Midlands League – 6th November 2024 @ Thomson Park
Match Report From Ross McGowan
Thomson Park was the place to be this evening as junior football enthusiasts from all over the city arrived in their droves to take in what promised to be a Midlands League blockbuster between Lochee United and reigning champions Dundee North End FC.
With both sides level on points after eight wins and one defeat apiece going into this evening’s game, it had the feeling of a high-stakes showdown under the Thomson Park floodlights.
Sensing the importance of the occasion, both sides wasted no time in declaring their intentions and North End went on the attack in the opening minute with a good move down the right and a cross to Paul Sludden at the back post but his shot was well held by Jamie McCabe in the Lochee goal.
But Lochee counter-punched brilliantly and roared into the lead with only three minutes played. After taking a quick throw-in down the left George Johnston fed Kerr Hay who danced into the box evading tackles before setting up Callum Lamb to side foot home from seven yards out giving Lochee an early 1-0 lead.
North End responded well to the early set-back with a shot from distance that McCabe did well to tip over the bar, and as the Dokens began to get their passing game going Lochee were finding it difficult to break out of their own half.
Kerr Hay almost caught North End cold stealing a loose pass 30 yards out and bearing down on goal but the visitors’ defence did well to shut off his angle and show him wide with the shot being smothered to safety.
Both George Johnston and Louis Joyce were yellow carded for the Bluebells as it became more and more challenging to contain North End’s attacking threat, and McCabe had to be alert to make a great reaction save with his feet to deny Paul Sludden late in the half.
However, despite the intensifying pressure from the away side Lochee managed the game to half-time with a 1-0 lead.
There was an injury blow for Lochee as their talisman Bobby Linn had to be withdrawn at the interval but his replacement Ryan Paterson came a whisker away from doubling Lochee’s advantage in the opening exchanges of the second half. A swift break down the left saw Callum Moore whip a tantalising low ball across the face of goal and whilst Paterson did well to get any contact under heavy duress from the centre-back the ball spun agonisingly back off the crossbar with Grant Adam beaten in the North End goal.
The second half felt like a real game of cat and mouse as North End looked to force the issue high up the park but with Lochee looking to find the killer goal on the break.
With the tension palpable, Callum Moore tried a low shot from range that fizzed just wide, and a good Lochee counter-attack saw Lamb set up Paterson but he was forced too far wide and despite a brief moment of panic in the North End goalmouth the danger was cleared.
The pressure from the Dokens kept coming at the other end as McCabe did well to claw away a shot from 20 yards out, and it was beginning to feel as though it would require something special to break down this stubborn Lochee rearguard.
But with seven minutes remaining that something special arrived with a bang when out of nowhere Cammy Dow produced a 35 yard wonder-strike that no goalkeeper in the world would have saved to square the match at 1-1.
And with the tide now turning in the contest and Lochee dropping deeper and deeper there was almost a sense of inevitability when with two minutes remaining Jamie Montgomery repeated the trick by crashing a 25 yard rocket into the top corner to win the game for North End at 2-1.
There was a late red card for Lochee substitute Craig Moore following an overly keen aerial challenge but despite going down fighting they were unable to overturn the deficit.
That was how it finished in what ultimately felt like a real seekner for Lochee having led in the match for so long.
Credit to North End – in truth they were the better team tonight dominating possession, pinning Lochee back for long spells, and producing two sensational strikes when it mattered most. But Lochee defended magnificently to restrict the Dokens to very few clear cut chances and having put so much into a heroic defensive performance they will be bitterly disappointed to have lost the game.
Any one of Lochee’s defenders could have been man of the match this evening and it feels almost unfair to single anyone out from what was a real collective effort from our defensive unit but Mackenzie Lemon gets the nod this evening – a colossus at centre-half who dug us out of trouble throughout the second half with his blocks, tackles and headers.
A hard one to take tonight but we move on to another league fixture away to Forfar West End on Saturday.
As always – COME ON THE CHEE!!!
