• Sat 09 NOV 2019 KO 2:00 pm
• Ardagh Group West of Scotland Cup| 1st round
• Loch Park, New Cumnock
• Glenafton Athletic 4 (4) |Cameron 2, Orsi, McChesney
• Larkhall Thistle 1 (0)|Cuthbertson

Glens made seven changes to the side that started against Banks O’ Dee last Saturday in came Craig Burns, Edward Campbell, Ryan McChesney, Cameron Marlow, Dan Orsi, Joe Andrew and Ryan Nisbet for David Wilson, Alan Cairns, Craig Pettigrew, Ally Park, Mick McCann, Matthew Reilly and Lee Gallacher.

A minute’s silence was held prior to kick-off to mark Remembrance Day.

Glens made the early running with the first chance coming from a Dale Moore corner kick that keeper David Cherry did well to get down and push it off the line before the ball was scrambled clear. The home side quickly recovered the ball and fed to Moore still wide on the left to float a ball to the back post for the incoming Dan Orsi to side foot into side netting. Thistle’s first chance also came from a corner kick that was headed on by Jack Currie followed by a diving header from defender Adam Boyle that fell into the arms of keeper Craig Burns. The keeper then pulled off a fine finger-tip save a shot blasted from the 18-yard line.

Back came Glens with lots of possession and crisp passing as they patiently built attacks and on 14 minutes their efforts were rewarded. Cammy Marlow (left) gathered the ball in the centre circle then squared it to Findlay Frye to clip a ball over the top for Dan Orsi to chase down the right flank before whipping it into the goalmouth where it ricocheted off a defender’s legs and fell for the inrushing Marlow to crack a fierce shot from 10 yards out which although the unfortunate keeper got a hand to it the ball bounced off the inside of the post and into the net.

Glens continued to press and a great run down the right by live-wire Ryan Nisbet earned a corner kick that was met at the near post by Ryan McChesney only for his looping header to dip over the bar. Nisbet, having given the defender a head start, won the race for a ball played down the left, then wrong-footed said defender at the edge of the box before chipping the ball into the box for the incoming Orsi only for his header to be comfortably saved by Cherry.

The visitors responded and earned back-to-back corners kicks before the home side doubled their lead with a wonderfully worked goal on 28 minutes. Craig Menzies broke down a Thistle attack allowing Frye to snap up the loose ball and feed Nisbet to cleverly pick out Andrew in the centre circle who in turn threaded a perfectly weighted forward pass between two defenders for the overlapping Dan Orsi (right) to drive freely into the box before drilling the ball under the body of the keeper from 10 yards.

Six minutes later Glens extended their lead after Edward Campbell, deep on the left, rolled the ball back to Marlow who picked out Andrew on the left-hand side of the box. The striker held off a defender before pushing for the bye-line and whipping the ball into the box where Marlow pounced on a poor clearance to curl the ball home from 12 yards.

It was all Glens and Cherry pulled off a good double save from Nisbet before the hosts added a fourth on the stroke of half time. Moore’s corner kick from the left was headed on and Menzies hunted down the loose ball to turn and fire a low shot through a ruck of players only for Cherry to get down low and push it away.

Frye recovered the ball on the outskirts of the box and slipped it to Moore still in the vicinity of the corner to float a great ball into the edge of the six yard box where Ryan McChesney (left) beat keeper and defender to the cross and bullet home a close range header.

HT Glens 4 Larkhall 0

Although the Glens started off on front foot turning possession in to clear cut chances was proving difficult. Nisbet continued to be a thorn in the Jags side with crosses into the box but Cherry’s  handling was sound.

Credit to Thistle, who were enjoying a decent unbeaten run of form, were determined to take something from the game. Half-hearted claims for a penalty were waved away after a cross into the box missed its target and the ball bounced up onto Campbell’s body.

The visitors’ luck deserted them again soon after. Billy Wilson and Jack Currie combined well down for the former to advance deep into the box and cut the ball back and tee up a ferocious shot from Bartoz Mackiewicz only for keeper Craig Burns to pull off a superb save. Undeterred the big striker fought to win the ball back and from a closer ranger beat the keeper only to be foiled by Menzies headed clearance of the line.

Glens still looked dangerous on the break particularly from the relentless runs of Nisbet another of which set up Moore with a shot from the edge of the box which Cherry took the sting out of with both hands. The home side a couple of changes with Alan Cairns coming on for Edward Campbell and Matthey Reilly for Kyle McAusland.

Another mazy run from Nisbet saw him waltz into the box and lash a low angled shot hat pulled off a decent reflex save from the keeper. Soon after he was tripped on the outskirts of the box and although Cairns curled the resulting free-kick round the wall Cherry got down low to punch the ball to safety.

On 77 minutes Larkhall’s efforts were finally rewarded. After a break into the Glens box had been repelled back came Thistle with another attempt and although this too was cleared the ball fell for substitute Mark Cuthbertson on the 18 yard line to crack an unstoppable shot that beat the airborne Burns before smashing off the underside of the bar the ball deflecting off the grounded goalie and into the net. Glens made their final change with Mick McCann coming on for Findlay Frye as the home side continued to threaten while Thistle too were eager to add to their tally but neither keeper was to beaten again.

FT Glens 4 Larkhall 1

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC: 1. Craig Burns 2. Kyle McAusland (14. Matthew Reilly) 3. Edward Campbell (16. Alan Cairns) 4. Craig Menzies 5. Ryan Mcchesney 6. Cameron Marlow 7. Findlay Frye (12. Mick McCann) 8. Dale Moore 9. Joe Andrew 10. Dan Orsi 11. Ryan Nisbet. Subs: 15. Lee Gallacher 19. David wilson (gk)

LARKHALL THISTLE: 1. David Cherry 2.  Ben Fraser 3. Adam Boyle 4. Kyle Stewart 5. Craig Dickson 6.           Dylan. O’Hagan (Dawson ) 7. Shaun Gallagher 8. Warren Grenfell 9. Billy Wilson (15. Mark Cuthbertson) 10. Bartoz Mackiewicz 11. Jack Currie