News

In the heat of the Angus sun, the team turned it around late on to secure all three points against Brechin City in our second Viaplay Cup Group C fixture. Last season’s Highland League champions took the lead in the match on two separate occasions, but summer signing Kyle Connell ensured there would be no upset, scoring twice late on to seal the win.

The manager made one change to the side that defeated Clyde 5-2 midweek. Aussie goalkeeper Nick Suman came into the starting line-up to make his competitive debut for the club, replacing Balint Demus.

Josh Kerr, our newest signing, received clearance earlier this morning, and started the game on the bench.

Fraser Fyvie, Blair Yule, Jason Naismith and Luke Strachan all missed out through injury, whilst Dayshonne Golding and Jacob Jones were unable to play as they still await international clearance.

The side dominated play for the majority of the first half, and created a number of good chances, the first of which fell to defender Mark Reynolds.

Kyle Connell looped a corner deep into the box, which fell right to the feet of Reynolds at the back post. The defender appeared to be caught off guard, and opted to take a touch, before firing goalwards. His initial strike rebounded off the City defender, and his follow-up header looped over the crossbar.

Almost directly after, Brechin had their first real chance of the match. The ball was slipped through to Fraser MacLeod who beat the offside trap, but with his first touch took the ball wide. This allowed Nick Suman to come out and cover the angles, and the Aussie blocked MacLeod’s effort with his arm, thwarting any danger.

In the 19th minute, Mark Gallagher made a big challenge in the middle of the park on Lewis Martin, and in doing so started a three on two opportunity. The midfielder had both Megginson and Burrell in support, and slid the ball to his left towards Burrell. The striker got the ball out of his feet and looked to pick his spot in the far corner, but McCabe easily gathered the effort.

Gallagher was involved again in our next opportunity, and it was our best of the match so far. Connell looked as though he was away to launch a long throw-in into the Brechin box, but cleverly threw it short to Mykyta. The winger whipped the ball into the box, and Gallagher rose highest to meet, but his headed effort crashed off the bar. The ball dropped to Reynolds, but he fired high over the bar.

In the 30th minute, Brechin punished the side. Similar to their first chance, the ball was slipped in behind the Cove defence. MCGRATH got on the end of it, and he hit low and hard. Suman did get some contact on it, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough, and the ball trickled over the line to give the hosts the lead.

The team looked to react quickly, and almost did through Mykyta. Megginson did well on the left wing to find space and fire a cross into the box. Mykyta snuck in at the back post and nodded goal bound, but McCabe was able to divert behind for a corner.

It didn’t take long to get back into the game, however. From the corner, Mykyta was fouled right on the edge of the area. He stepped up and dinked the ball into the box, which Thomson won, but the Brechin defender headed only as far as Reynolds. REYNOLDS took a touch and made no mistake this time around, firing low into the bottom right corner with his weaker foot.

Despite getting back on level terms, it was the hosts who would go in at the break ahead. The Cove defence was caught out again by a through ball in behind the defence. Suman came rushing out to stop Louden, but when diving to reach the ball wiped out the midfielder, leaving the referee no choice but to point to the spot. LOUDEN stepped up and sent Suman the wrong way from the spot.

Brechin looked to start the second half as they finished the first, and had a couple of half chances after the break. Louden looked to double his tally, but Suman denied the number 18 this time around, saving his long distance dipping effort.

The next opportunity didn’t come until the 72nd minute, and it was a huge opportunity for the side to get back on level terms. After patient build-up play on the right, Mykyta picked out Kyle Connell at the back post, and the striker looked certain to convert, but goalkeeper Jamie McCabe produced a top quality save to deny the striker from point blank range.

Connell did get us back on level terms two minutes later, and it was a really well worked goal. Iain Vigurs, who was substituted on for Sena just 5 minutes earlier, fired a pass into Megginson who had his back to goal 25 yards out. The captain did extremely well, flicking the ball through on goal for CONNELL who poked the ball beyond McCabe into the back of the net.

The team had their tails up now, and in the 81st minute Kyle Connell scored the winner. Right-back Arron Darge floated the ball into the channel where Josh Kerr was running. The latest recruit, who impressed on his debut, looked up and looped the ball across the penalty area to CONNELL on the other side, who ran in and smashed past McCabe to give us the lead.

Josh Kerr looked to extend our lead minutes after. The new signing went for the spectacular, smashing a shot from 30 yards out which only just went over the bar.

For the remainder of the match, the team comfortably saw the game out, and ensured our winning start to this season’s Viaplay Cup campaign continued.

COVE RANGERS (4-4-2): Suman; Darge, Gillingham, Reynolds, Scully; Mykyta, Gallagher (Vigurs 70′), Sena (Kerr 60′), Connell; Megginson, Burrell.

UNUSED SUBS: Demus, Ochmanski, Gaffney.

GOALS: Reynolds (34′), Connell (74′, 81′).

BRECHIN CITY (5-4-1): McCabe; Scott, Spark, Thomson, Martin, Cruickshank; Loudon, Patrick (Heenan 84′), Moreland, MacLeod; McGrath.

UNUSED SUBS: Mudie, McArthur, White, Wilson.

GOALS: McGrath (30′), Louden (39′).

Article Copyright © 2023. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and to www.coverangersfc.com

Paul McGowan Arrives »