— Upcoming Fixtures
H Sat 24th Sept, 2022
H Sat 1st Oct, 2022
50/50 winner!
The 50/50 winner at the Ayr United match was 113030, won by George Stewart (£580).
MATCH REPORT
A much improved performance, in what was an even game, ended in an undeserved defeat at Ochilview, a Simon Murray double securing the points for the home side.
With skipper Mitch Megginson and Scott Ross both failing to recover from last week’s injuries, and having not even travelled, Jim McIntyre made three changes following the loss to Ayr United.
Morgyn Neill returned in central defence, former Queen’s Parke loanee Luis Longstaff replaced Robbie Leitch, and Gerry McDonagh took Mitch’s place as the attacking spearhead. Connor Scully dropped into left back with Cieran Dunne moving higher up the pitch, and Charlie Gilmour anchored the midfield.
The very early exchanges were fairly even, but it was Cove who created the first half chance. Iain Vigurs and Gilmour exchanged passes before Vigurs slid the ball infield. Fraser Fyvie gathered and fired in a speculative twenty-five yard shot which curled well wide. The home side immediately countered, Dom Thomas driving into the box on the left and he unleashed a powerful angled effort which Kyle Gourlay did well to beat away.
Play then raged up the other end as Cove came close to opening the scoring. In a lovely, sweeping move, Gilmour found Cieran Dunne rampaging down the left. The winger easily beat his man and dug out a superb cross, but Fyvie, free at the back post, didn’t get enough power in his header, and Ferrie saved easily.
In the eighteenth minute, Shay Logan burst past his man down the right and his cross was diverted behind the line. Vigurs swung in an accurate corner, Neill rose highest to get in a powerful header, but was unlucky to see the ball deflect off Davidson and over the bar.
Luis Longstaff then won a corner as he attempted to wriggle away from two defenders. Vigurs was again on duty, sending in another tempting ball. Once more it was Morgyn Neill who won the header, and his effort looked to have been deflected in, only for Murray to hack it clear off the line.
We then had a lucky escape in the 34th minute. Dom Thomas fired in a cross from the left which eluded everyone, and with Gourlay scrambling, the ball cannoned off his left post, rebounded against Savoury, and out for a goal kick.
Queen’s seemed to take heart from that and were soon on the attack again. Murray found himself a yard of space in the box and sent in a low shot which Gourlay pushed away, and the keeper was quickly back up on his feet to save Williamson’s follow-up effort, tipping the ball over for a corner.
On the threshold of half-time, the home side made the breakthrough from the penalty spot.
Eze strode forward and played a pass into the box for Williamson. He steadied himself before delivering a cross which Connor Scully blocked. Referee Collum was well placed to see the incident and immediately blew his whistle.
Kyle Gourlay guessed correctly, diving to his right, but Simon MURRAY’s effort was powerfully struck into the bottom corner, the striker netting his sixth goal of the season.
Jim McIntyre had to make a half-time switch with a wrist injury forcing Gerry McDonagh off, his place taken by Leighton McIntosh.
Shay Logan then outsmarted Robson on the bye-line and sent over a cross which was knocked out for a corner. Vigurs sent in another pinpoint
delivery, and Reynolds looping header looked dangerous, but with McIntosh attempting to get on the end of it, Ferrie clutched the ball at the back post.
Then, out of the blue, it was two-nil, the loss of the goal self-inflicted.
Fyvie played a poor pass back into the box. Reynolds tried to react, but couldn’t get enough purchase on the ball, and MURRAY worked it away from him before lashing it low into the net from seventeen yards.
Sixty seconds later, we were back in the game. Logan took a throw-in from midway inside the Queen’s half. Leighton McINTOSH gathered and played a one-two with Vigurs, before finding the bottom corner from twelve yards with a smart angled finish.
Jamie Masson came on for Cieran Dunne, but it was the Queen’s Park substitute, Johnny Kenny, who nearly made an instant impact, his well-struck thirty-yard shot pulling out a superb save from Kyle Gourlay, diving to his right.
With eleven minutes to go, we looked certain to draw level, following a superb slaloming run by Fraser Fyvie. He danced in from the left, weaving past a line of defenders, but when he found himself free in the box, the midfielder couldn’t get the accuracy he required, and his shot was saved by Ferrie.
In the third minute of stoppage time, Robbie Leitch finally found some space as he skipped away from a couple of challenges, but his low shot took a slight deflection, and Ferrie was again able to save at his post.
Queen’s Park (4-4-2)
Ferrie; Davidson (Bannon 90), Eze, Kilday, Robson; Savoury, Boateng, Thomson, Thomas; Williamson (Kenny 73), Murray(c) (McPake 81)
Subs
Naismith, Brown, Longridge, Moore, Heraghty, Jarrett
Goalscorers
Murray (pen 45, 64)
Booked Eze (51)
Cove Rangers (4-1-4-1)
Gourlay; Logan, Neill, Reynolds, Scully; Gilmour; Longstaff (Leitch 57), Vigurs, Fyvie(c), Dunne (Masson 76); McDonagh (McIntosh 46)
Substitutes
McKenzie, Thomas
Goalscorer
McIntosh (65)
Booked Gilmour (8)
Referee
Willie Collum
Attendance
471
— Ayr United Match Report
A disjointed and lacklustre performance saw Cove lose a league game at Balmoral Stadium for the first time in fifteen months, the defeat made even more painful by the loss of three key men through injury.
With Blair Yule still sidelined because of his ankle problem, and Evan Towler unavailable through illness, boss Jim McIntyre made two changes to the side beaten in Inverness last weekend, and went with his favoured back four set-up.
Morgyn Neill and Jamie Masson dropped to the bench, with new signing Charlie Gilmour handed a debut and Iain Vigurs restored to the midfield.
Ayr United went into the match as one of just two unbeaten sides in the division, draws with Arbroath and Hamilton either side of their remarkable comeback away to Queen’s Park. They were to end the day at the top of the Championship table.
The visitors dominated the first half and came close to scoring on a number of occasions.
Akinyemi came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock, his well struck angled shot from the edge of the box crashing back off the face of the crossbar.
It took some last ditch defending and good goalkeeping to keep the score goalless, but we finally showed some resistance, and very nearly snatched the lead on the stroke of half-time.
Dunne and Megginson worked well down the left to tee-up Scully. His cross found Leitch at the back post, and the winger’s effort looked in all the way, only for Dempsey to clear off his line. As the ball bobbled around, Fyvie was quickest to react, but his hook shot soared just wide of the left post.
“ We finally showed some resistance, and very nearly snatched the lead on the stroke of half-time”
Ayr continued to look the more dangerous side though, and Akinyemi drove over from 25 yards after a short free kick from Reading. The Englishman then skipped away from Neill to set the ball on a plate for McKenzie eight yards out. Gourlay saved the midfielder’s first shot, then Reynolds blocked his second from the rebound. In doing so, Mark was injured, and the physio was on for the fourth time in the game.
With almost an hour on the clock, Ayr finally went ahead, but were able to do so thanks to what looked a harsh penalty call from referee Lambie.
O’Connor’s driven cross from the left struck Mark Reynolds on the arm from close range and the official was quick to sound his whistle. DEMPSEY coolly rolled the ball into the net as Gourlay dived to his right.
Jim McIntyre then rung the changes, McIntosh and Longstaff on for Vigurs and Leitch, but before the substitutes could get involved, it was two-nil.
More shocking defending allowed Ayr space in and around the penalty area, and as the ball bounced across the box, not a single home player was alert enough, allowing AKINYEMI the simple task of dinking it past Gourlay from close range.
Kyle then had to dive low to grab an O’Connor twenty-yarder at his left post.
With the game deep into injury-time, we finally made the breakthrough. As McDonagh gathered the ball just inside the box, and tried to turn, his legs were swept from him by Houston for a clear penalty.
Jamie MASSON stepped-up and made a consummate job from the spot, driving the ball just inside Albinson’s left post. It was to be nothing more than a consolation, and in truth, put a more respectable gloss on the scoreline than the performance deserved.
Cove Rangers (4-4-1-1)
Gourlay; Logan, Ross (Neill 30), Reynolds (Masson 75), Dunne; Leitch (Longstaff 67), Gilmour, Vigurs (McIntosh 67), Scully; Fyvie; Megginson (c) (McDonagh 46)
Subs McKenzie, Thomas
Goalscorers
Masson (pen 90)
Ayr United (4-4-1-1)
Albinson; Houston, Musonda, Kirk, Reading; O’Connor (Ecrepont 88), Murdoch (c), Dempsey, Ashford (Bangala 86); McKenzie (McGinty 90); Akinyemi
Subs McConnell, Hewitt, Smith, McAllister, Moffat, Bilham
Goalscorers
Dempsey (pen, 59), Akinyemi (68)
Referee
Scott Lambie
Attendance
951
KYLE GOURLAY
Kyle Gourlay has been one of the success stories of the season for Cove Rangers, but the big keeper admits he wondered what the future might hold when Jim McIntyre was appointed as our new manager.
Back in 2019, it was Jim who released Kyle from Dundee, the club he had joined as a twelve-year old, and that inevitably set the alarm bells ringing.
But the twenty-three year old need not have worried. Kyle has missed just one game so far, the defeat against Livingston, and has been between the sticks for the last seven, getting rave reviews for his performances:
“I did wonder what might happen when Jim came in, but he’s been great with me. I really didn’t know where I stood given our history, but I was a kid back then and he wouldn’t have seen much of me playing. He’s shown faith in me this season, and that’s great for my confidence.”
Kyle always wanted to be a goalkeeper. He recalls from an early age the thrill of diving around in the mud, making saves and getting filthy, “My Mum used to go crazy with me!” From then on, his ambition was clear. “I played in a seven-a-side Sunday League team with my pals, and we were really successful. All the boys from that side got picked up by professional clubs – Scott Allardice was one of my team-mates – and I ended up in the Dundee youth academy.”
— Kyle Gourlay
He recalls being pushed by the likes of Rab Douglas and Bobby Geddes, two Dundee goalkeeping legends, and says their experience was vital to his development. As was the opportunity to train with the first team:
“Bobby would play in the wee games in training, and he hardly conceded a goal as his communication was incredible. He just moved his defence around so well that the other side would barely get a shot in. I learned so much from him.”
Kyle had loan spells at Clyde and Airdrie, where he says he was loving getting proper game time, but got recalled by Neil McCann when the then Dundee manager had a falling-out with Scott Bain.
“ I’d underestimated how hard the transition from full-time to part-time was going to be.”
In 2018-19 Kyle was loaned out again, this time to League Two side Elgin City, and it was at Borough Briggs, where he was a near ever-present, that he believes his career took a big step forward:
“That was really good for me. I was just a young boy, but I was playing week-in, week-out with experienced pros, coming up against men.
“Goalkeeping is a tough position. You need the agility, but you also need the technical ability, you need to know your angles, to get your timings right. All that is helped by playing regularly, and that’s what I got at Elgin.”
If he hoped that season would be the launch pad for a chance at the big time with Dundee, he was to be mistaken, because it was then the bad news was delivered. His time at Dens was over:
“It was devastating! All my family were Dundee fans, I’d been at the club since I was a young kid, and I felt it was undeserved. But that’s football for you, and I was lucky in as much as I had few options that summer.”
The one he chose was from today’s opponents, Hamilton, where he says he had a great time working closely with Owain Fon-Williams and Ryan Fulton:
“Owain was vastly experienced, I learned a lot from him, and Ryan had been at Liverpool, so again there was plenty I could pick up. We were a tight group, very close, and I got a good run of games there, playing in the top-flight against some big teams.”
At the end of his Accies contract, Paul Hartley offered Kyle the chance to join Cove Rangers, and the keeper had no doubts about making the move:
“It was something that excited me, but I’d probably underestimated how hard the transition from full-time to part-time football was going to be. I didn’t have a job at the start – he now works as an engineer for BT Openreach – and that made it even tougher.
“I was having to fill my days, just waiting around for training, and for the games, and that wasn’t easy mentally. My confidence had been low in any case, Hamilton had been relegated, and I’d come to a club where all the boys were buzzing, as they’d been on a winning run for a few seasons.
“I was beating myself up, it probably affected my performances, and that led to me being left out.”
Kyle had started the 2021-22 campaign, but was dropped after a 2-1 defeat to Clyde almost exactly a year ago, and such was Stuart McKenzie’s form, the big keeper never played another league match, although he did feature in a handful of cup-ties:
“Stu and I are good friends, he’s a great lad, and we talk to each other all the time. We’re honest with each other, and it’s important to listen and take on board advice from guys you trust and respect.
“Last season, I wanted him to do well, and he’s the same with me this time round.”
Despite his initial fears about what might happen with the new manager, Kyle has been in superb form, and he puts that down to the success the team enjoyed in 21-22:
“Even just being part of a winning squad, that was such a boost to my confidence. You could feel the energy, and it ran through everyone at the club. I’ve always backed myself, as a keeper you have to have that selfbelief, and Stu and Soapy (goalkeeper coach, Derek Soutar) have been a big help.”
With a quality back-up waiting in the wings for now, Kyle knows he is going to have to maintain his standards if he is to remain in the team, but it is a challenge he relishes.
“We all want what’s best for the team, and I’ll play my part whenever I’m asked to. This season was always going to be a bit tougher, but we have the quality to establish ourselves as a Championship side, and we’ll be going all out to prove that in the coming months.”
JIM MCINTYRE
After three games out of four off on our travels, it is good to be back home here at Balmoral Stadium as we look to return to winning ways.
Although we lost last week, I was much more encouraged by the performance against Queen’s Park. The boys showed a great mentality, and we looked much more like ourselves.
We had a number of walking wounded, five players missing training in the wake of that defeat, but the ones who were able to take part put in a real shift, and I fully expected to see the reaction I got at Ochilview.
The back line looked more solid and organised, the midfield three of Gilmour, Vigurs and Fyvie were very good, and Leitch and McIntosh made a real difference when I brought them on.
Queen’s Park strengthened considerably during the summer, and they are a decent team, but we matched them all the way. The big difference was that they took a couple of their chances, got the break with the penalty decision, and capitalised on our defensive error.
We had created plenty of opportunities, but didn’t take them. The lads responded very well to their second, Leighton got us right back into it, and after that we had big chances to equalise.
I would admit that Queen’s might have added to their goal tally, but Kyle Gourlay again pulled off some impressive saves, and I’m very pleased with his contribution this season.
“ Our record at Balmoral Stadium is likely to be the key to our success.”
Hamilton come here under new management, John Rankin taking his first steps in charge of the team, and they would have been relieved to get their first league win last week against Arbroath.
Five games in, and the division is as competitive as I had anticipated.
There have been some surprising results, and all credit to the likes of Ayr and Morton who have made very good starts, but every one of us knows that each victory is going to have to be earned; you can see that from the scorelines every week.
We want to be higher up the table, that’s clearly the objective, but it is so tight right now, and is likely to remain that way throughout the season.
I mentioned in my last column that our record at Balmoral Stadium is likely to be the key to our success.
We slipped up against Ayr – who went on to prove their quality against Dundee – but the aim is to keep those kind of performances to the bare minimum.
If we play like we did against Queen’s Park, and show a more clinical side in the opposition box, I have every confidence that we can take the three points we all want.
Enjoy the game.
Jim McIntyre
Management
Jim McIntyre 2. Shay Logan
6. Morgyn Neill
Jimmy Boyle 3. Evan Towler
19. Rhys Thomas Tam Ritchie
5. Scott Ross
26. Mark Reynolds
Goalkeepers
23. Kyle Gourlay
1. Stuart McKenzie Defenders
Advertising Opportunities
4. Connor Scully 8. Blair Yule
Cieran Dunne 10. Jamie Masson
Charlie Gilmour
Robbie Leitch
Luis Longstaff
Fraser Fyvie
Gerry McDonagh
Mitchel Megginson
Leighton McIntosh Strikers
CAPTAIN’S VIEW
One of the worst aspects of being a professional footballer is missing games through suspension or injury, so as you might imagine, I wasn’t best pleased last week having to sit at home while the lads took on Queen’s Park.
I have had a bit of a problem with the hamstring for a while now. Nothing major, more of a niggle, but I have had to nurse it and be careful, and I’d hoped I had come off in time the other week against Ayr.
I didn’t train after that, and had a scan which didn’t highlight anything too troublesome, so I am hoping it is not going to be a big concern in the season ahead.
I still wanted to play, but in the end, we decided that resting it would probably be the right thing to do. Missing one game was bad enough, but had I played and aggravated the injury, I might have been facing weeks on the sidelines, and that’s the last thing I would have wanted.
From what I gather, the boys put in a good performance against Queen’s, and we were unlucky not to take a point, so I’m hoping that will breed confidence, and help us get back to playing the football we all know we are capable of.
“ ...the aim is to get a new unbeaten streak up and running, starting this afternoon against Hamilton.”
What we have to tap into, and recreate, is the display we put in against Raith Rovers in the opening game of the Championship campaign.
We have always been a good side to watch, and apart from the Ayr game, we’ve had our spells in all the other matches.
What we need to do is produce that consistently, although in a league like this one, that is not going to be easy. You can see from the other results in the past month just how difficult it is to win games, and some of the pre-season promotion favourites have already suffered a few upsets.
I can see that continuing to be the case in the months ahead; every team is capable of beating everyone else.
Until a fortnight ago, we had a superb record here at the Balmoral Stadium; the aim is to get a new unbeaten streak up and running, starting this afternoon against Hamilton.
COYCR!
Mitch Megginson
Balmoral Stadium
Wellington Circle, Altens, Aberdeen
AB12 3JG
Honorary President
Directors
Alan McRae OBE
Safety Officers John Morgan, Bill Ogilvie
Committee
Michael Coull, Richard Forbes, Gordon Taylor
Football Manager Jim McIntyre
Assistant Manager
Fitness Coach
Goalkeeping Coach
Head of Youth Development
Performance Analyst
Physios
Kit Manager
Club Doctor
Commercial Manager
Head of Media & Communications
Media Officer
Digital Media
Club Photographers
Jimmy Boyle
Tam Ritchie
Derek Soutar
Gary Hake
Ryan Docherty
Donal Gallagher, Eilidh McGregor
Adrian Thomson
David Fowler
Angela Bruce
Richard Gordon
Charlie Allan
Andrew Jamieson
Dave Cowe, Richard Forbes
Child Wellbeing & Protection Officer Kate Dean
Club Chaplain Dougie Simpson
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Scottish League 1
Winners
‘21-’22
Highland League
Winners
‘00-’01, ‘07-’08, ‘08-’09, ‘12-’13, ‘15-’16, ‘17-’18, ‘18-’19
Runners-up
‘89-’90, ‘92-’93, ‘94-’95, ‘95-’96, ‘09-’10, ‘11-’12, ‘16-’17
Highland League Cup
Winners
‘94-’95, ‘99-’00, ‘04-’05, ‘14-1’5, ‘16-17, ‘18-’19
Runners-up
‘90-’91, ‘92-’93, ‘95-’96, ‘97-’98, ‘05-’06, ‘07-’08, ‘11-’12
Aberdeenshire Shield
Winners
‘01-’02, ‘10-’11, ‘18-’19
Runners-up
‘94-’95, ‘12-’13, ‘15-’16
Scottish League 2
Winners
‘19-’20
Aberdeenshire
Centenary Cup
Runners-up
‘86-’87
Scottish Qualifying Cup (North)
Winners
‘90-’91, ‘00-’01
Runners-up
‘88-’89, ‘91-’92, ‘01-’02, ‘03-’04
Aberdeenshire Cup
Winners
‘01-’02, ‘10-’11, ‘18-’19
Runners-up
‘92-’93, ‘94-’95, ‘16-’17, ‘17-’18
Aberdeenshire & District League
Winners
‘00-’01, ‘08-’09, ‘10-’11, ‘11-’12, ‘12-’13, ‘14-’15
Runners-up
‘06-’07
Inter-League Trophy
Winners
‘01-’02
Hamilton Academical
