West Region Super League 1st Division
Wednesday 2nd May , The Showpark, East Kilbride
EAST KILBRIDE THISTLE 0 (0)
GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 2 (1)
Glenafton made it six league wins in-a-row with a goal in each half to take all three points from The Showpar and leap league leaders Kilsyth who lost out at Lanark.
With John Dempster unable to shake off an injury sustained in the Monday night win over Whitletts John Paul Boyle partnered Gareth Armstrong up front, while Gareth Campbell started in midfield with Gus Cochrane on the bench.
A corner a piece for either side in the opening 5 minutes came to nothing and then three minutes later some resolute defending by the home side prevented the Glens taking the lead from a flurry of chances. Soon after, a fine flowing move from the visitors ended with keeper Graham Lynn pulling off a great save from an Armstrong strike and then Glens’ top goalscorer was denied again when his header was cleared off the line, with the keeper stranded. Thistle always looked lively on the break but were thwarted by a rock solid Glenafton defence that has conceded only two goals in their last eight games.
On the half hour mark Paul McKenzie on the right picked out Armstrong on the edge of the six yard box who then rolled the ball back to John Paul Boyle to take a touch before drilling a daisy cutter into the corner of the net from 15 yards out. H/T East Kilbride 0 Glenafton 1
Richie McKillen went close for the visitors early in the new half .Thistle responded well and pushed for the equaliser but without really testing keeper Ally Semple. On 57 minutes Glens came close to doubling their advantage but Armstrong headed wide and then Lynn denied the striker with another top class save . The home side continued to battle but again the visitors defence continued to stand firm. Just after the hour mark the hard working Boyle was replaced by Bobby Colligan and his pace quickly troubled the Jags defence, giving his own defence some respite too.
With the game still finely poised Ian Cashmore came on for Armstrong and minutes later he pressured Michael Smith into fluffing a pass back to Lynn enabling Colligan to nick the ball and ward off Michael Daly beforing firing from close range only for the keeper to make a fine block but could do nothing to prevent Cashy slamming home the rebound. F/T East Kilbride 0 Glenafton 2
Glenafton: Semple; Menzies, McChesney, Henderson, McKillen; McKenzie (Cochrane), Potter, Murphy, Campbell; Armstrong(Cashmore), Boyle (Colligan). Subs McEwan, Dunsmuir
East Kilbride: Lynn, Morgan (Harkin), Sloan, Bain, Daly, Smith, Young, Innes, Dallas, Dempsey (McMillan), Chaplain (Gorman) Subs. Bonner, McVey, Conway, Mailey
Other Scores: Cumbernauld 4 Thorniewood 2; Girvan 2 Hurlford 2; Lanark 2 Kilsyth 0; Rutherglen 2 Renfrew 1
Glenafton Athletic 