PDM Buildbase WOSFL | Match 19	04/12/2021 KO 1:30 pm	Loch Park, New Cumnock
Glenafton Athletic	1 (1)	McKee
Largs Thistle	3 (1)	W. Sewell, McGoldrick 2

Glens hosted Largs with three new signings in the side – goalkeeper David Markey from Irvine Meadow, striker Hugh Kerr from Rossvale and midfielder Ryan Nisbet from Troon in his second spell at the club.

Thick cloud overhead and a rain-soaked pitch underfoot was the order of the 90 minutes that lay ahead.

Glens were first to show after Nisbet intercepted a Largs short pass on the half-way line and burst upfield into the box only for George Sewell to boot the ball clear.  Under the conditions play laboured from end to end, halted occasionally with free-kicks for both sides. 

On 8 minutes Sam McKee slipped the ball to Hugh Kerr who pushed forward before giving a defender the slip and thumping a shot from 25 yards out that sailed over the bar. Glens pressed again without fashioning an effort at goal as McGoldrick nicked the ball from the feet of McKee.

Largs then broke upfield with good passing play that stretched the Glens defence but here too the move ended without the keeper being tested.

A Glens free-kick from close to the centre-circle was floated into a packed Largs box and after some head tennis between Ross Fisher and Ollie Rowe the ball fell at the feet of Kerr but his shot from the penalty spot was well blocked. The loose ball fell for Leon Murphy at the corner of the six yard box and his shot was bravely blocked by Laurie McMaster sending the ball high into the air and it was Murphy that met it on the drop but his volley flew high over the bar.

Glens pushed down the left and Ryan Nisbet curled the ball into the six yard box with no takers other than safe hands of the keeper Jamie McGowan. Largs countered with a break down the left which ended with a shot from the edge of the box that drifted wide of the post.

On 16 minutes Craig Pettigrew broke threw the middle before picking out Nisbet on the left hand side of the box who curled the ball past the keeper into the net but the offside flag had already been raised beforehand.

Play went back and forth with both sides trying to make the most of the conditions without success in terms of creating any chances of note.

The visitors then enjoyed a good spell of pressure which saw them breach the Glens defence and fashion a shot from the corner of the six-yard box that pulled off a fine point blank save from David Markey. The loose ball was scrambled clear to the left-hand side of the box where the attempt to clip it back into the danger area saw the ball soar high into the air and then drop for Will Sewell, only for his volley to be deflected off Alan Cairns’ back and eventually cleared.

Back came Largs and a high ball into the box was headed into the net by Sean McLeod, but like Nisbet’s effort at the other end, the flag was up well in advance. For Glens Nisbet broke down the left at speed only for his square ball into the box to be cut out by McGoldrick.

On 35 minutes the home side broke the deadlock. Markey launched a long ball upfield which was missed in the air by the leaps of both Kerr and Connor McGoldrick at the outskirts of the box and bounced into the box where Sam McKee was quick off the mark to beat George Sewell to the ball and clip an angled shot past the advancing keeper.

Glens pressed again and Kerr’s perseverance down the left saw him hold off a clutch of defenders before whipping a high ball to the back post which had keeper McGowan back tracking and although he couldn’t get a hand to it the ball drifted wide but was quickly recovered by the home side. Murphy picked out Kerr, now on the penalty spot, who was soon confronted with no fewer than four defenders who finally stripped him of the ball.  

Despite this pressure the visitors countered and levelled the match on 41 minutes. A ball from wide on the left aimed for McLeod at the back post was headed wide by Cairns. The corner kick was won in the air by Will Sewell at the back post and although his powerful header was well saved by Markey the striker pounced to drill the loose ball into the roof of the net.

Prior to the break Glens earned a corner-kick that was headed clear at the near post.

HT Glens 1 Largs 1

Nisbet won a corner on the left for the Glens in the opening minutes of the new half and took the kick which was headed clear for another corner on the right. However, Nisbet pulled up in some discomfort and was replaced by David Blyth. Murphy’s corner kick was headed clear and after a scramble the ball fell for Rowe on the edge of the six-yard box to lob the advancing keeper, only for it to drop over the bar.

On 51 minutes Largs took the lead from a corner-kick on the left which saw Connor McGoldrick leap high to nod home from six yards out with the referee disinterested in Ross Fisher’s valid claim of being used as a launch pad.

The visitors continued to press through quick breaks down both flanks with Markey clutching a cross from the right and then Pettigrew cutting out a cross from the left.  Soon after Thistle won a free kick on the outskirts of the box but No. 10 drilled it straight into the wall.

Just shy of the hour mark Largs brought on Kier Milliken for Bradley Gray.

Glens came back into the game without creating any efforts from open play while those from set pieces, a free-kick and a couple of corner kicks, were well defended by Largs. Similarly at the other end Fisher’s perfectly timed tackle prevented a free run in on goal from a Largs attack.

On 72 minutes Glens brought on Jordan Ryan for Sam McKee but three minutes later Largs extended their lead with a touch of the bizarre.

The game had stopped to attend to the injured McLeod after which he headed for the left touch-line only to be sent back to the right-touch line. Play restarted and Largs floated a ball deep into the box that Markey raced to punch out the box at which time the referee signalled that the Largs player could return to the field of play which he did in style, the ‘magic sponge‘ saw him sprint out the traps and bolt for 20 yards to snap up the ball generating some good spirited banter between both sets of supporters. However, the smiles were soon of the Glens fans’ faces after he forced his way up the right flank before whipping a wicked ball into the box where McGoldrick struck it sweetly into the net with a low shot from 12 yards outs.

With their tails up Largs went on the hunt for a fourth and after breaking down the left Jack Haggarty cut inside to unleash a ferocious shot that was blocked by Pettigrew.

Although Glens got back into the game in terms of possession neither side created any further chances of note other than in added time when Ryan’s effort from the corner of the six yard box curled inches wide of the far post.

FT Glens 1 Largs 3

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC

1.David Markey 2. Sean Bennie 4. Ross Fisher 6. Craig Pettigrew 3. Alan Cairns 7. Ryan Nisbet (14. David Blyth) 5. Ollie Rowe 8. Mark Gilmour 11. Leon Murphy 9. Hugh Kerr 10. Sam McKee (15. Jordan Ryan). Subs. Scott Sherrie, Calum Thomson, Aaron Miller, Daniel Sloan (gk)

LARGS THISTLE

1. Jamie McGowan 2. Brad Gray (15. Kier Milliken) 3. Laurie McMaster 4. Connor McGoldrick 5. George Sewell 6. Stuart Faulds 7. Jack Haggarty 8. Simon McBryde 9. Will Sewell 10. Bair MacIntrye (17. Craig Forbes) 11. Sean McLeod (14. Jamie Ballantyne) Subs: 12. Scott Adam 14. Jamie Ballantyne 15. Kier Milliken 17. Craig Forbes 18. Taylor Lindsay 23. Danny Farrell