- McBookie West Region Super League Premier Division
- Match 14
- Loch Park, New Cumnock
- Saturday 14th April 2018
- GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 3 (2)
- Park, Dallas, McCann
- ARTHURLIE 2 (1)
- McAleenan, O’Halloran
GLENS GET THE BETTER OF LUCKLESS ‘LIE.
Glenafton lined up with Conor Lynass and Cameron Marlow filling the full back slots and the centre back pairing of Kyle McAusland and Iain McKnight. Filling the left back position for visitors Arthurlie was former Glenafton favourite Kevin McBride who enjoyed three spells at the club while up front was James Marks, so often a thorn in Glens side, returning to Barrhead from Largs Thistle.
Arthurlie, currently sitting bottom of the table, got off to a great start after Conor Lynass clipped the ankles of Andrew MacLennan in the box and Kieran McAleenan rifled home the spot kick. The visitors continued to look lively on the break and earned a corner-kick five minutes later that was cleared at the near post by the Lynass.
Arthurlie take the lead from the spot
On 12 minutes Glens fashioned their first chance after former Arthurlie player Chris Dallas picked up the ball from Mick McMcann to drive into the box and drill a low shot that was pushed away by keeper Grant Hay. The keeper then showed a safe pair of hands as he clutched Ryan Borris’s cross from wide on the right under the bar.
A half-chance to double their lead came ‘Lie’s way on 17 minutes after James Marks held off Iain McKnight to force his way into the box where Kyle McAusland’s attempt to clear the ball cannoned off keeper Brian McGarrity who had rushed off his goal-line but although the striker snapped up the loose ball the angle to find the empty net was too narrow; the chance was gone.
Jamie McKernon and Kieran McAleenan
Midway through the half Dallas picked up the ball on the half-way line and threaded a superb pass for Moore to chase down and drive into the box where he turned Michael Daly before closing in on goal only for the alert Hay to advance and make a marvellous block. This sparked a good spell of pressure for the home side and another cute pass from Dallas set up a shot from 10 yards out for the lively Jamie McKernon that was pushed round the post by Hay. McCann came within a whisker of connecting with McKernon’s corner before a rattled Arthurlie cleared their lines.
The visitors break upfield was mopped up by Lynass deep on the left who quickly played the ball infield to Cameron Marlow to switch the ball upfield Borris wide on the right. The midfielder’s first attempt to cross the ball into the box was blocked by the sole of MacLennan’s boot and his second attempt was met by the head of Mark Blakey which sent the ball high into the air triggering a run into the box by Ally Park to meet ball sweetly as it dropped and smash it into the net with the keeper rooted to the spot. The sides now level at 1-1 with 23 minutes gone.
Ally , Dale and Jambo celebrate the equaliser
A period of scrappy play ended on 32 minutes with a marvellous piece of play by the industrious Hal Bohme who killed the ball on his chest before giving Marlow the slip to advance into the box and crack a shot from a tight angle only for McGarrity to pull off a superb reflex save before McKnight made a goal saving to clearance as Marks seemed certain to bury the loose ball. The keeper then rose unchallenged to gather the corner-kick with ease.
Brian pulls off a great save from Hal
McCann’s run down the right was brought to an abrupt end by Daly before the free-kick deep into the box saw McKnight win the aerial battle and Dallas’s attempt to find the net blocked by a ruck of blue shirts.
Back up field and Holme, from right hand corner of the box, played a glorious ball to the back post for the incoming MacLennan but the former Renfrew midfielder was just a step off the pace.
Glens countered up the left through Moore who clipped the ball to McCann to head into the box for Dallas to gather and flash the ball across the face of goal to be met at the back post by Borris only for Hay to push the ball round the post. McKernon’s corner was flicked on by head of McKnight and collected at the far side of the box by McAusland who was brought down by a mis-timed tackle by the unfortunate Bohme. Although keeper Hay guessed the right way he couldn’t reach Chris Dallas’s spot kick as he lashed home his 24th goal of the season to put the Glens ahead on 37 minutes.
Chris Dallas puts Glens ahead 2-1
The visitors responded in determined fashion and the woodwork deny Marks and an equaliser twice in two minutes. The first saw Slick hold of a challenge from McAusland on the six-yard line to get a shot away that crashed off the crossbar with the keeper beaten. Marks then got the better of McAusland again, this time in the air, but his header from 8 yards out struck the base of the post. Sandwiched between those chances was a powerful downward header from MacLennan was well held by McGarrity.
Glens carved out the last chance of the half through a tremendous run by Lynass to weave past a number of players to reach the bye-line only for his cut-back for Dallas to be intercepted by Craig Buchanan and headed wide. Hay finished off a fine half claiming the ball without a challenge.
H/T Glens 2 Arthurlie 1
The home side were first to show after the break following a scramble in the box and the ball falling for Moore only his shot from 12 yards to dip over the bar.
Arthurlie countered down the left and Kevin McBride picked out Marks at the corner of the box bit the striker’s shot was blocked and the ball fell for McKernon who immediately launched the ball up the left-wing for Dallas to chase. The striker showed the back-tracking Buchanan a clean pair of heels as he stormed into the box and with Daly now giving chase he timed to perfection his square ball for the incoming Mick McCann to take first time and give Hay no chance from 8 yards out. The Glens now 3-1 up after 49 minutes.
Mick McCann doubles the Glens lead 3-1
The home side were stroking the ball about with some purpose. A long pass from Lynass to McCann was touched on to Park who rolled the ball into the path of Dallas to turn and shoot in the box only to be foiled by the outrushing Hay with another fine block. The resulting corner kick was taken short by Borris to McKernon and after another quick exchange of the ball the latter’s shot at goal sailed over the bar.
On 57 minutes Arthurlie made a change with Jordan Craig replacing Ryan Scanlon.
McKnight’s push on Marks earned the visitors a free kick 20 yards from goal but Blakey fired the ball into the wall and drilled the rebound deep into the box which was eventually cleared by the Glens defence.
Back came the Glens and Park’s shot from 22 yards dipped over the bar as did McKernon’s angled shot from inside the box courtesy of Blakey’s clearing header. The corner-kick that followed was also cleared as was a free kick floated into the box soon after.
Arthurlie made their second change on 71 minutes with defender Blakey making way for midfielder Dominic O’Halloran as ‘Lie tried to salvage something from the game. A minute later they almost halved the deficit but astonishingly Marks hit the woodwork for the third time in the game. A ball to the back post was headed across goal by Buchanan and there was Marks but his shot from the six- yard line thundered off the crossbar.
At the other end a clever ball into the box from Borris took McBride out of play allowing Lynass a free run to gather the ball and cut it back from the bye-line only for the outstretched leg of Hay to deny Dallas a tap-in.
Kevin McBride pointin out Mick
With 15 minutes to go the visitors made their final with Newlands replacing Kevin McBride and soon after Glens brought on Craig Menzies for Ryan Borris.
McCann released Dallas down the right before running into the box to gather the return ball but it was Hay coming off his line that was the recipient of Dallas’s cross.
On 81 minutes Arthurlie halved the deficit after Marks gathered a knock on and from the left hand corner of the penalty box leathered what seemed an unstoppable shot only for McGarrity to get a strong hand to push the ball away before it fell for substitute Dominic O’Halloran at the far corner of the six yard box to rifle it into the roof of the net.
Dominic makes it 3-2
With their tails up the Barrhead side went in search of an equaliser and a minute later MacLennan did well to trap a long ball at the edge of the box and set up a shot that drifted well wide of the far post. Back-to-back corners kicks were cleared by the Glens defence as Arthurlie continued to press. The second clearance saw the ball launched back into the box and Buchanan’s header fell for O’Hallaran to tee up a close range shot but Park was on him like a shot with a strong block.
The Glens regained their composure with attack being the best form of defence and saw out the closing 5 minutes to extend their unbeaten league run to 5 games including 4 wins.
F/T Glens 3 Arthurlie 2
Glenafton Athletic: 1. Brian McGarrity 2. Conor Lynass 3. Cameron Marlow 4. Kyle McAusland 5. Iain McKnight 6. Ally Park 7.Ryan Borris (14. Craig Menzies) 8. Jamie McKernon 9. Chris Dallas 10. Mick McCann 11. Dale Moore Subs. 12. Ryan McChesney 15. Craig Berry 16. Ryan Berry 17. Scott Watson (gk)
Arthurlie: 1. Grant Hay 2. Graham Girvan 3. Kevin McBride (15. Newlands) 4. Mark Blakey (12. Dominic O’Hallaran) 5. Craig Buchanan 6. Ryan Scanlon (14. Jordan Craig) 7. Hal Bohme 8. Kieran McAleenan 9. James Marks 10. Michael Daly 11. Andrew MacLennan. Subs 16. Healy 17. Ahmed Mohamed
Glenafton Athletic 