Peterhead 0 v 0 Albion Rovers 
Division 3
3rd May 2003
Peterhead 0 v 0 Albion Rovers
Division 3
3rd May 2003
Click pic to enlarge
Attendance : 1693
A run of fifteen matches undefeated, one of the best away records in Scottish football - and the promotion dream is a bit further off than before! How can this be right?
Rovers haven’t lost since Morton beat them 2-1 at Cappielow on January 18th, and yet if elevation to the Second Division is to be achieved, it’s going to take something of a freak set of results on Saturday to do it.
This was a fighting display on the league leaders’ own turf, but the breaks just didn’t come and two potentially precious points slipped away. Just one more goal in this, or indeed in any of the other six drawn matches during the undefeated run, would have made such a difference to the current situation at the top of the table.
The suspended Jordan Smith and crocked Chris Silvestro were the regulars missing from Rovers’ line-up for this one, but with Jim Dick back in action, it looked as if the balance and impetus might be maintained.
Peterhead, with the ever-present wind behind them, were certainly first to catch the eye. Calum MacDonald found the dangerous Iain Stewart with a pass, but the striker’s left-foot shot went wide. Within a couple of minutes, Stewart again threatened, but his snap shot was saved at the base of a post by Coventry-bound ‘keeper Scott Shearer. Home midfielder Andy Roddie was booked for a foul on Kevin McAllister before Douglas Cameron came within a couple of feet of putting the Blue Toon ahead, his shot from the left sliding past the far post.
Yardley Chance
Midway through the half - with Rovers still to make a meaningful move towards the home goal - Andy Paterson was forced to concede a corner before Stewart hooked a try well over the top. In the 24th minute, Rovers at last made some headway and when a Jered Stirling free-kick reached the crowded area, it simply wouldn’t bounce kindly for Mark Yardley and was cleared.
Rovers had a great chance to go ahead in 38 minutes when Yardley brilliantly headed the ball down in front of Dick, but with a typical defender’s attempt at scoring, he somehow managed to miss the target by the proverbial mile. Three minutes later, things got worse for the fiery Rover when he was yellow-carded for a foul. A minute from the break, Shearer fumbled a cross from the right, but fortunately for all concerned, Stewart’s drive from the rebound was blocked.
Almost immediately on the restart, Rovers seemed to demonstrate a revival of commitment, pushing forward with purpose, and Yardley saw a good try scrambled round a post by home goalkeeper Paul Mathers. In 55 minutes, the usually safe Shearer again failed to hold a shot, managing to smother the ball at the second attempt. After Peterhead’s Kevin Tindal had been booked, Rovers brought on Iain Diack for Chazz McLean and Andy Paterson, well upfield, shot high over.
Yards Close Again
Rovers continued to dominate at this stage and an excellent move involving four players ended when Mathers bravely dived at Diack’s feet to avert the danger. McAllister, obviously keen to break his Rovers’ scoring duck, tried his luck from twenty yards, but Mathers easily gathered. That was to be Crunchie’s last piece of action as he was soon replaced by John Bradford. A corner for Rovers saw Stirling’s kick curl into the box, but the ball glanced off Yardley’s head and over the bye-line. Veteran Shaun McSkimming became the third home player to be booked before the alert Mathers raced from his goal to deny the eager Diack.
As both sides seemed to realise the possible importance of the first goal, the tempo increased and Tindal fired a grounder inches past Shearer’s left-hand post before Jim Mercer chipped wide at the other end. Following the introduction of Graeme McCaul for Dick, Bradford had an excellent attempt well held by Mathers. Three minutes from the end, Shearer again spilled a shot which was booted away by a Rovers’ foot.
So, the run continued, but as the other divisional results filtered through, it became clear that they had done Rovers no favours and the beckoning last day of the season might just be a step too far for Peter Hetherston’s gallant lads.
Peterhead : Mathers, MacDonald, McSkimming, Raeside, Perry, Johnston, Tindal, Stewart, Cameron (McKay 77), Bone, Roddie. Unused Subs : Simpson, McLean, Clark, Farquhar.
Albion Rovers : Shearer, Paterson, Stirling, McCaig, Cormack, Lumsden, McAllister (Bradford 71), Dick (McCaul 82), Yardley, McLean (Diack 61), Mercer. Unused Subs : Richardson, Fahey.
Referee : John Gilmour.
Man of the Match : Todd Lumsden
