Five star show from Peebles

EOS FIRST DIVISION

Peebles Rovers had their sights set in finishing the season in the top four of the East of Scotland first division league table.

And thanks to a five goal blitz as well as a five star show, Rovers achieved their aim in pulling off a more than worthy win in this Albert Park encounter.

What’s more Peebles did it the hard way as they played a good part of the game with only ten men due to the red carding of Lee Zavaroni in the latter stages of the first half.

After Paul Brown had squandered a chance to put Hawick ahead in the first minute, Rovers showed what they had to offer with a good move which ended with Duncan Ndineni rattling in a shot that home keeper Kerr Brown did well to save.

In the 16th minute though Peebles did break the deadlock. Running onto a ball from the back 16 year old Ndineni, a young player of great potential, cut inside and stabbed the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

With 23 minutes gone Rovers went further ahead when Chris Lockhart took advantage of some poor marking to head home a Jordan Hall corner kick.

Eight minutes from half time the Albert reduced the leeway.

Shillinglaw whipped a corner kick into a crowded goalmouth which was handled by Zavaroni. A penalty was awarded and Zavaroni given his marching orders and Cairns stuck away the spot kick with great precision.

Although down to ten men, Peebles were undaunted and in the opening stages of the second period, the lively Ndineni came near to scoring.

A goal was only delayed, for after 54 minutes Rovers struck again. Chris Lockhart turning in a Hall free kick at the back post.

After Peebles keeper Chris Malcolm had pulled off saves from Hope and Jody Easdon, Hawick fell into further arrears when a Jonathon Flockhart corner was only partially cleared by the home rear guard and the ball broke to the feet of Geri Rossi who drove a shot out of the reach of Brown.

Scott Sutherland then made it a nap hand for rampant Rovers by surging forward and waltzing round Brown to tap in a shot.

In the closing stages the Albert made the score line a little more respectable with Cairns netting a second penalty after James Clarkson had handled in the box.