Cove Rangers v Peterhead
It was just a short trip down the A90 for the Blue Toon this weekend, as they travelled to the Balmoral stadium to face Cove Rangers. Peterhead came into this one hoping to carry the momentum of their late comeback win against East Fife last weekend and claim a third victory on the spin. Their opposition however were looking for a first league win of the season, having been comfortably swept aside 3-0 by East Kilbride in their last match, and had just 1 point from their opening three matches.
There were three changes to the victorious starting lineup of last weekend for the Blue Toon, Peter Pawlett, Zak To and Jack Searle came in from the start in place of Robel Teklemichael, Lyall Keir and Blair Yule.
Peterhead started on the front foot and were almost ahead within two minutes. Cammy Smith dispossessed Chalmers in the final third and slipped the ball into Zak To, who took one touch in-front and fired goalwards, but his effort flashed past the near post. It was then McAllister for Cove Rangers to try and put his side infront up the other end a few moments later, the winger played in out wide couldn’t keep his effort down.
After these early chances the game settled somewhat, with Peterhead causing the most issues. The front two of Cammy Smith and Seb Ross looked to force pressure onto the Cove centre-halves in possession and managed to pounce on a couple of occasions. The first time Ross played Smith through, but Cammy Smith’s dinked shot was just too high and landed on the roof of Mutch’s net on 22 minutes. Minutes later, Seb Ross again won the ball high up and drove forward, with no support either side Ross went alone from 25 yards out, and fired just wide.
Cove could’ve perhaps taken the lead through Jordan White after 30 minutes, the striker however bizarrely chose to cross back across goal rather than taking the shot on himself and the chance came to nothing.
Half-time: Cove Rangers 0-0 Peterhead
Peterhead once again came out on the front foot, with a very early chance for Peter Pawlett to break the deadlock. Zak To swung in a cross from the left wing which Pawlett stooped to connect with, but his header was comfortably caught by Mutch in goal.
It wasn’t long before the deadlock was broken, but by Cove. A delivery from the right hand side found Teasdale in the box at the back post, who knocked the ball beyond Newman and into the back of the net on 49 minutes. Cove nearly found a second just 5 minutes later, Chris Maguire driving past Josh Kerr and into the box. The midfielder looked to shoot across Newman’s goal into the far corner but dragged his effort wide from a tight angle.
The Blue Toon made a couple of changes and changed their shape in an attempt to get an equaliser, bringing Fraser Mackie on in the hopes he could produce a similar contribution from the bench as the week prior. Mackie would have a big chance on 72 minutes for an equaliser, finding himself with a free header in the Cove box with the goal at his mercy, but the forward couldn’t get the required contact on the ball and it sailed away for a goal kick. Moments before, Zak To came so close to scoring a wonderful goal from 25 yards, his shot leaving Mutch rooted to the spot but the ball came off the crossbar.
In Peterhead’s attempts to push bodies forward and pressure the Cove box, they left themselves exposed at the back on 83 minutes. Another delivery from the right flank this time found White in the box. White had time to take a touch and get the ball out of his feet, before rolling the ball in. Cove then sealed the game 4 minutes later, substitutes Oladipo and Oppong combining. The powerful Oladipo drove into the box and saw his initial 2 efforts well saved by Jack Newman, but the ball then fell kindly for Oppong who poked home from close range.
Not to be for Peterhead this weekend, but the Blue Toon have a quick turnaround to try and right the wrongs of their performance when they host Dundee B on Tuesday night in the KDM Evolution Trophy.
Full-time: Cove Rangers 3-0 Peterhead