• Sat 19 OCT  2019 KO 2:00 pm
• McBookie.com West Region Premiership| Match 13
• Loch Park, New Cumnock
• Glenafton Athletic 3 (0) |Reilly, McCann, Moore
• Kirkintilloch Rob Roy 1 (1) |o.g.

Glenafton made five changes to the eleven that started against Rossvale with Alan Cairns, Kyle McAusland, Cammy Marlow, Mick McCann and Matthew Reilly replacing Craig Menzies, Edward Campbell, Ryan McChesney, Ally Park and Ryan Nisbet.

The Glens looked lively from the start with former Rabs midfielder Lee Gallacher (left) in the thick of the action. His first corner kick of the game was palmed away from under the bar by keeper John Hutchison. Gallacher then picked out Matthew Reilly in the box to blast a low angled shot that Hutchison did well to push away with both hands.  He then gathered a ball on the right from Dan Orsi before slipping it into the box for Findlay Frye to run on to and crack a low drive that beat the keeper only for it to crash off the post and rebound at speed towards Mick McCann and despite his best efforts his header sailed over the bar.

The Rabs were only seen in flashes as an attacking force. Martin McBride curled a wicked free kick from 30 yards out that keeper David Wilson punched wide of target and the corner that followed was cleared.

Back came Glens through Craig Pettigrew driving forth before clipping a forward pass for McCann to dummy and Frye to collect, burst into the box and shoot only for an alert Hutchison to block the ball an outstretched foot. His counterpart Wilson had to be equally alert to rush from his line to dive at the feet of Ewan MacPherson after a good break down the left. Kyle McAusland broke down another Rabs attack just inside the Glens’ half before driving forward and unleashing a shot from 30 yards out that whizzed past the post.

Glens continued to press with some excellent build up play. On 35 minutes Orsi played a peach of long through ball into the box for Frye and in a flash, he turned an cracked a low shot that beat the keeper only for Scott Forrester to hook clear from 2 yards shy of the goal-line.

Unbelievably, a minute later the Rabs broke the deadlock with a stroke of good fortune. MacPherson’s header from a corner-kick took a deflection which Wilson did well to get down low to push off the post only for the ball to then to deflect off Dan Orsi and end up in his own net.

With their tails up the Rabs went in search of a second and four minutes before the break MacPherson gathered a long ball down the left at the corner flag, cut inside past a defender before striking a sweet shot that an air-borne pushed away with both hands.

HT Glens 0 Rabs 1

The half-time oranges rejuvenated the Glens zest. Dale Moore fashioned a fine volley in a packed box from a Gallacher’s corner only for the ball to dip inches over the bar. Both sides exchanged corner-kicks before the home side drew level on 52 minutes. Wilson’s goal kick was headed on by McCann and the ball snapped up by Gallacher on the outskirts of the right-hand side of the box where he took 3 defenders out of play before squaring the ball for McCann to hit first time from 18 yards only for the ball to strike a defender. An alert Matthew Reilly (left) pounced on the loose ball and although the advancing keeper got a hand to his shot the ball took another bounce or two before crossing the line.

Two minutes later the home side stormed into the lead. Pettigrew picked up the ball deep in his own half and motored forward through the middle with Gallacher to the right matching his run on the overlap. However, with defenders continuing to back off the elegant defender progressed to the outskirts of the box and rather than feed the overlapping Gallacher he clipped the ball into the heart of the box for the incoming Moore and although couldn’t connect the ball run on freely for the inrushing Mick McCann (left) to guide the ball past the keeper from 8 yards out.

Rob Roy were rocked and the Glens were stroking the ball about in style and on 58 minutes they extended their lead with another wonderfully worked goal. From a throw-in deep on the right the ball was played back to Cameron Marlow who curled a magnificent ball over the top of defenders for the beckoning Reilly to kill it dead at the corner of the penalty box. He then threaded a short pass to Dale Moore (right) at the edge of the six yard box and with his back to goal along with a defender for company, he wheeled round and from 12 yards lashed an unstoppable shot into the far corner of the net.

The visitors slowly recovered from the six minute three goal blitz and fashioned some decent half chances with MacPherson in particular putting in a good shift.

Glens came close to adding a fourth after Orsi and McCann combined to set Marlow up for a powerful shot from the edge of the box that was well saved by Hutchison and the loose ball eventually scrambled clear.  The Rabs responded with a free kick from wide on the left floated to the back post but Jay McInally’s header sneaked wide of the target. At the other end Reilly’s close-range header from Gallacher’s cross suffered the same fate.

Half chances came and went but there was to be no further scoring.

FT  Glens 3 Rabs 1

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC: 1 David Wilson 2. Dan Orsi ( 12. Ryan McChesney) 3. Alan Cairns 4. Kyle McAusland 5. Craig Pettigrew 6. Cameron Marlow (14. Edward Campbell) 7. Findlay Frye 8. Dale Moore 9. Mick McCann 10. Matthew Reilly 11. Lee Gallacher Subs: 15. Ally Park, 16. Craig Potter, 17. Craig Burns (gk).

KIRKINTILLOCH ROB ROY: 1. John Hutchison,2. Scott Walker,3. Jordan Currie-McLean 4. Scott Forrester 5. Daniel O’Halloran 6. Tommy Martin (15. David Green) 7. Grant Brennan (14. Sam Mackenzie) 8. Martin McBride 9. Jay McInally (12. Gary Carroll) 10. Ewan MacPherson 11. Alan Kelly Sub(s): 16. Michael Tuohy 17. David Gray