FORFAR ATHLETIC 2 SHIRE 3

Shire recorded their first away win of the season after a see-saw battle with Forfar Athletic which saw two penalties, an ordering-off and the lead change three times.

Colin Cramb and Andy Rodgers both scored from the spot after they had won the penalty awards themselves while Michael Bolochoweckyj was back to scoring form, notching a crucial equaliser after Forfar had cancelled out an early lead.

Make no  mistake, this was a hard-fought contest and Forfar had their chances to win what was a very close game.

But they blew them, especially former Shire striker Kevin Gordon who somehow managed to shoot into the side net with an empty goal in front of him.

After a week’s break from action Shire returned to league business with just one change from the team that won against Preston Athletic in the Scottish Cup; the suspended Derek Ure dropped out and Dean Richardson took his place.

And it was Deano who had the game’s first real chance after just three minutes, firing over from just outside the box, his dipping half volley just clearing the bar.

Two minutes later the visitors had the lead. A harmless looking cross into the Forfar box might have got to Cramb but the Shire striker was needlessly wrestled to the ground by the home team’s Stephen Tulloch. Cramb made effortless work of converting the spot kick.

But Shire were unable to consolidate the early advantage. After 13 minutes Graham Gibson should have levelled the score but his back post header came crashing back off the bar.

Less than a minute later The Loons were back on level terms. Ross Campbell took aim from more than 20 yards and although his effort seemed to be going over the bar it took a deflection off Eddie Forrest and looped into the net over the helpless Jamie Barclay.

Things got worse after 22 minutes. A needlessly conceded free-kick just outside the Shire box was floated towards the back post and Gibson was on hand to take advantage of some poor Shire defending to hook the ball into the net from six yards.

Derek Lilley had a great chance to make it 3-1 just a minute later but he dragged his shot across the face of goal and wide when well-placed. Forfar at that stage seemed to have the upper hand  but Shire battled to keep themselves in things.

They got their reward after 35 minutes when Michael Bolochoweckyj, who had been pushed forward for a free-kick, picked up the pieces 20 yards from goal and cracked in a shot which took a massive deflection past Ally Brown for the equaliser.

The excitement continued right from the start of the second half.

There were just 56 seconds on the clock when Rodgers burst clear into the box and was brought down by Brown just before he could shoot for goal. The Forfar keeper was booked for the challenge and Rodgers picked himself up to score the resulting penalty kick.

After 64 minutes Rodgers should have made the points secure. He was played clean through on goal but, with only Brown to beat, the Shire striker hit his shot straight against the Forfar keeper’s legs.

The home team were in no mood to take things lying down and Barclay was doing his bit to preserve Shire’s narrow advantage. After 71 minutes he made a brilliant save, turning Campbell’s netbound effort round the post.

Shire had a decent shout for a third penalty turned down on 76 minutes when Kilgannon appeared to stop a Rodgers shot on the line with his hand.

A minute later the visitors had a huge let-off when Gordon was clean through with only Barclay to beat; but the Shire keeper did brilliantly to force him wide and the eventual shot hit the side net.

Things got harder for Forfar when Kilgannon took exception to a challenge from Donaldson, kicking out at the Shire player after Donaldson had fouled him. The referee had no hesitation in showing the Forfar man a straight red card.

There was a moment of controversy on 80 minutes when the stand side linesman flagged Gibson offside as he tapped home Russell’s cross into the back of the net. It was a very marginal decision.

Forfar’s all-out attack almost saw them snatch a last-minute equaliser when Russell’s shot beat Barclay but his effort was hooked off the line by Richardson.

But the home team’s approach left them vulnerable to Shire breakaways and in injury-time substitutes Marc McKenzie and Brian Graham combined to set up Graham with decent opportunities but he squandered both.

Forfar Athletic : Brown, McNally(Smith 85), Kilgannon, Winter(Russell 46), Tod, Tulloch, Gordon, Brady, Lilley(McLeish 85), Campbell, G. Gibson.

Shire : Barclay, Hay, Dunn(Anderson 70), Forest, Bolochoweckyj, Tully, Donaldson, Kelly, Cramb(Graham 67), Richardson, Rodgers(McKenzie 81)

Referee : M. Northcroft

Attendance : 427.