Tain Thistle 3-3 Cromarty
Tain Thistle were pegged back to a draw at Grant Park this evening, by a determined and resilient Cromarty. Goals from Liam Rostock and Darran Goller gave the Jags a second half 3-1 lead before a fight back in the last five minutes saw the Victoria Park men claw out a point.<br /><br />Both sides started the evening on 16 points, chasing third place in the league. Stand-in gaffer Craig Nimmons had a sizable squad to choose from, with Garry Perks returning to action. Back between the sticks was Davie Matheson, as Steven Martin departs to begin pre-season training with Brora Rangers. <br /><br />Upon kick-off, Thistle couldn't have gotten off to a worse start as Cromarty found themselves a goal up after only three minutes. A shambolic series of goalmouth scrambles eventually saw the ball turned into the net, with Thistle completely unable to send the ball clear. <br /><br />But it wasn't long until Thistle stamped their authority on the game. With clever play down the left from Colin Burry and Liam Rostock, Thistle found themselves winning a series of corners, narrowly missing out on an opener with Robbie Ross and Garry Perks both shooting wide.<br /><br />Cromarty were determined to extend their lead however and continued their pressure on Matheson's goal, hitting the crossbar and the post in quick succession.<br /><br />Thistle finally found an equalizer through Rostock. The pacey Darran Goller found his way down the right flank to place a simple ball across the face of goal; Rostock tucking a shot beyond the keeper with ease from close range.<br /><br />At 1-1, Thistle moved into cruise control and could very well have gone 2-1 ahead instantly following the equalizer, as Rostock found himself one on one with the Cromarty stopper. Rostock however opted to chance a lob and the winger's effort was headed off the line.<br /><br />Rostock made amends moments later however as he found the net for a second time with a well struck shot beyond the keeper. The first half should very well have ended 3-1 were it not for a lack of composure. Garry Perks meandered his way into the 6 yard box with a mazey dribble - but Ross in the box could not connect with the cut back. <br /><br />The second half began as the first had ended with Thistle forcing the Cromarty back line wide with the clever runs of Goller. It was Goller involved again for Thistle's third in fact, laying the ball to Ross for a simple return and a confident finish to the left of Craig Maclean.<br /><br />The 3-1 lead should have given Thistle the confidence to see the job through but with instruction from the sidelines, the Croms threw men forward in the final twenty minutes to rattle the Thistle defence.<br /><br />Two one on one saves from Matheson saved the blushes of the Tain back line as Cromarty piled on the pressure but on eighty minutes he could do nothing to prevent their second. At 3-2, the Cromarty tails were up.<br /><br />Inevitably, their third followed for the equaliser, with only injury time remaining. More messy defending led to an all too easy chance for Phil Macdonald as he cooly placed a high shot past Matheson.<br /><br />Despite late pushes from both teams, the score remained at 3-3 as referee Eric Robertson drew a close to proceedings.<br /><br /><b>Team:</b><br />Matheson, D Nimmons, Burry, Sutherland, Farquhar, Brand, D Christie, Goller, Rostock, Perks, Ross<br /><br /><b>Subs not used:</b><br />Cameron, Maclellan, Johnston, Stein, Cowie<br /><br /><b>Goals:</b><br />Rostock 26, 41, Goller 59<br /><br /><b>Bookings:</b><br />None<br /><br /><b>Match details:</b><br /><a href="http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/matchdetails.php?id=405">http://www.tainthistle.co.uk/matchdetails.php?id=405</a><br /><br /><b>Man of the Match:</b><br />Darran Goller