ANNAN ATHLETIC 0 SHIRE 1

A superb strike seven minutes into the second half from Shire striker Stephen McGuire gave the team a deserved first ever win at Annan Athletic’s Galabank.

The first half was largely chanceless and 0-0 was a fair reflection of the game which was spoiled by a fierce wind.

Three minutes after McGuire’s strike Shire were reduced to ten men when David Dunn was sent-off for his second booking, but that hardly made much of a difference as the visitors cut out the better openings even with a man less and should have added to their tally.

Shire made two changes from the team that fought so well against SPL St. Mirren in their last game two weeks ago and one of them was enforced.

As expect, Jamie Barclay came in to replace Gavin Sorley who was in any case laid low with a bad dose of the flu. Jamie Stevenson was serving a one match ban and his place went to Dunn.

The change in personnel mean some tactical switches; Dunn moved into the left-back role occupied by Eddie Forrest in the St. Mirren match with Eddie partnering David King in the centre and Craig Tully moving from central defence to midfield enforcer.

Inside a minute Craig Donaldson gave away a dangerous free-kick 20 yards from goal but Mike Jack’s effort, although fiercely hit, rebounded off the defensive wall to safety.

Shire responded and after five minutes Andy Rodgers backheeled the ball into Stephen McGuire’s path but his effort was smothered by a brave diving save at his feet by Craig Sumersgill.

A minute later Dean Richardson was fouled down the right and Dunn swung over the resulting free-kick for Tully to head goalward but Sumersgill saved.

After thirteen minutes Annan centre-forward David Cox beat Forrest for pace and was clean through on goal but slipped in the act of shooting and rather comically fell on the ball giving away a free-kick for handball.

Shire should have taken the lead after 21 minutes. Paul Weaver’s 20 yard shot was deflected behind for a corner which Dunn landed on King’s head but the central defender somehow sent his free header over the crossbar from just ten yards out.

Barclay wasn’t overly troubled in the opening quarter but he did have to look smart to dive low to his left to save a Chris Jardine shot from the 18 yard line. Kevin Neilson and Steven Sloan also cracked in long-range shots but they were both wide of target.

The game’s second quarter was a rather dull and uneventful affair as both sides struggled to grapple with a very strong wind blowing straight into the Shire players’ faces.

But two minutes from the interval things were lifted from their slumbers by Donaldson’s attacking run down the left. His cross was only half-cleared by the home defence and Weaver caught the loose ball on the volley to fire in a shot which Summersgill saved comfortably.

Shire made a lively start to the second period with Donaldson prominent down the left wing. But there was still the failure to get the ball into the box for the forwards.

It was looking increasingly likely that only something exceptional would break the deadlock and it arrived on 52 minutes when McGuire received the ball wide on the Shire left cut inside an hit a tremendous curling drive into the net at the far post.

But a moment of indiscretion three minutes later undermined Shire’s chances of claiming all three points. Annan winger Jack Steele fell over Dunn’s trailing leg near the touchline and referee Steven Nicholls, having booked the full-back in the first half, showed a second yellow.

Despite being down to ten men the visitors showed plenty of forward ambition. King tried to use the power of the wind at his back, launching a free-kick from inside his own half that Summersgill was relieved to clutch under his own crossbar.

Marc McKenzie then replaced Richardson and he chased a long ball and fed Rodgers whose fierce drive went across the face of goal and wide. On 72 minutes Donaldson whipped over a bal from the left which Rodgers headed towards goal and Summersgill scrambled across goal to save.

The Annan keeper was forced into an even better save just a minute later when Squib found space and ran at the defence before unleashing a shot which Summersgill tipped over the bar.

Shire created the better of the chances but Annan ought to have brought the scores level on 86 minutes. Some great work down the left by Sloan saw the ball land at the feet of Steele who slammed it goalward only for Donaldson to block his effort on the line.

ANNAN ATHLETIC : Summersgill, Watson, MacBeth, Townsley(Redpath 76), Neilson, Jack(L. Sloan 76), Steele, Jardine, Cox, Bell(Storey 68), Trialist.

SHIRE : Barclay, Hay, Dunn, Forrest, King, Weaver, Donaldson, Tully, McGuire(Johnston 85), Richardson(McKenzie 57), Rodgers.

REFEREE : S. Nicholls.

ATTENDANCE : 525.