AHSFP 2 v Riverside Athletic 4 After Extra Time Saturday 10/4/10 , Hercules Den, Arbroath

AHSFP having beaten current premier division leaders Bank Street Athletic, and unbeaten second division leaders Caird Park in the previous rounds, faced perennial premier champions Riverside Athletic. Having been defeated by Riverside a few weeks ago in the North of Tay quarter finals, the FPS were hoping to avenge that result. The FPs had midfield regulars Dall and Lees unavailable and with leading goal scorer Matty Gall out with knee ligament damage, they still fielded a very strong team, with Humphreys and Mcintosh back in the team.

  The FPs started the game on the front foot and and soon established a hold on the game, with Sharp and Michael Gall proving to be a handful for the Riverside defence. As expected in a cup tie, both teams were not holding back with Riverside dishing out some heavy tackles to the FPs speed merchants Ferrier, Kidd, Gall and Sharp. The FPs defence was looking solid with Fenwick, Humphreys and Riddell proving a formidable barrier, while G.Smith bossed the midfield. The FPs took the lead when a D.Smith corner was headed home by FENWICK to make it 1-0, who is adding to his goal tally regularly. The FPs substituted the injured Michael Gall, with Lawson and a rejig of the team saw Lawson take the right wing back position, with Kidd moving up front. Riverside came more into the game as the match progressed but the FPs were on top, but could not convert the chances into goals.Saunderson had very little to do as the FP's went into the break at 1-0 ahead and in control.

Half Time: AHSFP 1 v Riverside Athletic 0

Fp's kicked off the second half on the attack, and were soon causing Riverside some anxious moments. Riversides best outlet was their left winger who was very quick and skilful but the FPs stuck to their guns, and after a move down the left wing , Kidd jinked his way inside the full back, beat the last man and chipped the Riverside keeper who had rushed out to his eighteen yard line. The ball agonisingly hit the crossbar and fell to a Riverside Riverside defender who tried to head it over the bar, but headed it into the top corner for an own goal to make it 2-0 to the FPs. The FPs were jubilant but Riverside upped their game and with twnety minutes remaining their left winger finished superbly from twenty five yards to pull the visitors into the game at 2-1. The towering Riverside centre half met his match in a clash with Lawson who was in no mood for pleasantries as the game became overly physical. Manager Smith was then grabbed by the throat as he won an over the ball challenge as the referee tried to calm things down. Both teams were fully committed and the game was getting frenetic. The Riverside manager took his protests too far and he was fortunate to go unpunished as he pushed the referee, after another complaint from him about the tackling, but in fairness, both teams were giving as good as they got. With ten minutes to go McIntosh was replaced by Brown,as the FPs tried to close the game out. The FPs looked to have weathered the storm of attacks but with five minutes remaining, a rash tackle inside the FPs penalty area was punished by penalty award, which the saw the Riverside centre half Wallce slam home to square the game at 2-2. There was no further scoring as the game went to extra time.

after 90 mins : AHSFP 2 v Riverside Athletic 2

The FPS started first period of extra time looking the fresher of the two teams, and were very unlucky not to go ahead when a Smith corner was headed against his own bar by the same Riverside player who had scored an own goal earlier. Ferrier succumbed to camp and he was replaced by Reid. The FPs then had solid shout for a penalty after a direct free kick awarded to the FPs was hand balled by the Riverside defender but the referee saw no intent. Riverside stormed up the park but Saunderson brought off a great save to def;lect a goal bound effort wide of the post. Riverside made it 3-2 from the resultant corner when the ball fell kindly for the left winger who fired home accurately. The FPs then had a succession of corners but Riverside scrambled the ball clear after it hit the post as the FPs sought an equaliser.

after first period of extra time : AHSFP 2 v Riverside Athletic 3

Both teams were clearly tired and the pace of the game eased off , and the FPs Reid was very fortunate to avoid a red card after two bad tackles on the same player, in quick succession. Sharp and Kidd were both full of running, but were not presented with clear cut chances. In the last few minutes of the game, Saunderson was blocked from kicking the ball from hand and got involved in a tussle with the Riverside forward. The referee decided to send the FPS custodian off and the Riverside player went unpunished, and also awarded Riverside a penalty which seemed harsh on the FPs. Brown took the gloves but Riverside's Wallace duly dispatched the penalty to make it 4-2 and send Riverside through to the semi-finals.

Team: Saunderson, Riddell, Fenwick, Humphreys, G.Smith, McIntosh, D.Smith, Kidd, Ferrier, Gall, Sharp subs Lawson., Brown, Reid

After Extra Time : AHSFP 2 v Riverside Athletic