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Club Information
Cove Rangers FC
Balmoral Stadium Wellington Circle, Altens Aberdeen, AB12 3JG T 01224 392111 F 01224 392859 coverangersfc.com
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Twitter / Facebook / Instagram
@coverangersfc
Honorary President
Alan McRae
Directors
Keith Moorhouse - Chairman Graeme Reid - Vice Chairman/Financial Controller Duncan Little - Secretary/Stadium Manager John Sheran - Director of Football Darren Anderson Grant Moorhouse
Safety Officers
John Morgan & Bill Ogilvie
Committee
Michael Coull, Richard Forbes & Gordon Taylor
Football Manager - Jim McIntyre Assistant Manager - Jimmy Boyle Fitness Coach - Tam Ritchie
Goalkeeping Coach - Derek Soutar Head of Youth Development - Gary Hake Performance Analyst - Ryan Docherty Physios - Donal Gallagher & Eilidh McGregor Kit Manager - Adrian Thomson Club Doctor - David Fowler Commercial Manager - Angela Bruce Media Officer - Charlie Allan Child Wellbeing and Protection Officer - Kate Dean Club Chaplain - Dougie Simpson Club Photographers - Dave Cowe, Richard Forbes Head of Media & Communications - Richard Gordon
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Cove Rangers 2 Kelty Hearts 3
Scottish League Cup
Tues 19th July Balmoral Stadium
Our hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the Premier Sports Cup for the first time were dashed with a second successive home defeat, and a performance the manager described as “Not good enough.”
Trailing 2-0 thanks to counter-attack goals from Agyeman and McNab, Cove would have been three down but for a superb Kyle Gourlay save from an Austin penalty. Fraser Fyvie restored home hopes with a looping header, but Kelty regained their two-goal cushion when Austin finished off another speedy break.
Sub Robbie Leitch added to his catalogue of spectacular finishes, and with the game in its dying embers we were denied a clear penalty when Reynolds was hauled to the ground in the box.
Jim McIntyre’s options were limited by injury with Jamie Masson joining Blair Yule on the treatment table, so the boss was able to name only four outfield substitutes. Our visitors arrived at Balmoral Stadium in search of their first goal and points of the campaign and very nearly scored in the opening seconds, Agyeman flashing an angled drive just wide of the far post.
Fyvie hit back for Cove, firing in a dangerous cross which Martin knocked out for a corner.
Another cross from the midfielder was cleared desperately at the back post by Philp, and from the resultant Logan throwin, Scully fed Fyvie. He fired towards goal, but the effort was blocked by Martin, sparking muted claims for a penalty.
Mitch Megginson then got in on the act. His deflected shot spun across the box, but from a wide angle Leighton McIntosh couldn’t quite dig out the cross, and it was diverted for a corner. Iain Vigurs swung the ball in, and Neill’s header soared wide of the back post.
Cove were getting more into the game, but always looked vulnerable to the counter, and Evan Towler recovered well to deny Agyeman. The opening goal was, however, only delayed by seconds. From a more central position, AGYEMAN turned away from his marker and curled a well-judged right foot effort beyond the reach of Gourlay’s despairing left hand.
Before we could recover, it was 2-0. Barjonas intercepted a Megginson pass in midfield and drove at the home defence. Cardle and Austin exchanged passes then fed in McNAB, whose finish matched his expertly timed run.
In the 29th minute, we finally got a foothold in the game. Mitch fed the ball through to McIntosh, his first cross was blocked, but the second found the mark, and FYVIE rose to send a perfectly judged looping header into the top corner.
Kelty mounted the next attack of the match and were handed a golden opportunity to extend their lead. Barjonas surged through the middle of the park and laid the ball into the path of Robbie McNab. As the midfielder set himself to shoot, the retreating Iain Vigurs sent him tumbling to the ground for a clear penalty.
Nathan Austin stepped up confidently and smashed his kick low and hard, only to be denied by Kyle Gourlay who made a superb stop down by his left post.
Cove started the second half strongly; Fyvie, Megginson and Towler putting together a fine move before Vigurs’ thirty-yard first time effort was saved by Jamieson.
Reynolds was yellow carded for pulling down the energetic McNab, then as play surged up the other end Megginson controlled the ball on his chest, but saw his shot charged down. The captain fired in another effort which was deflected out for a throwin, and soon after, Scully’s pass teed-up Logan, but Shay’s long range drive soared over the bar.
It was to be Cove’s last serious attempt for almost twenty minutes, and in between, Kelty moved 3-1 in front. Peggie and McNab linked-up and the midfielder’s shot was snuffed out by Reynolds, but the Fifers maintained the momentum, and after a 1-2 with Cardle which ripped apart the home defence, AUSTIN finished in composed fashion from just inside the box.
As the game moved into the closing stages, lightning illuminated the sky over Balmoral Stadium, thunder rumbled ominously, and the heavens opened; the weather mirroring the dark feelings of the home fans.
With hope petering away, substitute Robbie LEITCH stepped up to the mark to continue his impressive start to the campaign. After good work by Fyvie, the forward controlled the ball and unleashed an unstoppable strike across Jamieson and inside the far post.
The players pushed desperately for a leveller, and should have been handed the opportunity deep into stoppage time.
Rory McAllister won a corner which Vigurs swung into the box, and with the ball heading his way, Reynolds was blatantly wrestled to the ground in plain sight of the referee. In the melee which followed, Logan attempted an overhead kick and
caught Mark on the side of his head. The shot was saved; the defender required attention from both physios, and the club doctor.
As he was eventually being led down the tunnel, the final whistle blew to end hopes of emerging from the group.
Cove Rangers: (4-2-1-3) Gourlay; Logan, Neill, Reynolds, Towler; Vigurs, Scully; Fyvie; McIntosh (Leitch 77 mins), McDonagh, (McAllister 65 mins), Megginson
Substitutes: McKenzie, Ross, Thomas Goalscorers: Fyvie (29 mins), Leitch (87 mins) Booked: Reynolds, Fyvie, Scully, Vigurs
Kelty Hearts: (4-2-1-3) Jamieson; Philp, Forstor, Martin, Peggie; Barjonas, Tidser; McNab; Agyeman, Austin (Owens 86 mins), Cardle (Reilly 77 mins)
Substitutes: Hill, Barbour, Campbell Goalscorers: Agyeman (16 mins), McNab (23 mins), Austin (71 mins)
Referee: Duncan Williams
Attendance: 486
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1 Cove Rangers 1
Scottish League Cup
Sat 23rd July Balmoral Stadium
A much improved performance saw the team round off our Premier Sports Cup campaign with a merited draw in Inverness where the home side collected the bonus point after prevailing in the penalty shoot-out.
Roddy MacGregor had given Caley Thistle a 13th minute lead, but that was quickly cancelled out by a superb first goal of the season from Mitch Megginson. There were plenty chances created by both sides, but neither could grab a second before the final whistle, and Scott Allardice settled matters after Fraser Fyvie saw his spot-kick saved by Mark Ridgers.
Jim McIntyre had made two changes from the defeat against Kelty Hearts, and altered his formation to allow Megginson to adopt a more familiar central striking role. Scott Ross returned to the back four in place of Morgyn Neill while Robbie Leitch, after his scoring appearance as a substitute in midweek, took over from Gerry McDonagh.
The home side, full of confidence after three straight wins in the group, saw plenty of the ball in the early stages and almost fashioned an opportunity in the opening minutes. Oakley and MacGregor linked up in midfield to free Shaw on a menacing run into the box, but Evan Towler was alert, and put in a strong challenge to avert the danger.
Cove looked to hit back quickly, and McIntosh gathered and switched play, but Fyvie’s attempted cross was blocked for a corner. Iain Vigurs swung the ball in, but Deas rose highest to clear, and as Caley Thistle looked to counter-attack, Mitch Megginson tripped MacGregor to earn the game’s first yellow card in the sixth minute.
Inverness looked bright and pacy in attack with Daniel MacKay, MacGregor and Shaw seeing plenty of the ball, and it was the latter two who combined for the game’s opening goal.
Oakley dropped deeper to gather, held off the challenge and fed Shaw. The right winger checked inside and delivered a pinpoint cross, and MacGREGOR timed his run to perfection to head past Kyle Gourlay from ten yards.
It took just five minutes for Cove to get back on level terms. Fyvie sent in a corner from the left which Deas could only partially clear. Vigurs got on to the bouncing ball and when it fell to MEGGINSON, the captain swivelled and produced a clever finish with the outside of his right foot, stabbing the ball round the home defence and inside Ridgers’ right post, leaving the keeper flatfooted. Back came Caley Thistle in what was becoming a very open match. Harper fed the ball in from the left and Oakley held off Ross before slipping a clever pass in towards the edge of the box. Shaw tried to bundle his way into the penalty area, but the ball ran away from him, and Kyle Gourlay raced off his line to gather.
The Cove number one was called into action again soon after. With the home side exerting more sustained pressure, Vigurs took too long on the ball at the edge of the box and Daniel MacKay nipped it
away before firing in a powerful shot. Gourlay dived to his right to save well and divert the ball to safety.
The second half began quietly with neither side able to construct a serious attack. It wasn’t until the 54th minute that Inverness came closest to doing so when Deas fed Allardice, who in turn laid it off to Carson, but his chipped ball ran away from Shaw and out for a goal kick.
Megginson won a Cove free kick on the left which was taken quickly by Iain Vigurs. Mitch was on to it in a flash and his attempted cross was deflected for a corner. Fyvie delivered it deep, Mark Reynolds found space at the back post to return the ball into the danger area, but from six yards out, Vigurs could only head over the bar. Seconds later, Leitch found McIntosh, but his shot was charged down by Deas.
Megginson pushed wide to try to set up another attack but was fouled by Duffy. Vigurs’ inviting delivery flew across the box, and McIntosh’s shot was diverted wide for a corner.
Inverness made a double switch as the match moved into its final quarter with Samuels and Billy McKay replacing Oakley and Daniel MacKay, and soon after, veteran Aaron Doran took over from Duffy after the full-back suffered a head injury in an aerial challenge.
Two of the substitutes were to the fore as Caley Thistle very nearly regained their advantage. Doran found space to roll in McKay, but the striker’s low effort flashed just wide of the far post. The Northern Irishman had an even better chance seconds later. Samuels’ pace took him to the bye line and his low cross evaded Scully’s lunge, but McKay – just six yards out – failed to control it and Fyvie was able to clear.
Jim McIntyre made his first change with twelve minutes remaining, Gerry McDonagh on for McIntosh, and Caley Thistle made their fourth, Steven Boyd taking over from Shaw. Boyd very nearly made an instant impact, firing in a ferocious 25-yard drive which Gourlay repelled, pulling off an excellent save to push the ball for a corner.
It was to be the last significant effort of the game, the 1-1 draw being enough to ensure Caley Thistle’s progress to the last sixteen.
In the penalty shoot-out, Boyd, Samuels and Harper all netted for Inverness, with Megginson and Leitch replying for us. Fraser Fyvie stepped up to take the third, but his low effort was too central, allowing Ridgers to make the stop. Billy McKay and Shay Logan both scored, so it was down to the impressive Allardice, and he made no mistake with a confident finish.
Caley Thistle topped the group, while the point Cove gained guaranteed third place in the table, matching our best finish in the six years the club has been playing in this competition.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle: (4-4-1-1) Ridgers; Duffy (Doran 73 mins), Delaney, Deas, Harper; Shaw (Boyd 78 mins) Carson, Allardice, D. MacKay (Samuels 67 mins); MacGregor; Oakley (McKay 67 mins)
Substitutes: C. MacKay, Hyde, Cairns, Nicolson Goalscorers: MacGregor (13 mins) Booked: Oakley, Samuels
Cove Rangers: (4-1-4-1) Gourlay; Logan, Ross, Reynolds, Towler; Scully; Leitch, Fyvie, Vigurs, McIntosh (McDonagh 78 mins); Megginson
Substitutes: McKenzie, Neill, McAllister, Thomas Goalscorers: Megginson (18 mins) Booked: Megginson, Fyvie, Ross, Towler
Referee: Alan Newlands
Attendance: 1,020
NEW commercial partnerships announced
The club is delighted to announce four new commercial partnerships for the 2022-23 season.
Aberdeen Altens Hotel joins as our new leisure partner with Gym Rental Company returning as training wear partner. Xeretec officially come on board after working closely with the club for a number of years as IT partner, and XIC also join as our print partner.
Those agreements follow in the wake of the recently announced tie-up with The McGinty's Group who now have the contract for matchday hospitality and catering.
We look forward to working with them all in the campaign ahead, along with our existing partners, who have provided loyal backing in recent years: Greaves Sports, Peace Coaches, TicketCo and Design and Code.
Thanks are also due to our principal stadium partner Balmoral and our principal club partner ACE.
Director Darren Anderson says the support of these companies will play a major role in helping Cove Rangers to maintainthe success we have enjoyed on the park for the past few seasons:
“It really is invaluable to have this kind of help from the business community. It’s not just a financial agreement, all our partners provide expertise and advice across the board.
“We have formed partnerships in the true sense of the word and have built strong and lasting relationships with all who have backed the club.
“We look forward to that continuing in the coming years.”
