Sat 17th Nov 2018 KO 1:45 pm 

McBookie.com West Region Premiership | Match 13

Meadow Park, Irvine

IRVINE MEADOW 0 (0) GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 1 (0)

THE second half of this match was delayed to enable a repair to the net Meadow had been attacking in the opening 45 minutes. How it got damaged is a mystery as it wasn’t due to a non-stop pummelling by the home side.

Glens had started on the front foot with Leon Murphy straying offside after a good move involving Dale Moore and Mick McCann. Alan Cairns then delivered a decent cross which McCann connected with but his shot was blocked as Meadow came under attack.

Their best chance had fallen to Darren Jones who tried to chip keeper Brian McGarrity but the ball continued rising and out of play. Chris Dallas limped off with just 20 minutes played, after he went over on his ankle, ironically while back helping the defence.

Meadow then had to defend in numbers as Glens fired in four shots in rapid-fire fashion, all blocked including the first attempt which Shaun Newman got a foot to.Joe Andrew had been foiled initially, while his team-mates McCann, Moore and Murphy were also denied by some brave defending.

Newman then saved well from a Murphy free-kick before the last chance of the half fell for Jones but, with his back to goal, he was unable to get a clean shot on target.

H/T Meadow 0 Glens 0

Within minutes of the second half, Meadow had engineered almost as many chances as they had in the entire first half. But Glenafton were threatening every time they crossed the halfway line and, in 52 minutes, Murphy set off on a run which took him past several defenders.

Mick McCann

James Latta then brought him down in the box, getting a yellow card as a punishment, with Mick McCann scoring from the resultant penalty.

Carnwath was a lucky man to stay on the park after he elbowed Moore, but he joined Latta in the ref’s book.

A few of his decisions were angering the visitors as tempers boiled over on several occasions.

Back to the football, though, and Murphy took off on another run and sent in a dangerous cross which Jared Willet got to first.

A flurry of substitutions disrupted the flow of the match although one of the subs, Meadow’s Jordan McGuire hit the side netting in 83 minutes.

Glens finished the match with 10 men after Kyle McAusland was sent off for violent conduct although, judging by his reaction, there may have been a degree of simulation involved.

F/T Meadow 0 Glens 1

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC: McGarrity; Park (McLean 30), Cairns, McAusland, McChesney, Moore, Lynass (Orsi 62), Frye, Dallas (Andrew 20), McCann, Murphy.

Subs not used: Menzies, Burns (g/k)

Report courtesy Frank Cassidy, Ayrshire Weekly Press