Super League 1st Division

Sat 3rd September Loch Park, New Cumnock KO 2pm

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC v THORNIEWOOD UNITED

The Glens host newly promoted Thorniewood United in the first ever league clash between the two sides. Striker Gareth Campbell serves his last of a 3 game suspension and Lewis Sloan is likely to continue to partner Gareth Armstrong up front – both currently joint top goalscorers with six-a-piece.

Kelly's Eye - No. !

The clubs last met at Loch Park in a West of Scotland Cup 1st Round tie in September 2008 with the home side running out 5-2 winners, a scoreline that doesn’t go close to revealing the story of the game. Following the late call off  keeper Chris Fahey the Glens called in coach Chris Kelly, veteran goalkeeper of the 1993 Scottish Junior Cup winning side. A Craig Feroz double, an own goal and a Jamie Doyle strike put the Glens 4-0 up at the break. The ‘Wood showed their mettle in the second half by halving the deficit and when the Glens went down to 9 men (Gordon Moffat and Stuart Tullis ordered off) the Central 1st Division side scented a Premier Division scalp. It was not to be and Craig Feroz completed his hat-trick although the ‘Wood continued to chip away but failed to add to their tally. No survivors in the Glens squad while still in the visitors ranks today are player-manager John Fallon, midfielders Mark Daly and Des Bradshaw and striker Stephen Mullen.

Season So Far

Thorniewood enjoyed an impressive Surridge Sectional Cup campaign with wins over Bellshill (3-0), Shettleston (4-2) and St. Roch’s (4-0) but narrowly lost out by the odd goal in three at Premier side Petershill to prevent their progression to the knock-out stages.  The Robertson park sided hosted relegated Rutherglen Glencairn in their opening league match but lost out 3-1 despite giving a good account of themselves. The trip to East Kilbride ended in a 5-3 defeat, the damage being done in an eight minute spell in which Thistle stung the ‘Wood with three goals. Last Saturday they claimed their first league point with an encouraging 2-2 draw at home to Girvan, Stephen Mullen and Dave McKean scoring for the home side, either side of a John Bradford brace for the visitors.  (Courtesy of the excellent Thorniewood web-site)

Former Afton Lad

Goal celebrations

At first glance it was difficult to detect any Former Afton Lads in the Thorniewood line-up until Stuart Livingstone’s brace against Bellshill Athletic caught the eye.  Stuart came off the bench as a trialist for the Glens in a league match away at Ashfield in August 2009 and scored a late winner to secure a point in a 2-2 draw. Previously with Fauldhouse United, Stonehouse Violet and Lesmahagow, Stuart joined Thorniewood from Petershill in the close season.

Other fixtures: Cumbernauld v Dalry, East Kilbride v Lanark, Girvan v Ardrossan, Hurlford v Renfrew, Rutherglen v Kilsyth, Shotts v Whitletts