Peterhead co-manager Jordon Brown believes Alfie Stewart’s inexperience got the better off him after he picked up his first senior red card of his career in the Blue Toon’s 0-0 draw with Bonnyrigg Rose.
In a game low on goalmouth incident, the match swung in the visitors’ favour at the start of the second half when midfielder Stewart was sent off for a second bookable offence.
Brown said: “It was disappointing. If ever a game summed up a 0-0 it was that one.
“All the momentum had gone at the start of the second half due to wee Alfie being a little naïve and showing his inexperience in giving the referee a chance to send him off.
“It deflated us. They came up with a gameplan of putting nine or 10 men behind the ball.
“We asked the players to go out in the second half looking to show more intensity on the ball but obviously the sending off changed that.”
Despite their numerical disadvantage it was the home side who looked more likely to score in a drab affair.
Brown believes his side was the team which showed more attacking intent despite Stewart’s dismissal and was frustrated not to take all three points.
He said: “The positive is that we kept a clean sheet which we haven’t done for a while and the best chance of the game fell to us.
“We’ve left one up, moved the wingers on and Peter Pawlett almost won it. The keeper has done well to make the double save and we restricted them to a free kick.
“I thought the boys at the back were brilliant but of course we’re disappointed as one point is not what we wanted.”
Peterhead edged a game of few chances
The first chance of the game fell to the home side as Flynn Duffy beat Bonnyrigg right back Angus Mailer down the left wing before firing a low ball across goal but no Peterhead player could get on the end of his delivery.
In a cagey opening chances were at a premium but Rory McAllister’s header sent Kieran Shanks through on goal but he could not get a proper connection on his first-time shot and the ball trickled through to goalkeeper Patrick Martin.
The home side cranked up the pressure as the game reached the half hour mark with Joe McKee curling a free kick wide before Hamish Ritchie was denied by a last gasp challenge from Neil Martynuik.
Ritchie forced Martin into action for the first time in the game in the 39th minute when he cut in from the right wing before curling a shot towards goal which was well held by the visiting goalkeeper.
The Blue Toon’s hopes of breaking the deadlock were dented three minutes into the second half when they were reduced to 10 men.
On-loan Aberdeen midfielder Stewart was the guilty party with the teenager, who had been booked for a foul in the 44th minute, earning himself a red for a second caution following a foul on Ross Gray.
Substitute Pawlett came close to breaking the deadlock 12 minutes from time when he surged forward from midfield before playing the ball out wide to Conor O’Keefe.
O’Keefe found Pawlett with his cross into the box but the former Aberdeen attacker was denied by Martin twice, the goalkeeper blocking the initial shot before turning the rebound past the post.
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