PDM Buildbase WOSFL | Match 07	07/08/2021 KO 2:00pm	Loch Park, New Cumnock
Glenafton Athletic	0 (0)
Benburb Juniors	3 (0)	Ocholi, Docherty, Leadbetter

Ryan McChesney joined fellow defenders Ross Fisher and Iain McKnight on the injury list while keeper Scott Johnstone called off during the warm up and was replaced by Daniel Sloan.

In the Bens dug-out was assistant manager Ian Gray, a great servant to the Glens and a member of the greatly revered 1993 Scottish Junior Cup winning side.

Sloan was quickly called into action when he punched away a corner-kick at the back post in the opening minute. He then dived at the feet of the incoming Aiden Ferris to grab the ball and then saved a shot from 18 yards by the same player.

At the other end, Sam McKee slipped the ball to Leon Murphy who weaved his way into the left-hand side of the box before clipping the ball into the middle for Fotheringham to fire a shot wide from 15 yards.  McKee then threaded a through pass for Jordan Ryan to run on to and drill a low angled shot from 12 yards out, that keeper Daniel McLean got down low to hold.

Back came the Bens through Gospel Ocholi who twisted and turned in the box before lashing a a shot from a tight angle that whizzed past the back post. Ryan McCrone then gathered a long throw into the box and his angled shot suffered the same fate.

McKee nicked the ball in the centre circle and released David Blyth to break down the right and into the box where McLean rushed from his line to block the shot. Glens continued to press and a free-kick deep into the box saw Sean Bennie’s header deflected over the bar for a corner which was headed clear by Ryan Docherty.

After a lively start play got bogged down for a period and was often interrupted with a spate of petty fouls.

On 30 minutes Blyth won a corner kick on the right that was headed over the bar by Pettigrew and soon after Docherty headed a Bens’ corner inches wide of the back post. The visitors continued to press and from deep in his own half Lee Duncanson launched a great ball into the right-hand-side of the box that was chased down by Ferris before he flashed an angled shot across the face of Glens goal. Soon after a free kick floated into the box was punched clear from the head of Ryan Livingston.

At the other end Blyth picked out McKee who gave Docherty the slip before hitting a shot from 24 yards which drifted wide of the post. Another Glens attack broke down at the outskirts of the Bens’ box and the ball retrieved by Docherty who then fired a long ball upfield which Livingston controlled to set up a powerful from the corner of the six-yard box only for Sloan to pull off a phenomenal save and push the ball over the bar. From the resulting corner the young keeper cleanly clutched Livingston’s header from the back post.

HT Glens 0 Benburb 0

Twenty seconds into the second half and after winning the ball in the Glens box Ferris slipped it to Livingston to thunder a shot that pulled off another super save from Sloan. The corner was cleared to the outskirts of the box where Murphy gathered and set-off as speed to break deep into the Bens’ box where he slipped past one defender before a slide tackle from a second sent the ball out for a throw.

Back came Bens and Duncanson’s break down the right ended with a great ball being flashed across the face of goal for the incoming Livingston who was inches away from tapping the ball home.

Play was flowing from end-to-end and Blyth’s break down the right won a throw 10 yards from the bye-line which Bennie launched high into the box which Craig Pettigrew hooked overhead to the back post where Ryan’s header was forced out for a corner. After some head tennis in the box the ball was recovered by the Glens for McKee. His ball cut-back into the box was blocked and gathered by Scott Jarvie who took a great touch before launching a long ball upfield for Gospel Ocholi to chase with Glens’ defender Alan Cairns by his side, although Sloan appeared to be favourite to win the ball as he rushed from his goal-line, however he misjudged the bounce of the ball and Gospel Ocholi got ahead of Cairns to roll the ball into the empty net. Bens 1-0 up on 54 minutes.

Although play continued to go from end-to-end it was the visitors that continued to create the better chances. Ocholi came close to bagging a brace only for Sloan to get a hand to his close range shot and Cairns clearing the loose ball of the line.

On 59 minutes the Glens were reduced to 10 men after Fotheringham was shown a second yellow card. Two minutes later Bens doubled their lead. Pettigrew headed clear a corner at the back post and the loose ball trapped by Jarvie before threading it left to Ryan Docherty to drill a low shot from a tight angle that beat Sloan at the near post and crossed the line in the heart of the goal despite Cairns attempt to block it.

Glens brought on Mark Gilmour for David Blyth and soon after Sean McIlroy for Jordan Ryan.

Bens continued to create better of the chances as the 10 men battled to try and get something from the game. A free kick was deflected inches wide of the post and the corner-kick that followed was punched clear high into the air and the near post and eventually fell for Jarvie to thump a shot that was blocked by a wall of Glens defenders.

Glens broke down another attack and from tight on the right Gilmour floated a high ball into the box for McIlroy where McLean rushed from his line punch it clear which was snapped up be McKee who evaded one defender before the keeper dived at his feet to smother the ball.

On 77 minutes Benburb extended their lead after David Leadbetter’s corner-kick dropped to hit off the inside of the back post and over the line.

Glens came close to pulling a goal back two minutes later. Great work from Gilmour earned them a free kick on the bye-line half-way between the corner flag and 18 yard box. Murphy clipped it to the far end of a busy box where Bennie’s diving header appeared to hit off the head of McKee at the near post sending the ball over the head of the grounded goalie who managed to lean back and claw it from crossing the line.  Sort of summing up the Glens’ day, the only surprise being the Bens didn’t go up the park and add a fourth!

Glens brought on Scott Sherrie for Sam McKee as they tried to salvage a consolation. Although Pettigrew was denied a chance in the box by the defensive stalwarts Docherty and McLean the last action of the match fell to the visitors with a header flashing wide of the post.

FT Glens 0 Benburb 3

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC

1. Daniel Sloan 12. Darren Curtis 4. Sean Bennie 6. Craig Pettigrew 3. Alan Cairns 18. David Blyth (13. Mark Gilmour) 5. Aaron Miller 8. Gregor Fotheringham (trialist) 11. Leon Murphy 9. Jordan Ryan (10. Sean McIlroy) 7. Sam McKee (20. Scott Sherrie). Subs not used: Calum Thomson, Scott Johnson

BENBURB JUNIORS

1. Daniel McLean 2. Lee Duncanson 3. David Leadbetter 4. Jordan Bow 5. Ryan Docherty 6. Keir O’Hear 7. Gospel Ocholi 8. Ryan McCrone 9. Ryan Livingston 10. Aiden Ferris 11. Scott Jarvie 12. Andrew Rankin 14. Rhys Devlin 15. Dean McGlaughlan 16. Jamie Campbell 17. Lewis 18. McKay 13. McFarlane (gk)

Match Photographs

Glenafton Athletic v Benburb Juniors