Match Report - By John Hoey

A very disappointing performance from City saw them go down by 2-1 against Peterhead at Glebe Park.

The Blue Toon’s victory moves them to within two points of City in the Second Division table having played two games more and Jim Duffy’s men will have to play an awful lot better in their remaining fixtures if they are to seal a play-off place.

The manager admitted after the game that he was hugely disappointed in the way his team had performed.

“ Peterhead fully deserved their victory, there’s absolutely no doubt about that,” he said.

“ We started really well, created some good chances and scored a good goal and then we just stopped playing.”

“ We didn’t pass the ball at all in the second-half and just didn’t get out of the traps. We were so flat and so poor and we under-performed in every aspect of our game. The defence sat way too deep, the midfield were shocking, the strikers were as poor as I’ve seen them all season and Peterhead totally dominated the match.”

“ We told the players at half-time to keep passing the ball and to make Peterhead work, but our second-half display was dreadful and we can’t make any excuses.”

City made a couple of changes from the side that lost at East Fife on Tuesday night with new Latvian defender Anton Kurakins coming in at left-back and Mark Archdeacon playing up front with Rory McAllister with Charlie King replacing Kevin Byers in midfield.

The visitors had a good chance after only five minutes when Martin Bavidge beat Kurakins on the right touchline and sent over an inviting cross into the box which was just missed by Daniel Moore.

City had a chance in the 14th minute when a McAllister flick gave Archdeacon a sight at goal but his shot was blocked.

City however grabbed the lead in the 23rd minute with a goal from Archdeacon. Mark Docherty was fouled at the edge of the box by Graeme Sharp and Archdeacon slotted a superb free-kick into the top corner of the net.

The Blue Toon were dramatically reduced to ten men five minutes before half-time when veteran defender Bobby Mann’s last-man challenge on Archdeacon saw him depart for an early bath but King sent the resultant free-kick over the bar.

Despite being down to ten men, the Blue Toon took the game to City immediately after the break and they got their reward from the penalty-spot within six minutes.

Barry Wilson appeared to be nudged by Kurakins in the box and after consulting with the far-side linesman, referee Crawford Allan awarded a penalty which Wilson dispatched neatly into the net.

The visitors now took the game by the scruff of the neck and despite being a man short pressed the City rearguard at every opportunity.

The hosts were finding it difficult to string any passes together and it was no surprise when Peterhead scored the winner with seventeen minutes remaining with a great goal from Bavidge.

The striker picked up the ball 25 yards from goal before hitting a tremendous right-foot drive which Craig Nelson in the City goal was helpless to stop.

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