at the near post by Rattray and collected by the trialist striker who turned inside the six yard box and shot low into the net.

Shire tried to get back on level terms but simply could not deliver good ball into the visitors' penalty area. The best they managed was a Kevin McBride free-kick which went just over the bar.

At the other end a slip by Carl Thywissen let in Martyn Fotheringham but he blasted over the bar when he should have done much better.

Forfar were unlucky not to go 2-0 up inside a minute of the re-start when Lunan's shot from Stuart's short corner cannoned off the base of the near post. As it turned out, that was the Loons' high tide mark of the game.

On 60 minutes Shire were level. A free-kick from wide on the right was swung dangerously into the Forfar penalty box by McBride and Brand threw himself at the ball just so he got the faintest of touches to divert it past Wood.

A huge weight seemed to have been lifted from the players' shoulders and they went all out for more goals. After 68 minutes some clever play by Brand sent Derek Ure clear in the inside-left position but his ball across the face of goal found no takers when a simple touch would have given Shire the lead.

But there turned out to be no need to worry. McBride launched a huge free-kick from inside his own half deep into the Forfar box after 72 minutes and Savage rose highest to send a looping header over Wood and into the net.

Six minutes later there was controversy when Donaldson was guilty of a late tackle on Stuart. Lunan raced across and lashed out at the Shire man with his hand. Referee Steven McLean showed Lunan a straight red card before booking Donaldson.

Donaldson made a much more positive contribution on 82 minutes. He disposessed a Forfar player in midfield before racing down the unguarded right touchline. He then cut inside , hurdled two challenges before reaching the penalty box and then curled a superb shot high into the far coner of the net from a tight angle.

The brilliant was followed by the extraordinary. Shire were awarded a free-kick 45 yards from goal on the right flank which McBride shelled into the box. The ball dipped earlier and far more viciously than Wood was expecting leaving the keeper looking altogether embarrassed as he picked it out of the net.

Shire : Brown, Gibb, K. McBride, Oates, Thywissen, Kelly, McKenzie(Brownlie 64), Brand, Savage, Donaldson(Simpson 86), Ure.

Forfar Ath. : Wood, McNally, Smith, Rattray, Ovenstone, Fraser, Lunan, Fotheringham(Anderson 85), Trialist(Lombardi 85), Stuart, Tulloch.

Referee : S. McLean.

Attendance : 263.

 

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