Once again, up until half time, it wasn't looking too bad for Tannahill. One nill ahead, thanks to Brendan Watt's excellent curling free kick and playing fairly well. Thomas Robertson and Matt Gribben both had chances to increase the lead and Frazer Martin was running riot down the right flank. The defence was looking reasonably solid and Craig Glen only had one serious save to make when he flew to his left to stop a Blackstoun free kick.

How different the second half. Almost immediately it became apparent that Blackstoun were hungrier, but the way Tans conceded the goals in the second half was more down to individual errors than a lack of fighting spirit.

Blackstoun got on level terms when a long ball wasn't dealt with by Chris Dunbar, letting the forward in to slot past Glen. Within ten minutes Tans were trailing. With the Blackstoun forward running into the box, Glen rushed from his goal but was second to the ball and upended the forward, earning himlself a yellow card. Some of the Blackstoun players were asking for a red, but the ref showed some consistency as he had earlier shown a yellow to the Blackstoun keeper for a similar challenge on Frazer Martin at the end of the first half. The resultant penalty was converted to give Blackstoun the lead.

After this, Tannahill had their best spell of the half. Robertson went close with a drive across the face of goal and Gribben shot over when he might have done better. With around tewnty minutes to go, Tans won a penalty when Robertson showed great skill, turning his man in the box before being hauled down. This resulted in a second booking for the Blackstoun defender and his team were reduced to ten men. Watt coolly slotted home the spot kick to give Tans real hope of three points.

This hope was short lived as two minutes later Tans were behind again. With a Tannahill attack breaking down, Blackston ran the ball out of defence. Robertson seemed to give up the chase and the player was allowed to run forty yards with the ball before slipping a pass through the Tans defence. This time the onrushing Glen did get there first but only succeeded in playing the ball off the forward who ran the ball into the empty net.

Tans then again showed their spirit and made it 3-3 with ten minutes to go when Paul McAlinden raced on to a through pass to meet the keeper at the edge of the box, the loose ball fell to Gribben who kept his nerve to find the net.

There was then a legnthy interruption to the match as the ref had to be replaced due to injury. This may have caused Tans to lose thier concentration as after this the ten men of Blackstoun looked the more likely to get a winner. It duly arrived in the last minute. Again, Tans should have used their experience and challenged the Blackstoun player before he got in to a threatening position, but they didn't and the ball was played through to the forward who rounded Glen and squeezed the ball in from a tight angle.

Tannahill (4-4-2)
Glen, Morrison, Forbes, Dunbar, Muirhead, Watt, McAlinden,
R Martin (Burns), F Martin, Gribben, Robertson


For photos from the match click here