PDM Buildbase WOSFL | Match 32	23/04/2022 KO 2:00 pm	Holm Park, Clydebank
Clydebank	0 (0)
Glenafton Athletic	2 (0)	Murphy, McKee

Glenafton made two changes to the eleven that started in the cup tie away to East Kilbride Thistle last Saturday with Sean Bennie and Calum Thomson making way for David Blyth and Calvin Kemp. There were also a couple of formation changes with James Martin dropping back to right wing back and Jamie McKernon pairing up with Craig Pettigrew at the centre of defence. While up front there was a strike force of Hugh Kerr, Calvin Kemp and Sam McKee.

Meanwhile in the Clydebank dug-out were former Glenafton players Lee Gallacher and Bankies’ manager Gordon Moffat.

Although the home side kicked-off in the blazing sunshine accompanied with a swirling wind it was the visitors that were first to show with an early corner kick which Leon Murphy floated the ball into the heart of the six-yard box only to be punched clear by keeper Jamie Donnelly.

Clydebank countered with Nicky Little’s low angled shot from inside the box which was deflected wide for a corner. This was played short and after a couple of slick one-twos the ball fell for Kevin Green to get a shot away from 12 yards out that bounced off the surface and seemed to be net-bound only for David Markey to get down low at full stretch to finger-tip the ball round the post.

The corner that followed was headed clear at the near post by McKernon only to be recovered by Chris Black to drive it across the face of goal where James Martin did enough to prevent Ciaran Mulcahy get a tap in at the back post. Back came Bankies and after some head tennis in the box the ball landed at the feet of Little to drill his shot into the ground sending the ball into the air and falling kindly into the safe hands of Markey.

Play continued to ebb back and forth peppered with free kicks and with defences on top there were few clear-cut chances on show.  

On 20 minutes McKernon lashed a free kick from 35 yards that whistled inches wide of the post sparking a good spell for the visitors. Murphy then won Glens another corner that McKernon floated to the far corner of the six-yard box where Ollie Rowe’s header was deflected for another corner which was cleared by Little.

The home side were forced to make a change on 27 minutes with Lee Gallacher replacing the injured Hamish McKinlay.

Glens continued to press and Kerr’s break down the left ended with a clatter from Darroch and Murphy curled a free kick deep into the box where Rowe’s header sailed high over the bar.

Soon after another Murphy free-kick from the left was headed out for a throw on the right by Matt Niven that was quickly dispatched to Craig Pettigrew to whip the ball back into the box for McKee who skipped past Green only for his pass to Kerr to be cut out by Niven again. Back came Glens through McKee down the left giving Green the slip again and on this occasion his pass found Kerr deep in the box and with Darroch at his back the striker swivelled to get a shot away that Donnelly safely smothered.

The home side rallied in the closing five minutes. Gallacher from tight on the right floated a free kick deep into the box that Markey leapt unchallenged to clutch cleanly.  Darroch’s free kick from the centre circle into the box was headed goalward by Mulcahy only to be headed clear by Pettigrew. The ball was quickly recovered by Bankies and played to the edge of the box where Little’s shot, under pressure from Pettigrew, was mopped up by Markey.  In the final action of the half another Darroch free kick into the box saw Rowe rise head and shoulders above Slattery and Mulcahy to send the ball to safety.

HT Bankies 0 Glens 0

Bankies brought on striker Ross McPherson for Liam McGonigle at the break. Calvin Kemp kicked off the second half and two minutes later he was brought down in the box after a great move down the left by the visitors. McKee picked up the ball in the centre circle and played a one-two with Murphy to progress down the left to the corner of the penalty box where Black and Slattery closed him down. Murphy burst down the flank on the overlap taking Black with him while McKee dipped inside Slattery to clip a ball into the box where Kemp emerged from a Little & Darroch sandwich with the ball forcing keeper Donnelly to rush out the six-yard box and send the Glens striker with the ball at crashing to the ground.

Up stepped Jamie McKernon to fire the spot kick to the keeper’s right only for Donnelly to save and seemingly keep the scores level before the assistant referee’s flag signalled a re-take for the keeper coming off his line.

Penalty duties were transferred to Leon Murphy and in a flash, he sent the keeper the wrong way to put the Glens 1-0 up on 49 minutes.

Despite the scorching heat the game still raged back and forth and was still peppered with niggling free-kicks.

McHugh down the left whipped a great ball into the box which Markey welcomed into his arms as McPherson threatened.  Blyth then pushed through the middle for the Glens but was robbed of the ball by Little in the centre circle and the loose ball was recovered by McHugh to slip it forward to Slattery but by the time he had progressed to edge of the box Blyth had burst a lung to chase him down, win the ball back and pick out Kerr upfield; a fine example of the work-rate throughout the Glens side.

Indeed, Glens began to get on top for a spell with the best form of defence being attack.  However, on the hour mark the game was up for Calvin Kemp having failed to recover from a couple of knocks and he was replaced with Ryan Nisbet.

Bankies enjoyed a decent spell of pressure without getting the better of the Glens defence from open play while Markey’s flawless handling of a number of set-pieces floated deep into the box was proving a source of frustration for the home side. Midway through the half the keeper then blocked a fierce low angled shot with his feet after a great run into the box by Mulcahy.

Glens responded through McKee picking out Nisbet to beat the offside trap and show Niven a clean pair of heels before lashing a shot from 22 yards that Donnelly leapt to push over the bar with both hands. The keeper then clutched the corner kick from the head of Rowe.

On 70 minutes Bankies replaces Oision McHugh with Kyle Munro while Glens brought on Ross Fisher for David Blyth.

A couple of corners in quick succession for the Bankies saw the first comfortably gathered by Markey while the second saw Darroch’s header whizz through a packed six-yard box and appeared to bounce off the inside of the back post before the loose ball was hooked clear by Pettigrew.

Glens countered through Murphy gathering the ball on the outskirts of the Glens box and pushing forward to the centre circle before picking out Nisbet with a peach of pass to hare upfield and giving Munro the slip before firing from 15 yards out only for his shot to curl wide of the post.

On 78 minutes Glens made their final change with Aaron Miller coming on for Alan Cairns who had put in a tremendous shift and suffered one knock too many to limp off.

Darroch got on the end of Gallacher’s corner kick but headed the ball over the bar under pressure from Rowe.

Markey launched a long ball down the left for Nisbet to chase and with Niven closing him down at the corner of the box he opted to lob the advancing keeper but the ball bounced wide of target. Fisher’s clearance from Gallacher was mishit by Darroch in the centre-circle and Nisbet switched on the after-burners to break down the right only for his attempt to square the ball for Kerr to be intercepted by the keeper.

Bankies made a sustained push in the closing five minutes pegging the Glens back as they went in search of a late equaliser and came close to finding it two minutes from time. Gallacher teed up McPherson on the edge of the box but his low shot was deflected wide. McPherson then head-flicked on Gallacher’s corner kick from the near side corner of the six yard and from 8 yards out Mulcahy’s powerful header that looked net-bound only for Markey to make a stunning reflex save and push the ball over the bar with an outstretched arm. This corner was scrambled clear and recovered by Black to burst down the right and whip the ball deep into the box where Niven’s header fell into the hands of Markey.

In the last minute of regulation time Markey launched the ball high upfield where Kerr, with Green at his back, got a touch to deflect it into the path of Sam McKee. The young striker burst upfield unimpeded into the box where he took a clever touch to avoid the incoming sliding tackle from the back-tracking Darroch before guiding the ball into the net beyond the reach of the advancing Donnelly. The goal celebrations were subdued slightly as cramp kicked in.  

Back to winning ways in the league with a Pl7 W5 D1 L1 in their last seven games.

FT Clydebank 0 Glenafton 2

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC

1. David Markey 2. James Martin 6. Jamie McKernon 4. Craig Pettigrew (c ) 3. Alan Cairns (16. Aaron Miller) 7. David Blyth (12. Ryan Nisbet) 8. Ollie Rowe 5. Leon Murphy; 9. Hugh Kerr 10. Calvin Kemp (17. Ross Fisher) 11. Sam McKee. Subs Not Used: 14. Sean Bennie 15. Calum Thomson  18. Mark Gilmour 21. James Hart (gk) Scott Johnson (gk)

CLYDEBANK

1. Jamie Donnelly 18. Kevin Green 15. Oisin McHugh (19. Kyle Munro) 4. Matt Niven 5. Jamie Darroch 16. Chris Black 8. Joe Slattery 10. Nicky Little (c) 9. Ciaran Mulcahy 24. Hamish McKinlay (25. Lee Gallacher) 11. Liam McGonigle (27. Ross McPherson). Subs not used: 20. Jamie Stevenson (gk) 3. Paul Byrne 21. Matthew McLean 23. Liam Harris

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Clydebank v Glenafton Athletic