New Coin Holdings West of Scotland Cup 3rd round

Saturday 27th February 2016, New Tinto Park , Govan

BENBURB 1 (0)

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 5 (2)

Glenafton made two changes to the side that started against Shettleston for the trip to Govan for the West of Scotland Cup 3rd round tie against Benburb with Jamie Hay and Mick McCann coming in for Darren McGill and John Paul Boyle. Meanwhile on the side-lines for the home side was former Glenafton defender and Scottish Junior Cup winner Ian Gray, now a coach at the Bens.

The Glens were soon on the front foot with Craig McGuffie looking lively and his twists and turns proving a handful for the Bens defence. However it was from a set play that the midfielder created the first chance of the game on 4 minutes by curling a free kick beyond the wall from 25 yards that was caught cleanly by keeper Scott Somerville. The keeper then got down low to hold a Joe Andrew drive after the striker had shaken off Andrew Wright in the box.

Craig Menzies on the move

The hosts earned a corner kick, however Brian McGarrity was able to rise unchallenged and cleanly clutch the ball from under the bar. The keeper quickly rolled the ball out to Craig Menzies who made excellent progress upfield before setting up Ally Park to try his luck from distance only to be denied by Somerville’s safe hands. On 14 minutes Menzies was again Park’s provider but his shot from 22 yards sailed over the bar.

Craig McGuffie celebrates the opener

The visitors continued to press and took the lead five minutes later after Craig McGuffie snapped up a knock down from Mick McCann and forced his way into the box before wriggling past three defenders to unleash an unstoppable left foot shoot into the net.

A quickly taken free kick by David Gray was clipped into the box by McGuffie and gathered by Andrew and on this occasion Wright stuck to him like glue to prevent a shot on goal. Bens responded through a good run down the right flank by Scott Hendry to set up a half chance for the busy Ryan Livingston that was smothered at the post by McGarrity.

David Gray hits the spot

Midway through the half Andrew was barged off the ball and from the resultant free kick some 25 yards out David Gray curled the ball past the wall and into the postage stamp beyond the valiant reach of Somerville for his first competitive goal for the Glens. So good the local ‘Govan doo’ joined in the celebrations!

The hosts’ heads never dropped and indeed went on to enjoy their best spell of possession and carve out a couple of decent chances. McGarrity punched clear a corner kick as the airborne Hendry threatened at the back post. Darren McNeil gathered the loose ball before clipping the ball deep into the box where McNeil deserved more after he Van Basten’ed the ball over the bar.

Ryan McChesney and Jamie Boyle with Brian McGarrity

McNeil turned provider with a powerful run into the left hand side of the box to square the ball across the face of goal for the incoming Jamie Boyle who was denied his shot at goal with a last ditch tackle by Ryan McChesney which saw both players ending up in a heap on the New Tinto Park surface – the big Glens defender taking a bad knock that would see him replaced at the break. Head tennis by Park and McCann partially cleared a Bens’ corner before the ball was floated back into the back post for Wright but McGarrity came out on top again with another clean catch.

Gary McKenna replaced the injured Boyle and in the last action of the half the substitute’s low angled drive forced the Glens’ keeper into pulling off another fine save.

H/T Bens 0 Glens 2

Glenafton replaced the injured McChesney with Darren McGill at the break and the reshuffle saw Menzies partner Chris Meikle in the centre of defence and Park move back to full back.
Livingston’s shot from the edge of box warmed McGarrity’s fingers as the temperature dropped at New Tinto. Gray returned the favour at the other end after Somerville pushed his free kick round the post and then punched the corner-kick clear.

At the other end Park nicked the ball from the feet of Scott Jarvie and McGarrity snapped up the corner-kick and a cleverly took out a handful of Bens rolling the ball out to McGill lurking on the outskirts of the box, only for Jarvie to suffer a rush of blood to the head and from behind swipe the feet from the Glens midfielder to prevent his break upfield. A red card followed and the home side were down to 10 men on 49 minutes.

Joe Andrew heads home for 3-0

Three minutes later the visitors extended their lead with a sublime goal that saw no fewer than 8 red shirts involved in a move that nursed the ball from box to box. Menzies cleared the ball upfield for McCann to chest it back to Andrew who instantly released McGill down the left before cutting infield and feeding Gray to roll the ball to Jamie Hay and one touch later Park was in possession on the right flank to slip the ball up the line to McGuffie and with his route to the inner depths of the box he rolled the ball to Park to whip the a cross deep into the box where Joe Andrew outjumped Colin McInnes to bullet a glancing header into the net.

Andrew Collinge bags for Bens

Great credit to the 10 men and on 56 minutes their efforts were rewarded after a corner-kick to the back post was won by the head of Andrew Collinge and in flash he stuck out a foot to guide the ball into the net.

Mick McCann tees up for the 4th goal

Hopes of a home fight back were dashed on 63 minutes after Mick McCann pounced on a slack pass to burst into box with two defenders on his heels and from 16 yards out calmly clip the ball over the head of the advancing goalie into the net.

A well planned short corner between Hay, Park and Gray concluded with the latter blasting an angled shot inches and high and wide of target. The visitors introduced John Paul Boyle for Andrew while the hosts brought on Lee Lockhart for Collinge. In between time Somerville pulled off a fine save from McGuffie’s shot and showed great reflexes to block McCann’s attempt to bury the rebound.

David Gray

McCann then found Boyle in the box and after leaving two defenders on the deck the ball fell unkindly he was forced to feed the ball back to McGill only for his shot to whizz over the bar. A blistering run down the right wing by McGuffie saw the midfielder then advance along the bye-line before clipping the ball back to Boyle only for Sommerville to pull off another great block and after the ball had been cleared momentarily Gray gathered and his shot from range skimmed over the bar with the keeper a spectator.

Mick McCann completes the scoring

In last action of the game the Glens pressure finally served up another goal. McGill from the half way line played the ball upfield where Boyle and McCann conjured up an intricate one-two to leave the former free to run into the box. Boyle drew the keeper from his line and appeared to get his angle right only for Somerville to get a strong outstretched hand to the ball but could do nothing to prevent Mick McCann from firing the rebound into the empty net from six yards out.

F/T Bens 1 Glens 5

Glenafton Athletic: 1.Brian McGarrity 2. Craig Menzies 3. Alan Cairns 4. Ryan McChesney (14. Darren McGill) 5. Chris Meikle 6. Jamie Hay 7. Ally Park 8. David Gray 9. Mick McCann 10. Joe Andrew (12. John Paul Boyle) 11. Craig McGuffie. Subs: Craig Potter, David Buchanan(GK).

Benburb: 1. Scott Sommerville 2. Colin McInnes 3. McCauley Wilson 4. Andrew Wright 5. Sinclair Soutar 6. Darren McNeill (15. Gary Duggan) 7. Scott Hendry 8. Andrew Collinge (12. Lee Lockhart) 9. Ryan Livingston 10. Jamie Boyle (14. Gary McKenna) 11. Scott Jarvie. Subs: Conor Monaghan.

More photos here