Tuesday 23rd July ‘24 • 19:45 KO
Sat 27th Jul, ‘24
H Sat 3rd Aug, ‘24 Cove Rangers v Annan Athletic cinch League One
A Sat 10th Aug, ‘24 Queen of the South v Cove Rangers cinch League One
H Sat 17th Aug, ‘24 Cove Rangers v Dumbarton cinch League One
A Sat 24th Aug, ‘24 Stenhousemuir v Cove Rangers cinch League One
H Sat 31st Aug, ‘24 Cove Rangers v Montrose cinch League One
The season got off to the worst possible start on a foggy night at Balmoral Stadium, the visitors romping to what was a well deserved victory.
Two-nil up at the break, they found the net three more times after the interval, seemingly unaffected by the gloomy conditions and poor visibility.
There were competitive debuts for recent signings Ryan Harrington and Grady McGrath, while another of the summer captures, Declan Glass, started his third spell with the club. Two further arrivals, Finlay Murray and sixteen year-old Cole Donaldson, were on the bench. Another teenager, Milosz Ochmanski, made his first appearance for Cove in a side captained by Fraser Fyvie.
Before the game, there was a minute’s applause as we paid tribute to longterm Cove Rangers fan, Diane Adams,
who had sadly passed away at the start of the month.
Spartans kicked-off and showed intent immediately, Craigen firing over the bar from long range with just twenty seconds on the clock.
Cove began to enjoy some possession without threatening, but we fell behind in the seventeenth minute when Doyle was adjudged to have fouled Russell in the box. Referee Nicolson immediately awarded the penalty, and Blair HENDERSON did his usual immaculate job from the spot.
With the fog thickening, it was becoming more difficult to follow the action on the far side of the pitch, but Spartans pressed on, and when a low cross from the right emerged through the gloom, it deflected off Will GILLINGHAM at the near post and rolled beyond Suman.
There was a brief suggestion of a comeback, Glass shooting over and Harrington having a shot blocked, but overall, it had been a poor fortyfive minutes, and we could have no complaints about the scoreline.
Josh Kerr replaced Ochmanski for the second half, and he made an instant impact, threading a super long pass into the path of Glass, but the midfielder, having made space, shot just wide from twenty-five yards.
Within minutes, the visitors struck for the third time. Again, it was difficult to see
the build-up through the fog, but the ball eventually squirmed across the area and Jamie DISHINGTON tapped home from close range.
We might have snatched a lifeline when from Fyvie’s corner, Kerr rose above the Spartans defence, but his header flew over the bar.
A good passing move soon after, our best passage of the entire game, saw the ball run to Grady McGrath, but his shot was blocked for a corner, and from that the striker tried again, his effort charged down by Paul Watson. Fyvie
then hooked a shot goalwards, the ball bouncing just wide of the far post.
Declan Glass was next to have a go, but his low angled drive was touched wide by Carswell.
That was to be our last serious attempt of the match, but Spartans were not finished, and Cameron RUSSELL helped himself to a late double. First, he smashed an outstanding volley over the head of the despairing Suman from twenty-five yards, then a few minutes later he curled a free-kick over the wall and inside the keeper’s left hand post.
Suman; Doyle, Gillingham, Ochmanski (Kerr 46), Harrington; Darge (Gallagher 62), Fyvie (c); Yule, Glass, Scully; McGrath
Substitutes
Demus, Murray, Strachan, Donaldson, Gaffney, Milnes
Booked Doyle (81)
Carswell; K. Watson, Sonkur, P. Watson (Inglis 88), Booth; Hunter; Dishington (Denholm 62), Craigen (Wylie 80), Whyte (Walls 62), Russell; Henderson (c) (Geany 88)
Substitutes
Meek
Goalscorers
Henderson (pen 17), Gillingham (og 29), Dishington (53), Russell (73, 82)
Referee
Duncan Nicolson
Attendance
275
A much improved performance saw the team get off the mark in Group E of the Premier Sports Cup, and but for a succession of missed chances, it would have been a first win of the campaign.
We had to come from behind, Connor Scully adding another superb finish to his already impressive highlights reel, but we failed to take the bonus point, Forfar prevailing 3-1 in the shootout.
Paul Hartley made three changes from the midweek defeat and altered the formation, going with a back three of Doyle, Josh Kerr and Finlay Murray. The latter two were brought into the side, Finlay for his Cove debut.
Will Gillingham was ruled out with an ankle injury, Milosz Ochmanski dropped to the bench, and Balint Demus took over from Nick Suman in goal as the manager continued his plan of alternating the keepers for the Premier Sports Cup ties.
Wearing the new all-black away kit, the side nearly created an opening in the
“The big keeper was called into action again within seconds, scrambling across his line to make an excellent stop... ”
first minute, Fyvie drilling a long ball over the top for Grady McGrath to run on to, but the striker had gone just too early, and was flagged offside.
Forfar hit back, forcing a corner on the right, and from that both Russell McLean and Reekie had shots blocked, Kerr requiring treatment from the second of those after the ball had caught him full in the face.
Soon after, following more pressure in the box, Ross MacLean saw his deflected shot saved comfortably by Demus, and the big keeper was called into action again within seconds, scrambling across his line to make an excellent stop, clawing away McLean’s looping header.
Cove stemmed the flow in the twelfth minute, earning a free-kick thirty yards out. Fyvie’s delivery was half-cleared, Harrington gathering and unleashing a long-range shot, but his effort flew wide of the left post.
Arron Darge and Declan Glass combined to create a couple of openings, but in both cases McGrath was closed down, then the striker did get away in behind, but McCallum was quickly off his line to snuff out the chance.
The home side snatched the lead in the twenty-first minute. MacLean delivered from the left, Russell McLean gathered and laid the ball off into the path of Blair MALCOLM, and the midfielder cleverly
“The equaliser came just past the half hour mark, and it was a quality goal.”
curled a shot round the defenders and inside Balint’s left post.
We looked to be denied a stonewall penalty in our next attack when Taylor clearly clipped Darge, bringing him down in the box, but referee Calder waved away our claims.
In what was a frantic first half, Declan Glass was next to have a go, weaving away from two markers before shooting towards the near post. It was a fine effort, but McCallum was able to push it wide. Ryan Harrington then fired in an inviting cross, but as the ball flashed across the six yard box there were no takers.
The equaliser came just past the half hour mark, and it was a quality goal.
Declan Glass chipped a superb ball over the top which Connor SCULLY controlled on his chest before firing low past the keeper from a tight angle.
Blair Yule showed great tenacity to battle his way into the box, but McCallum grabbed the delivery, and the midfielder then found himself free in the area but headed well wide from Glass’s cross.
Finlay Murray won a determined header, finding Scully, and Connor immediately sent Blair Yule running clear into the box. With defenders closing in on him, the midfielder tried to find Declan Glass, but his pass was intercepted by Allan.
Klimionek earned the game’s first booking for crudely pulling back Glass, who had nutmegged the central defender, and from the resultant free-kick Scully curled in a superb twenty-five yard effort, McCallum only just getting across to make the save.
The game continued to be an open one after the interval, McGrath teeingup Connor Scully on the edge of the box and the midfielder’s low shot looked to be heading just inside the far post, but McCallum dived full-stretch to touch it wide.
Midway through the half, Mikey Doyle surged upfield before laying the ball off for substitute Myles Gaffney and the striker was unlucky, McCallum getting his fingertips on the ball to save his angled left-foot shot.
From the corner, Scully found Josh Kerr free in the box, but the defender could only head wide of the left post. We almost broke through with fourteen minutes left. Glass gathered and laid the ball off to Mark Gallagher – who had come on to replace Blair Yule – and when the midfielder crossed low, Scully was inches away from making contact.
Cove were dominating at this stage, enjoying plenty possession and playing
some attractive football, but Forfar were holding out, getting in blocks and lastgasp tackles to keep clear cut chances down to a minimum. We did carve one out in the eighty-fifth minute, Gaffney teeing up Gallagher, but Mark’s fifteenyard shot flew over.
Gaffney then forced a late corner, and from Connor Scully’s excellent delivery, Finlay Murray headed against the left upright. Harrington was quickly on to the rebound, but his cross was cleared, then Gallagher drilled in another shot which McCallum pushed wide.
It was to be the last action of the ninety minutes, the sides taking a brief rest before embarking on the shootout for the bonus point.
Skelly was first up for Forfar, Demus pulling off an excellent save, but Fyvie saw his spot-kick saved, and the home side took control, scoring three in a row. Declan Glass netted for us, but Kerr’s penalty was saved and when Mark Gallagher hit the left post, the home side secured the extra point.
“Cove were dominating at this stage, enjoying plenty possession and playing some attractive football...”
McCallum; Allan (c), Reekie, Hutchinson, Klimionek (Robson 46), Taylor; Cannon, Whatley (Inglis 61), Malcolm (Franczak 78), MacLean (Cocks 61); McLean (Skelly 61)
Substitutes
Paris
Goalscorers
Malcolm (21)
Booked Klimionek (41)
Demus; Doyle, Kerr, Murray; Darge, Yule (Gallagher 69), Fyvie (c) Scully, Harrington; Glass, McGrath (Gaffney 62)
Substitutes
Suman, Ochmanski, Strachan, Donaldson, Milnes
Goalscorers
Scully (31)
Booked
Fyvie (51), Scully (74)
Referee
George Calder
Attendance
458
We were delighted last week to announce KR Group as our new main club sponsor.
KR Group are a local engineering construction company, the leading provider of steel and cladding services in Scotland, and have been big supporters not only of Cove Rangers in recent years, but also north-east charities and football clubs.
The company was formed in 2003 by managing director, Kenny Robertson, and along with his partner, business director, Nicola Fraser, they pride themselves on their family-based approach, and the success achieved over the past couple of decades.
Kenny says he is delighted to further strengthen the link with Cove:
“I am a football guy, I’ve been involved in the game at grassroots level all my life, and I’m still involved with the development side at Dyce Juniors. It’s important to me that there are pathways for the kids, and that’s a big reason why I wanted to back Cove Rangers.
“The club going full-time was massive to me, it’s another route for all the youngsters, the ones who don’t get the opportunity at the likes of Aberdeen, Dundee and Dundee United, and that’s an important aspect for me. Cove sustaining full-time football will be vital for those kids and that’s a major reason why we want to get involved, and do our bit.
“At a club this size, any sponsorship has an immediate impact, I’ve seen that already working previously with Cove, and I look forward to us playing our part going forward.”
Nicola believes this is a deal which make sense both on a personal level, but also from a business point of view:
“We have come along to various events and matches, and always really enjoyed them. We’ve loved the atmosphere, and the sense that something really exciting is happening at the football club.
“The local connection is so important to us, and I think this tie-up says a lot about our ethos. We have always been big supporters of youth football,
and in addition, as a company, given youngsters the chance to build careers within KR Group.
“The club offers us visibility, but also the chance to build partnerships with other local businesses, and the personal touch, which Cove offer, is really important; you feel welcome here, you feel part of something. There’s a real sense of community, and it’s so nice to be part of that.”
Cove Rangers chairman, Keith Moorhouse, is pleased to welcome KR Group on board and would like to thank Kenny and Nicola for their backing:
“Absolutely delighted that they have come on board. I think we are very fortunate to get a business like KR Group
as our main sponsor, and for me, as always, it is the connection with the people that is the most important thing.
“We all know Kenny and Nicola, they have been at the ground many times, and I know we can work well together. Our strategy in the close season was about reshaping the squad, and we went young, we went energetic, and we went local; creating a partnership with a thriving and successful north-east company ties perfectly into that.
“I look forward to building that with Kenny and Nicola, just as I did with our previous sponsors, Terry Cobban and ACE, who gave us invaluable backing over six years, and we will be forever grateful for their support.”
Our new strips for the 2024/25 campaign were unveiled ahead of the season opener against The Spartans.
The kits – which will all bear the logo of our new club sponsor KR Group – were modelled by Will Gillingham, Declan Glass, Ryan Harrington and new signing Grady McGrath, with Balint Demus and Nick Suman on hand to show off the goalkeeper strips. There will also be red and black options for them.
Both the blue home and black away kits are sure to prove popular; details on how supporters can get theirs will be announced shortly.
24/25
Our long-serving former club secretary, Duncan Little, has been recognised by the SPFL for his more than three decades long service to Cove Rangers.
The SPFL chief executive, Neil Doncaster, made the trip north for the Spartans game to present Duncan with a commemorative medal, and said it was an honour to do so:
“This is one of the more enjoyable parts of my job, and having spoken to many people about Duncan, they could not have been more complimentary about the work he has done for the club over many years.
“Duncan Little is, without question, ‘Mr Cove Rangers’ and we’re all delighted the SPFL acknowledged that with last week’s presentation.”
He was always a first class administrator, but more importantly, a wonderful man, and it has been an absolute pleasure to be here tonight to honour him in this way.”
Having started attending Cove matches when he was just a boy, it was inevitable that Duncan should become one of the first members of the social club when it opened back in 1984.
He became involved officially two years later, doing a myriad of jobs behind the scenes, and was appointed secretary in 1991, a post he held until last summer. He is still a regular and very welcome visitor to Balmoral Stadium.
Duncan Little is, without question, ‘Mr Cove Rangers’ and we’re all delighted the SPFL acknowledged that with last week’s presentation.
Welcome to Balmoral Stadium for the third of our group stage ties in this season’s league cup, as we welcome regular visitors, Livingston.
We go into the game in good spirits after what was a much better showing against Forfar at the weekend.
That was much more like what I expect from a Cove Rangers side, there was a lot of good stuff at Station Park, and we just weren’t clinical enough in the final third after creating plenty chances.
I was really pleased with some of our work though, we controlled the majority of the game, defensively we were fine, and we handled them well; we knew they would be dangerous at set plays, and we dealt with that.
The attitude was good after the Spartans game, I expected that. We still have a bit to do in terms of our fitness, but that’s just down to where we are in the early part of the season, and that will come.
There were some really good individual performances at the weekend too.
“It’s all about making sure we are ready for the Annan game, the kick-off to the league campaign”
I thought young Finlay Murray was excellent, coming in for his debut and making the most of his chance after Will Gillingham had to pull out injured, and I thought the back three overall did a good job.
Across the side there was quality and we saw glimpses of what Declan Glass brings to the team.
The sharpness at the top end of the pitch will come, we’re not quite there yet, we’re still a bit short, but we’ve got Mitch Megginson to come back, and Grady McGrath is just finding his feet at this level.
I’m still looking to add to the squad, maybe four or five players, and if we can get them in, we will be in a much better place.
It’s all about making sure we are ready for the Annan game, the kick-off to the league campaign, and I would hope to have the group in place for that one.
For now, the aim is to get a strong, positive finish to this competition and make sure we have a bit of momentum going forward.
Enjoy the game, Paul Hartley
Principal Club Partner
Official Club Partners
Principal Stadium Partner
Balmoral
Honorary
Directors
Committee
Performance
Physiotherapist
Head
Digital
Club
Child
Club
Scottish League 1
Winners ‘21-’22
Scottish League 2
Winners ‘19-’20
Highland League
Winners ‘00-’01, ‘07-’08, ‘08-’09, ‘12-’13, ‘15-’16, ‘17-’18, ‘18-’19
Runners-up ‘89-’90, ‘92-’93, ‘94-’95, ‘95-’96, ‘09-’10, ‘11-’12, ‘16-’17
Scottish Qualifying Cup (North)
Winners ‘90-’91, ‘00-’01
Runners-up ‘88-’89, ‘91-’92, ‘01-’02, ‘03-’04
Highland League Cup
Winners ‘94-’95, ‘99-’00, ‘04-’05, ‘14-1’5, ‘16-17, ‘18-’19
Runners-up
Aberdeenshire Cup
‘90-’91, ‘92-’93, ‘95-’96, ‘97-’98, ‘05-’06, ‘07-’08, ‘11-’12
Winners ‘01-’02, ‘10-’11, ‘18-’19
Runners-up ‘92-’93, ‘94-’95, ‘16-’17, ‘17-’18
Aberdeenshire Shield
Winners ‘90-’91, ‘00-’01, ‘08-’09, ‘17-’18
Runners-up ‘94-’95, ‘12-’13, ‘15-’16
Aberdeenshire & District League
Winners ‘00-’01, ‘08-’09, ‘10-’11, ‘11-’12, ‘12-’13, ‘14-’15
Runners-up ‘06-’07
Aberdeenshire Centenary Cup
Runners-up
‘86-’87
Inter-League Trophy
Winners ‘01-’02
The club is now offering alternative hospitality in the Players Lounge, an option which has proved highly popular.
Already, we have had stag parties, work and family outings, and other large groups, and the package is also available to individuals.
Competitively priced as just £70pp, which includes VAT and the cost of the match ticket.
The afternoon is hosted by the club’s former kit-man, Adrian ‘Edser’ Thomson – a popular and well-known figure among Cove fans.
To find out more and to secure your places, please contact Angela Bruce at abruce@coverangersfc.com
Package includes:
• Arrival ninety minutes prior to kick-off
• Complimentary drinks
• Sandwich platter pre-match
• Reserved seating in the West Stand
• Half-time tea, coffee and pie
• Full-time bar for 45 minutes after final whistle
• Car parking
• No dress code
• One-off option or book for the season