PDM Buildbase WOSFL | Match 30	02/04/2022 KO 2:00 pm	Bellsdale Park, Beith
Beith Juniors	1 (0)	Fowler
Glenafton Athletic	3 (1)	Rowe, Fisher, Murphy

Glenafton made one change to the 11 that started against Cumnock Juniors last Saturday with keeper David Markey returning from suspension and James Hart returning to the bench. Also on the bench for the Glens was midweek signing striker Calvin Kemp. Meanwhile, in the Beith line-up was former Glenafton midfielder Ally Park.

Beith kicked off, up the slope on a crisp and sunny Spring Saturday. The visitors were quick to settle and enjoyed a good deal of the early possession not giving the home side any time to dwell on the ball with keeper Dale Burgess in particular having to clear his lines in jig time.  Nevertheless, it was that evergreen Beith striker Kenny McLean that was first to hit the target when his header from Jordan Duffy’s cross fell comfortably into the hands of David Markey.

On 12 minutes David Blyth nicked the ball from the feet of Jordon Duffy and then weaved his way past Paul Frize before laying the ball inside for Leon Murphy to gather at the half-way line. The midfielder then pushed forward and slipped a great ball down the left wing to match Hugh Kerr’s run enabling the striker to drive to the outskirts of the box before whipping a great ball to the back post for the incoming Sam McKee only for Kai Pearson to intervene and send a diving header flying inches wide of his own goal.

Blyth’s floated the corner to the far end of the six-yard box and with Ollie Rowe timing his run to perfection he arrived as scheduled to rise above three static defenders and head the ball over the keeper at the near post across for Kerr at the back post only for Pearson to get a touch and deflect the ball wide. On this occasion Burgess clutched Blyth’s corner kick unchallenged. Soon after the keeper handled Mark Gilmour’s shot from 30 yards with the same dexterity.

Beith countered through Ally Park picking up the ball in the centre circle and clipping it out to the left for Frize to push up the wing and cut a low cross deep into the box for McLean to take a touch before it fell for Josh Fowler on the edge of the six-yard box with Craig Pettigrew for company. The Glens captain managed to disarm the immediate danger before the ball was eventually cleared after a good old 3-a-side stramash.

On 20 minutes Glens won a shy on the right, in line with the 18-yard box. Sean Bennie launched the throw high into the box and although the ball dropped over the head of Kerr and his marker it took a big bounce forcing Calum Watt in the six-yard box to intervene as Murphy threatened. He headed the ball high into the air pulling a great save out of his keeper who managed to push it onto the bar and then fall to the ground to grab it with both hands preventing Kerr from poking it home from 2 yards out.

At the other end Watt won a corner-kick which was played to Park at the near post only to be cleared by Rowe and although the home side regained possession it soon changed hands again as the Glens defence stood firm.

Glens began to press with attacks down both flanks and on 27 minutes they broke the deadlock. It began from a throw-in from the left where Alan Cairns picked out Kerr only for the striker to be closed down by Pearson and Park and so he returned the ball to Cairns who took a touch to send Park the wrong way before curling a great ball into the box where Ollie Rowe, close to the penalty spot, got the jump on Duffy and head the ball beyond the reach of Burgess and taking a bounce before nestling in the net for the big man’s 7^th goal of the season.

The visitors kept the pressure on chasing down every ball and drawing some unforced errors from their hosts albeit without creating any clear-cut chances.

Beith got their bearings and started to ascend the slope through Del Hepburn breaking up the left and whipping the to the back post for McLean only for Cairns to intercept and head out for a corner. Hepburn’s kick to back post was headed clear by Fisher and the ball eventually recovered by Duffy who forced his way to the bye-line only to be robbed by Pettigrew at the expense of a throw which was gathered by Frize who held off a number of defenders before floating the ball across the face of goal but with no takers Park had to chase it to the far touchline only for Rowe to follow suit and with a sliding tackle knock the ball out for a throw.

The hosts continued to press for an equaliser before the break without testing the keeper and Glens finished the half on the front foot with a couple of set pieces that were both well defended.

HT Beith 0 Glens 1  

Glens were now playing up the slope and any fears that their tempo would drop were soon allayed with powerful and determined running from full backs, midfield and forwards. Indeed, it was often the case with Beith chasing the game that defenders tracking back were often left chasing the long shadows up the slope.

Bennie and the jet McKee combined up the right before the latter was impeded on the outskirts of the box. Murphy curled the free kick into a busy box from where Kerr’s header flew wide of the post. At the other end Markey plucked a Beith corner from under his bar. Glens replied with two corners of their own that were repelled. Soon after Murphy on the left, weaved his way to the bye-line before clipping the ball into the box for Kerr only for his volley from 8 yards to drift wide of the post.

Glens continued to press and a lung bursting run up the left by Bennie earned a corner kick. Although Blyth overhit it, McKee chased after the ball with Frize on his heels and prevented a throw-in before turning to head for goal. He then skipped past Frize and from the edge of the box cut the ball back to Pettigrew 10 yards from goal and with four defenders in the six-yard box he picked out Ross Fisher on the edge of the box who coolly back-heeled the ball into the net.  Glens 2-0 up on 55 minutes.

The visitors’ tails were up and soon after McKee and Kerr combined brilliantly to work the ball deep into the box only for Kerr’s cut-back to fall between McKee and Murphy. Another break up the left from Murphy saw his cross into the box trapped well by Blyth only for his shot to drift wide of the post.

Some respite, it seemed, for Beith winning a corner only for Pettigrew to whip the ball from the feet of Fowler at the near post and pick out Blyth on the right wing and with Duffy at his back he laid it off to Bennie. The marauding fullback instantly arrowed a 25 yard pass up the hill to McKee to gather and skip past a defender to drive into the box and from the bye-line tried to pick out the incoming Blyth only for Park to clear the danger at the expense of the corner. This was the Glens young guns at their best and as rewarding to watch as a goal. Blyth then dropped the corner on the head of Rowe in the six-yard box only for Burgess to hold the header.

Beith made their first substitution with Kevin Watt replacing Kai Pearson on the hour mark.

Played rage back and forth for a time with the visitors still looking the most dangerous. Blyth, from the centre circle, took three defenders out of play to release Kerr for a free run into the box only for his cut-back to be deflected into Burgess’s arms by McMahon.

The home side then conjured up their best move of the game so far. Hepburn burst down the left at speed and midway into the Glens’ half he squared the ball inside to Kevin Watt who rolled it back to Calum Watt to fashion a perfectly ball to pick out Hepburn at the corner of the box who then threaded a great pass between two defenders for Fowler to take a touch before firing a low angled shot which Markey did well to get down and hold.

Back came Glens and Pettigrew met a corner on the drop sending the ball high into the air and Burgess with Kerr on the goal did well to rise and clutch the ball safely before falling awkwardly.

At the other end Hepburn and Kevin Watt played a neat one-two down which ended with Markey smothering Hepburn’s low shot from a tight angle.

Beith made another change with Jordan Duffy making way for Lewis Barclay but before he could settle into the game the Glens increased their lead.

On 73 minutes Fisher launched a long ball up the right over the heads of two defenders for McKee to trap brilliantly and cut inside past said two defenders before playing a short one-two with Kerr and then clipping a forward diagonal ball, taking out three other defenders, to match Leon Murphy’s run to the left-hand side of the box who then drilled a low shot past the advancing keeper that found the gaping net via the inside of the back post.

Soon after Glens brought on Ryan Nisbet for David Blyth who left the field to a well earned round of applause from the travelling support and the dug-out. While Beith made their final changes with player/manager Bryan Young replacing Ally Park.

Nisbet was soon in the thick of the action after collecting a header from Fisher on the half-way line. He quickly clipped the ball up the wing into acres of space for McKee to chase down before sprinting upfield into the heart of the box where he met McKee’s cross only for his header to be blocked by Burgess and then collect the loose ball.

The keeper then rolled the ball out to Hepburn who weaved his way free from a clutch of three Glens players before breaking forward to the centre circle and hitting a glorious ball downfield for Young to gather on the right-hand side of the box and whip a wicked all into the six yard box where Josh Fowler bulleted a header into the corner of the net. Beith 1 Glens 3 with 10 minutes to go.

Three minutes later the home side had a glorious chance to pull another goal back after the keeper’s long punt into the box was nodded down by Fowler into the path of Kevin Watt, but by the time he had controlled the ball Fisher was in place to block his shot on the six-yard line.

Glens recovered from the wobble. Murphy trapped a high ball tight on the left touchline at the half-way line and sold a defender a dummy before pushing forward and switching the play to the right of the penalty box for Nisbet to snap up and cut inside past Barclay before firing wide of target under pressure from Danny O’Neill.

At the other end Calum Watt and McLean combined well to work their way into the box by the Pettigrew Fisher combo stood strong and cleared the danger.

In a frantic final five minutes play ebbed back and forth and Nisbet was unlucky not to add a fourth on the final minute of the regulation ninety. Deep in his own half, he intercepted a cross-field pass to Hepburn and bombed upfield slipping the ball past one side of Barclay before sprinting past him on the other to re-unite with the ball and then burst into the right-hand side of the box where his shot from a tight angle was tipped over the bar by Burgess.

The visitors kept control of the ball throughout added-time to finish worthy winners.

FT Beith 1 Glenafton 3

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC

1. David Markey; 2. Sean Bennie 5. Ross Fisher 4. Craig Pettigrew 3. Alan Cairns; 7. David Blyth (12. Ryan Nisbet) 6. Ollie Burke 8. Mark Gilmour 11. Leon Murphy; 9. Hugh Kerr 10. Sam McKee. Subs Not Used: 14. Calvin Kemp 15. James Martin 16. Aaron Miller 17. Calum Thomson 18. Darren Curtis, James Hart (gk)

BEITH JUNIORS

: 1. Dale Burgess 2. Larry McMahon 3. Jordan Duffy (14. Lewis Barclay) 4. Danny O’Neill 5. Kai Pearson (18. Kevin Watt) 6. Ally Park (16. Bryan Young) 7. Calum Watt 8. Paul Frize 9. Kenny McLean 10. Josh Fowler 11. Del Hepburn. Subs Not Used: 12. Dean McBride 15. Calum Imrie 17. Jordon Hood 19. Aiden Wood (gk)

Match Photos

Beith Juniors v Glenafton Athletic