Cans boss blasts late penalty decision

Forres Mechanics 1 Keith 1

Friday night football very nearly provided the Can Cans with their first home league win of the 2012-2013 campaign but a late goal from the penalty spot by Cammy Keith gave the Maroons a point and left manager Charlie Rowley seeing red.

After the game the Mechanics manager pulled no punches with regards the decision of referee Craig Sim to give Keith the penalty. Rowley stated, “It was an extremely dubious decision. It was probably the softest penalty you will ever see as far as I am concerned. To the vast majority of the playing staff on both sides who were at eye level it was never a penalty. Keith were just as shocked as we were that the decision was given.

“The linesman was ten yards, maybe fifteen yards from it and was bang on line and there was no hesitation from him to give a goal kick to us, however the referee seemed to think otherwise. Really frustrated at his, I would say, wrong decision.

“It is not often I criticise referees and apart from that he had a pretty steady game in other areas but he got the big decision wrong as far as I am concerned.”

His frustration was clear with the officials but the SHFL Manager of the Year was happier with how his side performed in comparison to their last two outings, “I was really pleased with our first half display. We played at a tempo, we passed the ball well and created a lot of opportunities at cross balls. Okay the keeper maybe didn’t have to work as much as we liked but the opportunities were there to make him work and I was pleased with going in ahead at half time.

“We didn’t start in the second half, Keith were the better team in the second half and definitely deserved the draw in the end. Having said that the game was in our hands and I think it was the referee’s decision that dictated whether we got one point or three.

“We defended extremely well. I think Stuart had only one save to make and the rest of them were blocked by the centre halves or full backs. At the other end Graham Fraser had a header, Nathan Sharp had one over the bar, Martin McMullen had one over the bar, Kevin Duguid has played a ball across that was not quite cleared off the line but was defended well by Stuart Walker.

“We had opportunities on the break in the second half so I am extremely disappointed not to take the three points. I wouldn’t begrudge Keith the point but I think it was the referee who gave them the point.”

With five points from their opening five games the Mechanics are behind where they would like to be at this point in the season but for the manager the change in his team’s style of play is one that will reap long term benefits.

“We are trying to change the way we play. It is no excuse as we want to win the games as well as playing better stuff but I am happier tonight than I was after the Fraserburgh and Clach games. There is no panic buttons, as long as the players are not getting frustrated and keep playing in the same vein then the points will start coming.”

Both teams came into this game off the back of a draw and a defeat in their last two outings but in the early stages it was Keith who were showing a lack of confidence as the Mechanics pressed them back, having the best of the first half.

The best opening of the opening spell saw a Simon Allan free kick being met by the head of Graham Fraser, but the big full back failed to connect fully with the ball and it glanced off his forehead and flew wide of the goal.

Moments later Scott Moore drilled a low shot across the goal and although it was initially blocked it fell back to Scott Lawrie. The striker clipped the ball over Murray Kinnaird but Gary McNamee was on hand to prevent a certain goal by hooking the ball off the line.

The goal was coming and it duly arrived at the midway point of the firs half. Graham Fraser took a pass from Scott Moore and raced to the byeline before swinging a ball across the six yard line what was met by the figure of Kyle Scott and he bulleted a header down into the net.

Had Forres grabbed a second soon after that then it is more than likely they would have ran out fairly confident winners but Keith slowly began to work their way back into the game and they created an opening towards the end of the half.

Jonny Smith, now playing in a deeper role in midfield as opposed to partnering in attack, played the ball to Stuart Walker and he swung it into the area for Cammy Keith who turned sharply and fired a shot that flew inches past Stuart Knight’s right hand post.

The complexion of the game totally changed after the break and it took a fine save from Knight to prevent the visitors from going level just a minute after the break. Andy Anderson found his way inside Simon Allan and he drilled a low shot across the goal from 18 yards and Knight’s parry did enough to divert it away from the bottom corner.

Andy MacAskill then zipped a shot over the bar before a free kick at the edge of the area saw the same player hit his initial effort into the wall before blasting the rebound a foot wide.

Keith were undoubtedly on top and it was taking a series of blocks to prevent it turning into a very busy night for the Forres goalie. However the Can Cans were to have some chances of their own.

Graham Fraser should have done better with a header from 4 yards out but, once again, he glanced it wide when a full connection would have seen the net bulge. Then a Simon Allan corner was knocked back by Nathan Sharp to Martin McMullan but he shot over from 11 yards.

At the other end the pressure continued to build and it took a crucial intervention from Graeme Grant to prevent a flicked header from a Sean Keith cross from going in at the near post.

Then disaster struck with five minutes remaining. A corner had been cleared to the halfway line and as everyone came out of the box Zander Jack launched it high towards the penalty area. The ball crossed the corner of the penalty area high above Stuart Walker and Simon Allan but as the Keith defender leapt Simon Allan’s arm extended and referee Craig Sim whistled and assessed the positioning of the players before pointing to the spot for a push.

Despite the controversy the reigning Highland League Player of the Year Cammy Keith rammed his spot kick high into top right hand corner of Stuart Knight’s net, with the keeper going to his left, to grab a point for his namesakes.

Forres Mechanics: S Knight, G Fraser, S Allan, G Grant, N Sharp, R Macpherson (F Bremner 78), S Moore (K Duguid 78), M McMullan, S Lawrie, K Scott, C McGovern Subs: R Mackintosh, R Green, C Stuart

Scorer: K Scott (22)

Booked: R Macpherson (60), S Lawrie (72), S Knight (86), S Allan (86) Sent Off: -

Keith: M Kinnaird, S Walker, Z Jack, G McNamee, K Niddrie, J Smith, A Anderson (C McAskill 88), A McAskill, C Keith, J Lennox, S Keith Subs: A Morrison, S Hutcheon, C Phillips, R Horne

Scorer: C Keith (85 pen)

Booked: Sent Off: -

Referee: C Sim

Gazette Gold Star: In a game of two halfs there were plenty of good performances but not really any outstanding ones. One of those who played well throughout was centre back Graeme Grant who had put up the “Thou Shallt Not Pass” sign for the majority of the second half until the award of THAT penalty.