With a 100% record from their opening league games, a confident Breadalbane side travelled to Davie Park, Blairgowrie for their first away game of the season against Balmoral. Their opponents had started the season in similarly impressive fashion and on paper it had the makings of Perthshire’s match of the day. Fans were not to be disappointed.

Breadalbane began the game the sharper of the two sides, with ‘Chucky’ Carr in particular proving a constant threat on the left flank. Unsurprisingly, though, Balmoral began to assert themselves on the game and it took two fine saves from stand-in goalkeeper Scott Milne to keep the home side at bay.

In 35 minutes, though, it was Breadalbane who took the lead. A gruelling week of national service in France seemed to have done little to compromise the tireless running of Lee Veitch, who made a typical burst into the box to get on the end of a Price flick-on. The shaven headed skipper remained composed as he slotted a fine finish beyond the Balmoral keeper.

With the game finely balanced, the second half became a tense, hard fought encounter with few real chances being created at either end. Desperate to take something from the game, Balmoral upped the tempo and threw men forward in the final 20 minutes. The Breadalbane defence creaked, but remained unbowed, while the pace of Carr and Laing were always a danger on the break for the away side.

With four minutes remaining, though, the home pressure eventually paid off. Balmoral had laid siege to the Breadalbane box with a series of corners, one of which was only partially cleared. The ball fell to the Balmoral centre half lurking unmarked at the far post and he rammed a shot through a ruck of players to level the scores.

Ultimately, then, it was with a sense of disappointment that Breadalbane left the field, having come so close to taking full points from what will be one of the toughest fixtures of the season. However, over the piece, there can be few arguments that a share of the spoils was a just outcome to a highly entertaining and keenly contested 90 minutes.

Breadalbane:
Milne, Cromb, Smith, Thomas, McAdam, McBride, Klatschak, Veitch, Carr, G Price, R Laing
Subs (not used)
I Robertson, MacDougall, C Price, D Robertson

Match Highlights