McBoookie.com West of Scotland League Super League Premier Division: Match 06

Saturday 29th October 2016, Loch Park, New Cumnock

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 1 (1)

CUMNOCK JUNIORS 1 (1)

Points shared and honours evened in the local derby. The home side were first to threaten after David Gray’s free kick from the right was cleared at the near post before the midfielder regathered the ball and floated it into the box where Ryan Borris met another headed clearance on the drop only for his effort to be deflected wide for a corner kick.

Cumnock responded through a long clearance up-field and Sean McKenzie’s pace saw him burst through the narrow gap between the Glens central defensive pair before cracking a left shot that was well held by the advancing keeper Brian McGarrity.

Back came Glens and an excellent run through the middle by captain Craig Menzies ended with picking out Borris wide on the left to cut the ball back to Gray to thunder a shot form 25 yard out which was parried by keeper Darren Johnstone before his defender got a timely foot to the loose ball before Chris Dallas could bury the rebound.

Menzies was soon in action at the other end clearing a cross deep into the box from the feet of Scott Anson only for the ball to be quickly returned as Cumnock pressed but Anson’s weak header fail to test McGarrity and float wide of target. The keeper then made light work of Del Elspin’s shot from distance.

Glens enjoyed a spell off pressure from set pieces. Gray’s free kick from the left had McChesney’s glancing header caused concern in the Cumnock box and the ball partially cleared at the expense of a corner. A game of head tennis between McChesney and Chris Meikle followed before the ball fell for their fellow Kyle McAusland only for his close range shot to be blocked in a sea of bodies.

The home side continued to press and Ally Park rode a couple of tackles before the referee blew for a free kick some 30 yards from goal.  Even for dead-ball expert David Gray the distance appeared ambitious for a crack at goal, but crack he did with a thunderous shot that was past the wall before they could turn their collective heads and watch the ball fly beyond the reach of their keeper at full stretch and bulge into the corner of the pokey!

Photo courty of Glenafton TV

Photo Courtesy of Glenafton TV

Celebrations were short lived. Johnstone launched the ball up-field and Anson beat Meikle in the aerial battle to send the ball on its way up the park where the clean pair of heels of Sean McKenzie left McChesney in his wake before the striker kept his cool to slot the ball past the advancing McGarrity and into the welcoming net.

H/T Glens 1 Cumnock 1

Glen started the second half well with McAusland clipping the ball over a clutch of defenders for Dallas at the corner of the penalty box to head infield where the inrushing Park met the ball on the drop and his sweetly struck shot whizzed past the keeper and post.

Cumnock then enjoyed a good period of pressure and the best of the chances. Ray Montgomerie and Seam McKenzie combined well in box only for the latter’s shot at goal to be deflected wide for corner kick. The visitors again with numbers in the box could find no way through and the ball played back to Keir Samson on the outskirts of the box only for his shot to end wide of the post.

McChesney made an excellent tackle to prevent the impressive McKenzie breaking into the box forcing the striker to feed Montgomerie wide on the left and his cross into the box evaded everyone and the ball sneaked harmlessly wide of the  far post. Paul Burns then had a shot that was deflected wide. Another long clearance was hunted down by substitute Callum McRobbie who did well to engineer a fine shot at goal as McChesney closed in.

The Glens almost snatched the points at the death after Keiran McAnespie outwitted a defender wide on the right before whipping the ball across the face of goal, which was missed by the keeper at the near post and Mick McCann looked certain to score only for the defender to make a great block on the line.

F/T Glens 1 Cumnock 1

Glenafton Athletic: 1. Brian McGarrity 2. Kyle McAusland 3. Craig Menzies 4. Chris Meikle 5. Ryan McChesney 6. David Gray 7. Dan Orsi 8. Ally Park 9. Chris Dallas 10. Joe Andrew 11. Ryan Borris subs used 12. Mick McCann 14. Darren McGill 16. Kieran McAnespie Not Used: 15 Andrew Hunter Gk. Blair Lochhead

Cumnock Juniors: 1. Darren Johnstone 2. Keiren Wood 3. Andrew Muir 4. James Lundie 5. Stephen McKenna 6. Paul Burns 7. Keir Samson 8. Del Esplin 9. Sean McKenzie 10. Scott Anson 11. Ray Montgomerie Subs. 12. Steven Crawford 14.Mark Williams 15 Johnstone 16. Callum McRobbie