Stagecoach Western Super League Premier Division : Match 10

• Saturday 6th December, Loch Park , NewCumnock

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 4(1)

CLYDEBANK 1 (1)

The first Saturday of December proved to be a dull, dreich and damp day and brought with it difficult conditions for playing and watching football. Nevertheless both sides served up an entertaining match with the emphasis very much on attacking play.

Clydebank created the first chance in 5 minutes after a quick throw-in released Paterson tight on the left touch line to whip a ball across the face of the goal which by-passed a clutch of attackers and defenders before falling for Ian Gold at the back post only for his attempt to guide the ball into the net blocked by the feet of keeper Brian McGarrity and mopped up by Adam Strachan. The former Bankie midfielder then darted his way to the half way line before launching the ball up-field which created a moment of panic in the visitors defence as the keeper Liam Campbell rushed to the edge of the box only for his defender to boot the ball high in the air which eventually fell for Cameron Marlow but his hook shot from a difficult angle went wide of the empty net.

Brian McGarrity blocks Ian Gold

Minutes later Strachan stole the ball in his own half and glided down the left before picking out Aaron Connolly and his cross-field ball was gathered by Michael Wardrope wide on the right who quickly fired the ball to the near post where it was held well by Campbell as Marlow and Connolly waited to pounce. The keeper then denied Alain Kinney, getting down low to smother the striker’s low drilled shot from 20 yards out. Glens continued to press and Ryan McChesney’s header from a corner kick was bulleted down into the box where Marlow, with his back to goal, swivelled and fired for goal only for Campbell to come out on top with an instinctive two handed save and the loose ball cleared to safety.

Cammy goes close

The home side made the breakthrough on 16 minutes after the Bankies had broken down a Glens attack on the half way line only to cheaply surrender possession with a slack pass that was snapped up by Kinney who clipped a perfectly weighted pass for Aaron Connolly to chase down and with three defenders at his back he kept his cool to burst into the box and slip the ball past the advancing Campbell and into the net for his 10th goal of the season.

Aaron and Adam celebrate

The game entered a period where chances were equally shared all of which were handled well by the respective keepers. Midway through the half McGarrity clutched Clydebank’s corner kick cleanly and soon after mopped up Joe Andrew’s dangerous cross to the near post in similar fashion. At the other end Jamie McKernon’s drive from distance was held by Campbell and then after some excellent build up play by the Glens the keeper pulled off a stunning one handed save from a vicious Wardrope shot from the edge of the box. The resultant corner kick was only partially cleared and so too the Glens’ second bite at the cherry as the Bankies regained possession and to great effect.

Paterson powered down the left flank and from the half-way line leathered the ball upfield where Andrew displayed great skill and control to kill the ball, shake off a couple of defenders and clip a pass to Jamie Campbell bursting into the left hand side of the box, the midfielder taking a touch before slotting the ball past the out-rushing McGarrity to level the match on 32 minutes.

Jamie Campbell makes it 1-1

Although the home side won a couple of corner-kicks that were comfortably with Clydebank’s defence it was the visitors that created the best chance before the break. A long ball upfield saw new signing Derek Carcary beat the offside trap and from the right hand corner of the penalty box was unfortunate to see his left footed curled shot slip inches wide of the far post. H/T Glens 1 Bankies 1

Glens kicked-off the second half and within seconds could have easily been a goal down. Bankies recovered the ball and it was quickly dispatched up-field where Carcary killed it expertly on his chest before twisting and turning a couple of defenders and rolling the ball into the path of Andrew only for his shot from 12 yards to whiz past the post. A minute later Paterson gave the Glens defence the slip however his rushed shot, as Craig Menzies closed in, sailed over the bar. Although the visitors continued to press clear cut chances eluded them, and soon the Glens began to see more of the ball.

On 53 minutes Glens replaced Michael Wardrope with Darren McGill and two minutes later they carved out a great chance. Jamie McGeoghegan broke down a Bankie’s attack and picked out McKernon who quickly rolled the ball down the left flank for Strachan and in a flash he skipped his way into the box and slipped the ball back to Marlow only for his angled shot to be blocked by Campbell and the loose ball hooked away as Kinney threatened.
Glens pushed again and on 58 minutes an Alan Cairns run ended with a clumsy tackle from Andrew inside the Bankies half. Strachan lofted the free kick deep into the six yard box and the bounce of the ball appeared to deceive the keeper who could only fumble it and Cameron Marlow was on hand to tap the loose ball home, for his 10th goal of the season.

Cammy puts the Glens in front

Bankies responded with a free kick of their own, taken from the right wing Austin McCann won the header in the crowded box but the ball glanced wide of target. Midway through the half Glens won a corner kick which Strachan played short to McKernon on the edge of the box and in turn he retreated some 15 yards before feeding Cairns. The defender chipped the ball back into the heart of the box where it skimmed off the head of a defender before falling for Cameron Marlow and with space and time in his favour he calmly picked his spot and guided the ball beyond Campbell.

Cammy bags his brace

A beleaguered Bankies tried to bounce back and brought on fresh legs for Carcary and Andrew. A low powerful drive from Paterson on the right took a deflection in a crowded Glens’ box and the ball skimmed inches wide of the far post.

With 10 minutes to go Connolly careered down the right wing and his cross to the back post was win in the air by Kinney only for his header to end just wide of target. On 85 minutes the striker made way for Scott Adam, making a welcome return to Loch Park, and soon he was in the thick of the action. He gathered the ball on left, just inside the Bankie’s half, and after shaking off a defender or two hit a cross-field pass to pick out Adam Strachan in acres of space. As the home support waited in expectation of Strachan running on to round the keeper, he looked up and lobbed a delightful ball high over the head of Campbell and all it took an age to descend there was only going to be one destination – back of the net; as they say.

Adam lights up the gloom

The celebration shuffle was equally impressive!

The Strachan Shuffle ‘Floats like a butterfly …’

In the dying minutes Glens introduced trialist Graeme Ramage, recently released by Bankies, for Aaron Connolly. Bankies had a chance of a late consolation through a determined run down the right by Jamie Campbell. However, his dangerous cross to the back post was punched up into the air McGarrity’s right hand and the falling ball palmed away by his left to deny the incoming striker./T Glens 4 Bankies 1

Glenafton Athletic: McGarrity; Menzies, McChesney, McGeoghegan, Cairns; Wardrope (McGill), Marlow, McKernon, Strachan; Connolly (Ramage) and Kinney (Adam). Subs Meikle, Buchan (gk)

Clydebank: L.Campbell; Walker, Irvine, Martin, McCann; Gold, Barclay, J.Campbell, Paterson; Carcary, Andrew,

More photos here