Sat 5th APR 2019 KO 2:00 pm  

McBookie.com West Region Premiership| Match 25

Bellsdale Park, Beith

Beith Juniors 1 (1) Glenafton Athletic 1 (0)

Glenafton’ introduced new signing Davie Winters as they faced Beith at Bellsdale. The visitors shooting up the slope were first to threaten after Mick McCann beat the offside trap only for keeper Stephen Grindlay to block his shot and send the ball high in the air after which Findlay Frye’s cushioned header picked out Joe Andrew to attempt a perfectly executed lob but again the keeper  came out on top as he back-tracked and jumped to push the ball over the bar. At the other end Kevin Green’s header from a corner-kick skimmed off the top of the crossbar. Back came the Glens with a dazzling display of possession football which ended with Alan Cairns clipping the ball into the box for Andrew to pick out Leon Murphy and although he was blocked the ball fell for Ally Park to thunder a low shot from 22 yards that although the keeper spilled it, he quickly recovered to the ball before Andrew could pounce.  The Glens goal then led a charmed life as James Bradley burst into the box and slipped the ball past keeper Brian McGarrity from a tight angle for the inrushing Paul Haggarty with Craig Menzies tracking him,  but somehow the Beith striker couldn’t find the empty net from 2 yards out and as both players stumbled to the ground the ball rolled on before being stopped on the line by the Glens captain’s posterior who then guided it forward to his keeper’s hands. The indirect free kick from 6 yards was rolled back to Bradley only to blast it over the line of Afton men and over the bar.

Beith broke the deadlock after good work by Milliken on the left flank before he cut into the box to fire a killer ball into the goalmouth for Darren Christie to crack into the roof of the net from a few yards out. The home side almost doubled their when a free-kick was floated into the box and  after a game of head tennis the third header saw Nicky Docherty’s effort bounce off the post. The Mighty continued to press for a second but the hal ended with no further scoring.     HT Beith 1 Glens 0

It was Beith’s goal that was charmed when Grindlay failed to hold Dan Orsi’s shot from 25 yards and the in turn efforts from Andrew, McCann and Winters were all blocked. The visitors were now on the front foot and Murphy waltzed into the box before thumping a shot the keeper pushed away with both hands.

From the centre circle Ryan McChesney launched a high ball into the left hand side of the box where Winters killed it brilliantly with his chest before pushing into the box and at the second attempt he picked out Leon Murphy (left) to guide an angled shot from 12 yards out through a ruck players and into the corner of the net. Findlay Frye then fired a ball over the top of the Beith defence for Winters to run onto in the box only for the keeper to pull off a fine save. At the other end McGarritty pulled off a fine save from Milliken’s volley from inside the box. Played continued at a frantic pace, up and down the slope, as both sides sought out the winner but the game, like the corresponding fixture at Loch Park, finished all square. FT Beith 1 Glens 1

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC: 1. Brian McGarrity 2. Dan Orsi 3. Alan Cairns 4. Craig Menzies 5. Ryan McChesney 6. Findlay Frye 7. Davie Winters 8. Ally Park 9. Joe Andrew 10. Mick McCann 11. Leon Murphy  Sub used : 14. Kit Cummins not used: 12. Cameron Marlow 15. Craig Potter 16. Chris Dallas 17. Craig Burns (gk)

BEITH JUNIORS: 1. Stephen Grindlay 2. Conner McGinchley 3. Steven Noble 4. Nicky Docherty 5. Kevin Green 6. John Middleton 7. Darren Christie 8. Paul Frize 9. Paul Haggarty 10. Keir Milliken 11. Joe Bradley . Subs 12 Jamie Wilson 14 Ryan Docherty 15. John Sheridan 17. David Ramsay D. Miller (gk)