Sat 15th Sep 2018 KO 2:00pm
McBookie West Region Premiership | Match 8
Guy’s Meadow, Cumbernauld
KIRKINTILLOCH ROB ROY 1 (0) GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 1 (1)
In a highly entertaining match it was hosts Rob Roy that were first to threaten through Albert Vezza’s well struck low shot from the edge of the box that flew inches wide in the opening minute. Half chances followed at either end before Mick McCann picked up a headed clearance deep in his own half leaving the chasing Michael Daly in his wake as he progressed deep into the box where keeper John Hutchison got down low to push the ball out for a corner-kick which came to nothing.
Play continued to ebb and flow from end to end. On 12 minutes Vezza slipped the ball to Willie Sawyers to fashion a shot from the edge of the box and although the ball slipped through the hands of Brian McGarrity the keeper kept his composure to gather the ball before it bounced over the line.
Conor Lynass on the move
Back came Glens with McLean releasing Conor Lynass down the right, his pace leaving the defender standing, to whip a super ball to the back post where the incoming McCann met it first time only for the keeper to get a foot to the ball and Daly to boot it clear.
Another Lynass break down the right set up Andrew to curl a shot from the corner of the box that was held well by Hutchison. At the other end his counterpart McGarrity did well to hold Vezza’s shot from a tight angle.
On 31 minutes the Glens broke the stalemate after a fine run down the left by Dale Moore was ended by a barge from defender Cameron Clark at the corner of the penalty box. Conor Lynass floated the free kick into the box where Darren McLean got the jump on Daly to glance a header that wrong footed the keeper at the near post as the ball flew across the face of goal and in off the back post.
Darren McLean (far left) heads home the opener
Moore enjoyed another couple of menacing runs down the left. The first was ended by a well-timed sliding tackle by Scott Walker while the second saw the midfielder cut inside to give the defender the slip before firing a low shot wide of target.
At the other end McGarrity had to be alert to punch the ball from the head of Sawyers and soon after was in the right place to comfortably another header from the hard-working striker. Lee Gallacher’s shot from 15 yards was deflected wide by McAusaland and Sawyers header from the corner that followed drifted wide of the back post.
HT Rob Roy 0 Glens 1
The visitors enjoyed the better of the early exchanges after the restart. Cameron Marlow’s corner kick was scrambled clear from the goal mouth and the ball fell for Lynass to crack an angled shot from 15 yards that was blocked by Hutchinson before the ball fell for Marlow to fire inches wide of the post.
Cameron Marlow wins the ball
On 55 minutes McCann’s header into the box was chased down by Andrew and finding himself sandwiched between two defenders he curled the ball to the back post for the incoming Lynass to shoot for goal only for the outrushing Hutchinson to make a fine save. A minute later the Glens had the Rabs chasing shadows with a fine move. It began with McCann holding off one defender before laying the ball off to Andrew and in flash, with the deftest of touches the ball was played into the box to match Ally Park’s brilliant run through the middle only for his attempt to pick out Lynass at the far side of the box to be intercepted and the chance was gone. Glens continued to press as Lynass threaded a ball through the middle for Moore to drive forward before slipping the ball to McCann to hit a first-time shot that the keeper held cleanly at the base of the post.
Just before the hour mark Gallacher broke through the middle before picking out Sawyers who with his back to goal rolled the ball back for John Sweeney at the edge of the ‘D’ but under pressure from McAusland his shot sailed high and wide of target. A high ball into the was headed clear by Menzies who was then floored by Sawyers unsuccessful attempt at an acrobatic volley.
Rabs brought on Gavin Mackie for Jordan Currie-McLean and soon after Glens replaced Darren McLean, who had just earned a yellow card, was replaced by Ryan McChesney.
The home began to enjoy some decent possession and Sawyers won a free-kick on the outskirts on the box after a challenge from McChesney. Before the kick was taken Sweeney was replaced Graeme Ramage. It was fellow substitute Mackie that struck the kick that had McGarrity rushing along his goal line to push the ball away from junction of post and bar.
Graeme Ramage rockets home the equaliser
The corner was played long from the right and cleared for a thrown-in on the left. This was smartly gathered by Sawyers and the ball played across the face of goal to the back post where Gallacher set up Daly only for McGarrity and McChesney to combine in order to block his shot from a few yards with such a force that the ball rebounded to edge of the box for Graeme Ramage to rocket an unstoppable shot into the net. The game all square on 71 minutes.
Glens brought on Leon Murphy for Dale Moore and later Dan Orsi for Conor Lynass. In between times Murphy gathered a Park pass to break into the box and fire an angled shot that flashed just wide of the far post. At the other end Marlow prevented the Rabs from going ahead after heading Vezza’s close range shot over the bar.
Leon Murphy on the move
Neither side had thoughts of settling for a point as both pushed for the winner. Orsi and Menzies combined wide on the right before the latter floated the ball to the near post where the keeper pushed it away from Murphy only for the ball to fall for Park who had his shot blocked by Gallacher and his attempt to bury the rebound held by Hutchison. At the other end McGarrity rushed from his line to gather the ball before Gallacher before Vezza could gather Sawyers knock on. Back came Glens through Orsi’s determination down the right to pick out Marlow in the box but his shot sailed over the bar. The Rabs countered down the left and balled whipped into the near for Sawyers only for McChesney to come out on top and head the danger clear.
On 89 minutes Gallacher was shown a red card for an off-the-ball incident with Murphy.
Still things didn’t let up. Andrew’s shot from the corner box was well held by Hutchison. At the other end McChesney saw off Sawyers again with another winning header. In added time Orsi from wide on the right picked out Murphy on the far side of the ‘D’ to skip past a number of defenders before cutting the ball across the face of goal for Andrew only for Clark to deflect his shot over the bar. Daly headed the corner-kick clear. In the final action Vezza’s perseverance saw him win a free kick on the right a few yards out from the corner-flag. Mackie floated the ball to the back post where Orsi stood his ground to head the ball clear as Daly challenged.
FT Rob Roy 1 Glens 1
KIRKINTILLOCH ROB ROY: 1.John Hutchison 2. Scott Walker 3. Cameron Clark 4. Michael Morris 5. Michael Daly 6. John Sweeney (12. Graeme Ramage) 7. Jordan Currie-McLean (14. Gavin Mackie)8. Martin McBride 9. William Sawyers 10. Lee Gallacher 11. Alberto Vezza. Subs not used: 12.Kevin Finlayson 13. Andy Finnigan 15.Connor McArdle
GLENAFTON ATHLETIC: 1. Brian McGarrity 2. Darren McLean (16. Ryan McChesney) 3. Alan Cairns 4. Craig Menzies 5. Kyle McAusland 6. Ally Park 7. Dale Moore (14. Leon Murphy) 8. Cameron Marlow 9. Mick McCann 10. Joe Andrew 11. Conor Lynass (15. Dan Orsi). Subs not used 12. Kit Cummins 17. Craig Burns (gk)
Glenafton Athletic 