REID THE HIVE HERO AS THEY SEE OFF DEE
 
Stonehaven travelled to Spain Park to take on Banks o’ Dee in the top of the table McBookie.com Superleague clash on Saturday.
 
The game kicked off in sunny conditions, with the Spain Park 3G surface giving players no excuses for underfoot conditions.
 
The Hive kicked off and the ball was played to Armstrong who was just unable to get to it before it drifted out of play.
 
The hosts threatened straight away and Buchanan burst down the Hive right but shot wide.
 
Gray played a great ball to Armstrong on 7 minutes but the winger could only send his shot over from the corner of the penalty area.
 
On 13 minutes the ball was played wide and the subsequent cross found the head of Stewart but he could only send his effort wide.
 
A minute later a mistake by Stark saw Taylor presented with a free shot on goal but fortunately he could only fire wide.
 
Another Dee chance a minute later saw the cross into the box headed clear by the Hive defence.
 
A long Stark kick fell to Cormack who did well to lay into the path of Shand who took the ball on but Shearer pushed away at his front post for a corner which was cleared.
 
Hall came close on 20 minutes when he turned McTavish but the ball was held by Stark. 
 
A minute later the ball was played to Cormack who turned but could only send his shot over the crossbar.
 
A low free kick from Gray on 25 minutes very nearly caught out the Dee defence but Shearer held at the second attempt.
 
On the half hour mark Shand’s ball in found Jordan Reid who laid to Armstrong before his shot was blocked for a corner. The resulting ball in saw Reid fouled on the wing but Armstrong’s cross was cleared.
 
Two minutes later Winton’s cross was headed over by Steven Reid. The resulting ball in was gathered by Stark at the second attempt.
 
Armstrong saw his shot blocked for a corner on 33 minutes, the ball in found Wyness who laid to McWilliam but Shearer was equal to it.
 
Dee broke upfield immediately with Buchanan’s cross being cleared for a throw-in. 
 
Stewart came close again on 36 when a ball into the Hive box saw his header gathered by Stark. 
 
Buchanan came close a minute later when the ball was played through the Hive defence all too easily but his shot was blocked by the feet of Stark.
 
Shand did well to track back with his man a minute later but inadvertently knocked the ball through to Taylor but the Hive defence cleared the danger.
 
Five minutes before half time a ball in again from Buchanan was cleared by defence. The second ball in saw Taylor head over the top. 
 
Half time – Banks o’ Dee 0 Stonehaven 0
 
 
The hosts started the second half looking to keep up the pressure and force an opener and on 50 minutes Taylor picked the ball up all too easily but could only send his shot wide.  
 
Two minutes later a Hive free kick from Cormack fell to Armstrong whose shot was saved.
 
A ball in from Gray shortly after was deflected wide for a corner but the Dee defence managed to clear.
 
On 56 minutes the Dee broke forward following a Hive free kick but Pyper did well to clear.
 
Duguid tried his luck shortly after for the home side but Stark was equal to his free kick.
 
With just over an hour gone it was the visitors who took the lead. The ball was picked up just inside the Dee half by JORDAN REID and he cut inside before beating three men and firing low into the corner of the net.
 
Just over a minute later a Gray cross was spilled by Shearer but he gathered at the second attempt.
 
Armstrong was unlucky on 65 minutes to see his shot cleared for a corner.
 
The resulting ball in was headed off the crossbar by McTavish before falling to McWilliam who shot over from the edge of the penalty area.
 
With 67 minutes gone the ball found its way to Jordan Reid but Shearer blocked his shot to deny him from doubling his tally.
 
The hosts came close on 70 minutes when Stark cleared a cross for a corner before the ball was headed wide.
 
The Hive came agonisingly close to doubling their lead just a minute later. A corner from the right saw Cormack head goalwards but Shearer just managed to claw it away. 
 
With just under quarter of an hour remaining Cormack had a great chance to double the Hive lead when he broke clear of the defence but Shearer did well to make the save from the attempted lob right on the edge of the penalty area.
 
Stark did well to hold a ball in on 79 minutes after Armstrong was beaten on the Hive left. 
 
A little over a minute later and the visitors grabbed the all-important second goal. A long diagonal ball from Gray wasn’t properly dealt with by Duguid and JORDAN REID gambled and beat the ‘keeper to the ball and stabbed home to the delight of the visiting supporters.
 
The hosts kept up the pressure as they looked to get back into the game but the Hive defence held firm.
 
Cormack came close to ending the game as a contest on 85 minutes but his shot came crashing back off of Shearer’s near post.
 
 
Full time – Banks o’ Dee 0 Stonehaven 2
 
STONEHAVEN: Stark, Steven Reid, Gray, McWilliam (Anderson 69 minutes), McTavish, Pyper, Shand, Jordan Reid (Schmid 83 minutes), Wyness, Cormack, Armstrong
 
Subs not used: Smith, Dunbar, Gavin Robertson