PDM Buildbase WOSFL | Match 21	15/01/2022 KO 1:30 pm	Loch Park, New Cumnock
Glenafton Athletic	1 (0)	Rowe
Kilwinning Rangers	2 (1)	Ramsay, Collins

Too late too little for Glens

Prior to kick-off there was a minute’s silence to mark the passing of Jock McKnight, a lifelong Glenafton supporter and Billy Moffat, of the great Glenafton side of the late 1950s/60s/

Early pressure from the home side earned a corner kick after Leon Murphy curled a wicked ball into the box from the right only for keeper Jamie Barclay to see it late before pushing it round the post at full stretch.  After some head tennis in the box the Buffs cleared the danger and soon after won their first corner which was punched clear by former Kilwinning keeper David Markey, while the another one after that came to nothing.

The visitors enjoyed a good spell of pressure and on 15 minutes came close after a quick break down the left ended which ended with a perfectly weighted cross deep into the box for the incoming David Ramsay and although he beat the outrushing keeper to the ball his header looped high and wide of the target.

An early enforced substitution for the Buffs with Ben Lewis replacing the injured Carlo Monti.

Buffs continued to press and two other corners were repelled by Glens the latter mopped up by Sean Bennie to release James Martin on another powerful run down the left wing from box to box before squaring for Sam McKee on the edge of the box to turn and drag a low shot wide of target.

The home side then dominated possession for a time without however creating any clear-cut chances. On 30 minutes Hugh Kerr won a free-kick 30 yards from goal after a determined run through the middle, holding off a host of defenders. Jamie McKernon floated the ball into the box which was headed straight back out to him by David Syme and his attempt still from 30 yards out sailed over the bar.

Back came the Glens and after some good build up play McKernon with a peach of a pass from the centre circle released Alan Cairns in space down the left wing who took a touch before clipping the ball into the box where Kerr in a pocket of defenders rolled it back to McKee to side-foot a low shot from 16 yards out only to be foiled by a great save from Barclay, again palming it out for a corner that was scrambled clear.

McKernon then floated another free-kick into the box which saw Barclay rush out the six-yard box to punch it away with both fists and set up a blistering counter-attack down the left by Ally McColm only to overhit the high cross into the box allowing Markey to clutch it cleanly before Tom Collins arrived.

A minute later down the same left wing Chris McGowan’s throw in was quickly returned to him before he launched the ball into the six-yard box where David Ramsay got between Cairns and Markey to head the ball home. Buffs 1-0 on 36 minutes.

The visitors’ tails were up and soon after another well-built counter-attack from box-to-box including some fine control from Collins on the half-way line. From here he threaded a glorious pass down the right giving Ramsay a free run into the box to fire an angled shot only for Bennie, who had tracked across from his right back position, to head it wide for a corner. A left off for Glens when Syme’s free-header from six yards flew well wide of the post.

In all but the last action of the half another break-down the right saw Ramsay turn provider and slip the ball into the box for Lewis Gardiner only for Markey to rush from his line to block his shot taking a sore one on the chest for his trouble.

HT Glens 0 Buffs 1

Within a minute of the restart Kilwinning doubled their lead. Syme clipped a ball into the box and after a couple of attempted clearances it fell for McColm on the outskirts who zipped it back in for Ricky Hanvey and with Craig Pettigrew closing down he squared it to Collins who curled the ball beyond Markey at full stretch and into the far corner of the net.

Glens responded well. A Buffs free kick into the box was cleared by Ross Fisher and picked up by McKee on the goal side of the centre circle from where he set off on a tremendous run to the edge of the Buffs box before giving a clutch of defenders the slip to get to the bye-line and send a great ball over the head of the keeper at the near post and although Ollie Rowe got the jump on McGowan his header dipped over the bar.

Glens continued to press. Murphy curled a free kick from 25 yards over the wall and inches wide of the junction of post and bar. McKernon’s corner was won in the air by Kerr only for Barclay to get both hands to his header from 8 yards out.

The Buffs began to get back into the game as play now went back and forth with both sides creating a couple of half chances.  

On 65 minutes Ramsay’s close-range header lacked the power to test Markey while at the other Murphy cut in from the right to drill a low shot from 20 yards that was comfortably stopped by Barclay. Kerr then burst into the left-hand side of the box and squared it for the incoming Murphy only for McGowan to nick if from his feet to clear at the expense of a corner which was headed clear by Syme.

On 70 minutes Glens were forced to make a change after Jamie McKernon picked up and injury and was replaced by Gregor Fotheringham and Ryan Nisbet came on for Sam McKee.

Pressure from Buffs saw Glens struggle to clear their lines and the ball eventually fell for Lewis only for Bennie to block his shot from the edge of the box. Soon after Lewis was brought down at the edge of the box by Fisher but Syme blasted the free-kick straight into the wall.

Glens pushed forward and Nisbet on the right clipped a good ball into the box for Fotheringham only for his header to fall into the arms of Barclay.

Both sides used up their remining substitutions with 15 minutes to go.  Glens brought on Jordan Ryan for James Martin while Buffs replaced Lewis Gardiner with Struan McArthur and Tom Collins with David Anderson.

McArthur’s run into the edge of the box ended with his shot slipping wide of the post and one soon after from outside the box suffered the same fate.

On 88 minutes Glens halved the deficit. Bennie’s long throw into a packed box was headed clear and then picked up by Murphy to square to Bennie who chipped a great ball back into the goal mouth where Ollie Rowe leapt, shoulders and a bit more above Hanvey to bullet an unstoppable header home from six yards out.

In the last action of the match Cairns floated a free-kick into the box which Kerr nodded down into the six-yard box where Rowe came within inches of getting an outstretched to guide it home.

FT Glens 1 Kilwinning 2

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC

1. Davie Markey; 2. Sean Bennie  5.Ross Fisher 6. Craig Pettigrew 3. Alan Cairns; 11. Leon Murphy 4. Ollie Rowe 8. Jamie McKernon (17. Gregor Fotheringham) 7. James Martin (16. Jordan Ryan); 9. Hugh Kerr, 10. Sam McKie (14. Ryan Nisbet). Subs Not Used: David Blyth 18. Calum Thomson 21. Daniel Sloan

KILWINNING RANGERS

1. Jamie Barclay 2. Adam Caldwell 3. Chris McGowan 4, David Syme 5. A. Trialist 6. Ricky Hanvey 7. Cartlo Monto (14. Ben Lewis) 8. Lewis Gardiner (16. Struan McArthur) 9. David Ramsay 10. Thomas Collins (12. David Anderson) 11. Ally McColm