PDM Buildbase WOSFL | Match 18	13/11/2021 KO 1:30 pm	Loch Park, New Cumnock
Glenafton Athletic	1 (1)	O.G. (Wharton)
Pollok	1 (1)	Wharton

Glens made one change from the eleven that started against Kilbirnie last Saturday with Jordan Ryan replacing Sam McKee as they faced league leaders Pollok.

The home side were first to threaten on 6 minutes when Jamie McKernon gathered a clearance from the Pollok box and lobbed it forward for Leon Murphy to knock it back into the box for Jordan Ryan to slip between two defenders and hook a shot for goal that the advancing Jordan Longmuir comfortably collected on the six-yard line.

Pollok responded with a patient build up that developed into a lung bursting run down the right by Matty Grant to whip a great ball to the near post for the incoming Adam Forde to bullet a glancing header that crashed off the bar and was then headed clear by Ollie Rowe.

A ‘Lok free kick floated deep into the box was punched wide by former ‘Lok keeper Scott Johnson and the corner that followed came to nothing. Glens too had little joy from a couple of free kicks played into the box, the first cleared after some head-tennis hooked away by the lively Grant.

Midway through the half a Longmuir kick upfield was headed clear by Ross Fisher and in a flash Murphy and Gregor Fotheringham combined to release Ryan to break to the outside of the box only for his square pass to be missed by three incoming Glens players and equal number of defenders. However, the ball was picked up at the opposite corner of the box by Sean Bennie who slipped it forward to Fotheringham but his shot was blocked David Brownlie on the six-yard line and the danger eventually cleared. Glens continued to press and a high ball into the box saw Bryan Wharton win the aerial battle and when the ball dropped for Murphy his low shot was hoofed clear by the same player.

The home pressure paid off on 26 minutes. Captain Craig Pettigrew broke down a ‘Lok attack and although he picked out Ryan with a long forward pass Wharton was quick to knock it from the striker’s toes just outside the “D. The loose ball was snapped up by Sean Bennie, who after playing a couple of short-one-two’s with Fotheringham, held off the challenge from Ryan McGregor to advance into the box and on trying to pick out Ryan in the box he stroked the ball through Brownlie’s legs and as the unfortunate Bryan Wharton tried to intercept he slipped and sent the ball over the already diving Longmuir and into the net.

Back came Glens as Murphy beat Kyle Bradley to a high ball launched into the Pollok box and hooked it towards the penalty spot where Brownlie hoofed the ball out for a corner which seemed net-bound from the head of Ryan only for Derek Esplin to head it safely wide. On this occasion Fotheringham played this corner to the back-post where it was headed out and then recovered by Pettigrew to play it back to the near post where Rowe’s header was cleared.

Pollok then won a couple of corner-kicks the first was played to the far end of the box where although Wharton’s looping header beat Johnson at full stretch Sean Bennie was on the goal-line to head it clear. Soon after, on 35 minutes, Forde chose to curl the next corner to the edge of the six-yard box where Bryan Wharton was quick off the mark to nod the ball down and into the far corner of the net.

The visitors went on the attack again only for Forde to drag his shot from 18 yards wide of target. Clark’s great ball to the near post for Danny McKenzie was blocked by Bennie at the expense of another corner which ended with the airborne Brownlie’s flying header flying past the post.

A lightning quick counter-attack initiated by Clark breaking from deep on the right and then playing a long one-two with Shaun Fraser to progress down the wing before picking out the incoming Forde in the box only for Pettigrew to block his shot before Johnson blocked the striker’s second attempt. Bennie headed the corner that followed clear of the box and when it was played back in Johnson leapt to pluck it out the air.

HT Glens 1 Pollok 1

The visitors were first to show in the second half with a long throw into a packed box and after a good old stramash Grant fired the loose ball over the ball.

The Glens responded through Rowe’s long and high clearance into Lok’s box where Murphy beat Brownlie to the ball before trying to chip it over Longmuir, now back-tracking to his goal-line, where the keeper with an outstretched arm managed to push it away from goal and for Wharton to mop up.

The home side pressed again through Rowe’s header in the box which was scrambled clear followed by Murphy’s teasing run into the box only for his shot, under pressure from 3 defenders, go high and wide.

Back came Pollok and Bradley’s header from a corner-kick dipped over the bar. On 53 minutes Forde’s powerful diagonal header from edge of the box crashed off the base of the post; the provider was of course Clark on the right.

Glens then enjoyed a good spell of pressure and pinned Pollok back in their box but without testing Longmuir. They came close on the hour mark when Bennie’s throw was won in the air by Rowe and the ball fell for Fotheringham in the six-yard box only for Wharton’s sliding tackle forcing him to stroke it inches wide of the post.

Played rage from end to end as both sides went in search of the winner but clear-cut chances were thin on the ground.  Although Fotheringham’s free kick from 30 yards beat the wall the ball nestled kindly into Longmuir’s bread basket. At the other end Clark set up Forde to blast a shot from 22 yards only for a deflection to send it wide and the corner-kick eventually cleared. Later Johnston punched a free-kick deep into the box from the head of MacKenzie.

Glens countered with Fotheringham’s break through the middle who released the ball to Murphy before being tripped by Clark but with no advantage played the advantage was lost! The free-kick into Lok’s was cleared for a corner which was cleared from the box.

On 73 minutes Pollok replaced Shaun Fraser with Johnny Lyon.

Glens continued to press with McKernon winning the ball and feeding Murphy to release Fotheringham for another powerful run into the box only for McGregor, the last defender, to clear for a shy which was launched into a packed box and cleared for another long throw with the same outcome. A Glens corner was then scrambled clear.

On 80 minutes Glens brought on Sam McKee for Jordan Ryan as the game continued to be played at a relentless pace.

The home side were pegging Pollok back into their own half and often deep in their own box but were only rewarded with a couple of corner-kicks for their efforts. Play then fell into the pattern of end-to-end with both defences remaining on top.

Pollok made two further changes in the closing minutes with Callum Graham replacing Adam Forde and Stuart McCann making way for Chris Duff.  Two minutes into added time Graham close to nicking the 3 points for the visitors but his close range header drifted wide of the post after another terrific ball from Clark.  At the other end the tireless Fotheringham and Murphy combined at the edge of the box only for the latter’s half-volley lack the power to test Longmuir.

FT Glens 1 Pollok 1

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC

1. Scott Johnston 4. Ollie Rowe 5. Ross Fisher 6. Craig Pettigrew 3. Alan Cairns; 2. Sean Bennie 7. Gregor Fotheringham 8. Jamie McKernon 11. Mark Gilmour; 9. Ryan Jordan (19. Sam McKee), 10. Leon Murphy. Subs: Callum Thomson, Darren Curtis, Scott Sherrie, Daniel Sloan (gk)

POLLOK

1. Jordan Longmuir 2. Matty Grant 3. Danny MacKenzie 4. Bryan Wharton 5. David Brownlie 6. Kyle Bradley 7. Derek Esplin 8. Ryan McGregor 9. Stuart McCann (12. Chris Duff) 10. Adam Forde (18. Callum Graham) 11. Shaun Fraser (16. Johnny Lyon). Subs: 14. Tommy Coyne 15. Jordan Moore 17. Evan Horne 21. Josh Lumsden

MATCH PHOTOS

Glenafton Athletic v Pollok