Match report from Ross McGowan
Following a month of seasonal inactivity, Lochee United got 2025 underway this afternoon with a trip up the A90 to face Forfar United.
Our hosts today have endured a tough season so far with three wins from sixteen league fixtures, but if Lochee had any doubts about the levels of focus and application required today they had only to cast their minds back to a shock 1-0 defeat in this fixture three years ago.
Lochee made a bright start this afternoon and they pinned Forfar back early on with a series of corner kicks. Ryan Paterson’s first corner delivery caused a moment of panic with the home defence swiping the ball over their own bar from close range. Then another Paterson corner was met in the box by Calvin Colquhoun whose powerful header was well saved on the line.
Lochee were firmly in control of the game and it felt like only a matter of time before they’d take the lead. Corey Gray was desperately unlucky picking up a loose ball 20 yards out and firing off a tracer bullet of a shot that looked destined for the top corner but for a magnificent fingertip save.
But the hosts’ resistance was broken 25 minutes into the first half when Arron Donald used a quick throw down the left to craft a neat one-two with Ryan Paterson and when Donald’s cross found Kerr Hay in the middle our chief marksman executed a clever drag-back to give himself space before hitting home on the turn to put us 1-0 up.
A second goal soon followed with Callum Lamb making a bursting run down the right and crossing for Kerr Hay whose shot could only be blocked into the path of Ryan Paterson and he made no mistake from close range to give us a 2-0 lead.
Paterson was looking lively and could have added to his tally before the interval – first getting on the end of a Craig Moore ball but going for finesse and dinking over the bar when opting for power may have served him better. Then taking an opportunistic snap-shot from the edge of the box that stung the keeper’s palms.
2-0 at half time with Lochee well on top and looking to kill the game off with a third goal.
Paterson started the second half where he’d left off showing good feet to dance into the box before having his shot saved by the keeper’s legs.
Lochee kept the pressure on with an expansive Paul Lunan ball out left where Paterson dug out a cross for Hay who took a touch before flashing a shot narrowly wide of the upright.
Hay would not be denied though and on the hour mark he latched on to a quick throw down the left and rounded the keeper before slotting home from a tight angle to put us 3-0 ahead.
Far from chucking in the towel though, Forfar began to counterpunch and were unlucky not to get a goal of their own as they looked to cause problems for the Lochee defence. First a long throw from the left was misjudged and a shot at the back post had to be cleared off the line. Then a diagonal ball over the top opened Lochee up with keeper Jamie McCabe having to make an excellent intervention at the striker’s feet.
But Lochee soon put the game to bed when Corey Gray and Ryan Paterson combined to shut Forfar off as the hosts looked to break out of their own half and Paterson picked a well angled ball through for Kerr Hay who curled a composed finish into the bottom corner to wrap the game up at 4-0.
This was a good win on the road today on a difficult surface against a Forfar United side who looked well drilled at the back and were tough to break down.
As always Paul Lunan led by example at centre-half and made some vital tackles and blocks. Ryan Paterson continued his good form and looked a constant threat. But today’s man of the match was Kerr Hay who looked full of confidence and was back to his lethal best with an impressive hat-trick.
Next Saturday we have a tough home game against in-form Tayport who look revitalised under the leadership of former Lochee manager George Shields. It promises to be a cracker.
As always – COME ON THE CHEE!!!
