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ANNAN ATHLETIC 1-1 COVE RANGERS

Despite dominating the first half and missing a series of good chances, we had to settle for a point at Galabank. Declan Glass fired us in front, but the home side took a grip after the break and levelled through Tommy Muir. They might have snatched the win soon after, but Nick Suman saved an Aidan Smith penalty.

With top-scorer Mitch Megginson joining Parker, Fyvie and Yule on the injury list, Paul Hartley made four changes from the midweek disappointment against Stenhousemuir.

Balint Demus, Finlay Murray and Findlay Marshall dropped to the bench with Nick Suman, Arron Darge, Dylan Lobban and Grady McGrath restored to the starting line-up.

Will Gillingham made his 50^th appearance for the club.

On a bitterly cold afternoon, we threatened in the opening seconds when Connor Scully rolled the ball wide for Adam Emslie to collect. The winger made for the bye-line and crossed low, but Declan Glass could not make decisive contact and Annan were able to clear.

Another Emslie run troubled the home defence soon after, his delivery deflected wide for a corner which came to nothing.

Annan had a big chance with ten minutes gone when Aidan Smith ran between Lobban and Doyle, and into the area. Suman advanced to block his shot, and after the ball ricocheted back across the box, Scully was on hand to avert the danger.

It was an open game, both sides pushing up, and we were next to create a golden opportunity. McGrath got closed down thirty yards out, but the ball ran into the path of Arron Darge who raced clear before shooting. Goalkeeper Smith dived low to his left to pull off a decent save. McAllister then shot into the side-netting and Emslie drove just wide as we maintained the pressure.

Glass was next to have a go, his angled effort taking a looping deflection and initially troubling the keeper who had to readjust his footing before snatching the ball.

The deserved breakthrough came in the 24^th minute when Darge collected a clearance in midfield and fed a pass into Declan GLASS. The midfielder took a touch to steady himself then lashed the ball into the bottom left corner.

We might have doubled our advantage following slack play by the Annan player-manager Wullie Gibson. Adam Emslie pounced on to his poor clearance, raced forward, then passed perfectly into the path of Grady McGrath, but the striker’s effort was charged down. Glass headed just wide in our next attack.

Superb link-up play between Emslie and McGrath then set up Declan, who looked to be fouled on the edge of the box, but referee Grieve waved play on.

There was a scare with six minutes of the half remaining when Aidan Smith worked his way into our area, his mishit shot spinning across for Stevenson to direct goalwards. With Suman beaten, captain Mikey Doyle was first to react and clear off the line.

Having survived that, we should have gone two ahead. Glass won possession, ran into space, then threaded through an inch-perfect pass for Connor Scully. The midfielder shot low with his right foot, but Smith spread himself to make the save.

Back came Annan, Todd shooting powerfully, but Nick Suman dived to beat his effort away.

The home side were the more dominant after the resumption, launching a series of attacks, but our back line looked solid and were defending confidently, offering up little in the way of scoring opportunities.

It was a similar story at the other end of the pitch, and after creating a string of chances in the opening period, there was nothing happening for us in an attacking sense.

That changed in the sixty-eighth minute, Reuben McAllister swung in a corner from the right and when it was half-cleared, Scully took a touch before shooting. His effort was charged down but fell for Grady McGrath who hooked towards goal. His effort looked netbound only for Smith to pull off an outstanding one-handed save.

To make matters worse, Annan levelled immediately. A long cross from the left found Tommy MUIR and when he headed down, Nick Suman looked to have the ball in his grasp only to spill it over the line.

And the roof fell in on us sixty seconds later when the referee inexplicably awarded a penalty for Gillingham’s challenge on Paul Smith. It was, at best, a questionable call. Aidan Smith stepped up to take the spot-kick, but his effort was weak, and Suman was able to make a vital save.

With Marshall and Gaffney now on for Glass and McGrath, Adam Emslie had a run at the home rearguard, his dangerous cross grabbed by Smith at the second attempt.

Two minutes from the end Emslie again looked dangerous, cutting in from the left to shoot from twenty yards, his effort deflected narrowly wide.

It was to be the last significant action of a game that should have been out of sight by the interval.

ANNAN ATHLETIC (4-2-3-1): J. Smith; R. Muir, Gibson, Breen, Kilsby; P. Smith, Dixon (Ross 79); Todd, A. Smith, Stevenson (K. Fleming 46); T. Muir (c)

Substitutes: G. Fleming, Barnes, Quigg, Bell

Goalscorers: Muir (70)

Booked: P. Smith (76)

COVE RANGERS (4-1-4-1): Suman; Lobban, Doyle (c), Gillingham, Harrington; Darge; McAllister, Scully, Glass (Marshall 76), Emslie; McGrath (Gaffney 76)

Substitutes: Demus, Murray

Goalscorers: Glass (24)

Booked: Doyle (72)

Referee: Alastair Grieve

Attendance: 315

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