MATCH REPORTS

V DEVERONSIDE 9TH AUGUST 2008

by Duncan McKenzie - 12:27 on 11 August 2008

INVERNESS City woke up on Sunday morning to the harsh reality that there are no easy games in junior football as Banff based Deveronside hit them for six.

With one victory and two defeats from their opening three Grill League Cup matches City co-manager Mike Pollard described Saturday's rout as an early wake up call for his troops.

Strikes from Colin Mason and Stuart Pearce did little to ease the pain of what was a harrowing afternoon for the Scottish Junior FA newcomers.

City co-manager Mike Pollard said: "All I can say to the players is welcome to junior football. This just shows that no team has the right to win a match without putting in the necessary amount of effort.

"This is a wake up call for the lads before the league season kicks off."

Pollard and co-manager Stevie Graham know their side will have to pull their socks up if they are to take anything from Tuesday night's visit to Strathspey Thistle.

He said: "We have to lift the lads now for Tuesday. Strathspey are a very good side and we will have to be at our best.

"We have been missing a few key players so far as a few of the lads were on holiday, but they are all back now and competition for places is hotting up.

"No one's position is safe and the players will have to prove themselves to secure a starting place."

City went into Saturday's match with Deveronside on the back of a last gasp defeat at home to Forres Thistle on Tuesday night.

The frustration of losing two goals in the final ten minutes against Forres was obviously playing on the players' minds as they began the match tentatively.

The home side carved out the first chance of the game in 5 minutes when their forward found himself clean through on goal with only Michael Kerr to beat. Fortunately for City he ballooned the ball over.

Barely a minute later David Beaton and Kevin Fraser went for the same ball, missed it and the striker ran through to lob the ball over Kerr.

Graham Stewart created a chance for himself on the right in 10 minutes, but after some good work the angle was too tight and the keeper saved easily.

Five minutes later the home side again went close with a close range header coming back off the post.

At this point Deveronside were controlling the game and in 21 minutes their superiority paid off. A simple ball through the middle caught Cty's defence napping and the striker latched onto the ball before slotting home.

The home side were then reduced to 10 men in 25 minutes following a bad challenge on Stewart Pearce who was clean through on goal.

Colin Mason found himself in space inside the box on the 40-minute mark but after controlling well could not direct his shot past the keeper.

There was controversy a minute before the break. Goalkeeper Kerr had just returned to the play after receiving treatment following a challenge. A drop ball was given and the Deveronside player reacted first and unsportingly hammered the ball towards the City goal. It was struck so well it dipped over the recovering Kerr to make it 3-0.

There was light at the end of the tunnel for City on the stroke of half time when a Michael Turner corner from the right was volleyed home by Colin Mason to make it 3-1.

City tried to force their way back into the game after the break and their first chance came in 57 minutes. After some neat play outside the area the ball was played into Turner but his shot went wildly over.

The visitors had a chance to reduce the deficit on the hour mark when Gary Miller was upended in the box, but the usually dependable Kevin Fraser saw his spot kick come back off the post.

And in 62 minutes City's hopes were all but dashed when Deveronside added a killer fourth. Great play down City's right ended with a rasping right foot shot, which Kerr could only palm into the top corner.

The end product of some intricate passing from substitute Gavin Nicholson Graham Stewart was a neat pass through to Stuart Pearce who fired home to make it 4-2.

Deveronside capitalised on a combination of good fortune and poor defending to add two further goals before the end to make it a thoroughly miserable afternoon for City.

Team: Kerr, J Fraser, K Fraser, D Beaton, McGuinness (75), C Mason, Miller, Stewart, Pearce, Bannerman, Turner (75)

Subs: McGhee, Mapplebeck (75), Nicholson (75), Davidson, Murdoch.

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