NS_19thMAY07

United put their seven game unbeaten run on the line this afternoon against promotion favourites Newtongrange who were looking to record a ninth straight league victory and it was the visitors who were on the back foot during the opening exchanges, Chris Donnelly firing high from a twenty two yard free-kick before bursting through two tackles on the edge of the area to slice a shot into the side net from an ever tightening angle. On twenty minutes Forbes found some space on the left of the Star attack to whip in a cross that came harmlessly off the top of Meaney's head and drifted wide. A McCaul free-kick from deep was then headed clear by Andy Heeps but it was recycled back into the Blackburn area almost immediatley where Roseburgh saw a point blank effort from no more than six yards out stopped by Barry Hunter. Moments later Roseburgh's corner was won by Craig Spence but he could only help it back towards his own goal where Hunter had to react smartly to direct the ball onto the bar and over. On the half hour mark Spence was just a little clumsy with a ball that sprung towards his feet unexpectedly from a stray Star pass and Manson, loitering behind him in what appeared to be a clear offside position, nipped in to pinch it and set up GIELTY to neatly side step his marker and drive a low shot into the bottom left hand corner for the opener. Within five minutes the Newtongrange lead was doubled when Manson's shot deflected off Calum Tevendale for a ROSEBURGH corner that completely deceived Hunter to curl above his head and into the net. With five minutes of the half remaining, what seems to have become a bit of an injury jinx struck United once more when Andy Heeps, deputising for the injured central defensive trio of Sean Brogan, Rab Brown and Richard Reid, limped off to be replaced by player-manager Mark Campbell and the resultant reshuffle that saw Tevendale move from left back to centre half barely had time to take effect before FORBES sent a wind assisted thirty yarder screaming into the top left hand corner of Hunter's goal for a stunning third for the New Victoria Park men.

With a gusting wind and intermittent driving rain making conditions difficult for the players the second half provided a little less in the way of goalmouth action than that of the first forty five minutes and when Chris Donnelly sent in a twenty yard rasper that was comfortably held by Carnie almost an hour of the game had elapsed. At the other end Meaney, too, demonstrated his ability to strike from distance when he spun in midfield to fire in a shot that crept past the right hand post. Swanney then put Gielty through but Hunter was quick from his line to block at his feet and when the ball broke to Manson his follow up was cleared off the line by Dougie Polwart who was instrumental in sending Chris Donnelly into space on the Blackburn left a couple of minutes later but his near post cross was scrambled clear. With some ten minutes remaining Dunn cut in from the Star right and, as Hunter narrowed his angles, he sent a shot across him that threatened to cause havoc before Spence calmed the situation and escorted the ball from danger. Dunn then saw an effort on goal deflected past and when he had a second pop that skidded past the upright sixty seconds later the referee had seen enough and brought the game to a close with a shrill blow of his whistle.

Blackburn United Line-up: Hunter, Macauley, Trialist - Tevendale, C.Spence, Heeps (Campbell 39), Trialist - Skene, C.Donnelly, Barnes, Roy (Trialist - McQuillan 75), P.Donnelly, Polwart Subs (not used): Savage, Keir, Smillie