PDM Buildbase WOSFL | Match 35	14/05/2022 KO 2:00 pm	Loch Park, New Cumnock
Glenafton Athletic	3 (2)	McKee, Kerr, Rowe
Beith Juniors	2 (1)	Fowler, Frize

Glenafton made one change from the 11 that started at Largs on Wednesday evening with Mark Gilmour coming in for the suspended Calvin Kemp.

The home side got off to a lively start with a couple of free kicks into the box, the first of which ended with Ollie Rowe’s header sailing over the bar and the second saw Hugh Kerr come within a whisker of getting an outstretched leg to the ball in front of goal.  From open play Jordan Ryan burst into the box and his angled shot pulled off a good save from keeper Aidan Winning before spotting the offside flag. Soon after, Kerr killed the ball before picking out Leon Murphy on the edge of the box with a peach of a pass and after taking a touch his low drilled shot was stopped on the six yard line by the sole of Winning’s boot.

The visitors had fashioned some decent breaks particularly on the left wing through Del Hepburn albeit without leading to any shots on target. However, on 17 minutes Hepburn intercepted a Glens clearance in the centre circle where he clipped a great ball forward for Josh Fowler to chase down and after bursting between two defenders, he let the ball take a bounce just inside the box before lobbing a perfectly weighted ball over keeper David Markey on the six-yard line and into the net. An exquisite finish and back-to-back goals against the Glens for the young striker.

Glens responded well and Ryan’s runs were keeping the Beith defence on their toes, one of which ended with Winning taking a knock to his head after bravely diving at the striker’s feet to grab the ball. Jamie McKernon floated a corner-kick into a packed six-yard box and it was Sean Bennie that won the aerial battle only for his header to drift wide of the back post.

Back came Beith, building from the back, with Jay McKay spraying passes as they pushed forward but the end product fell short. Similarly, two corner-kicks came and went without testing Markey.

Glens also struggled and their counter-attacks tended to fizzle out before any clear-cut chances were created. However, that all changed on 38 minutes when the home side got back on level terms.

Mark Gilmour, from deep and wide on the left, launched a high ball into the Beith box where Kerr, on the penalty spot and sandwiched between two defenders leapt for the ball only for Winning to rush from his line and although he got to the ball, it rolled out of his outstretched arms and onto the ground. Sam McKee managed to gain control of the ball and took a step to the side before lashing a shot from 10 yards out that was beyond the reach of the keeper’s outstretched arm and whizzed past Steven Noble in the six-yard box and into the gaping net.

The visitors were immediately on the front foot through McKay releasing Dean McBride to drive down the right where Gilmour cut out his cross. The corner kick that followed fell for Calum Watt to hook a first time shot that was blocked in a busy six-yard box.  Another break down the right saw the ball played inside for Fowler only for Craig Pettigrew to intercept and clear the danger. Soon after Hepburn from the left whipped a ball to the back post which was clutched cleanly by Markey as Kevin Watt threatened.

The keeper then launched the ball high upfield where Ryan leapt from between Noble and McGlinchley to head flick the ball on for Kerr. While Noble stopped to appealfor offside, McGlinchey gave chase as Kerr broke into the box where from 12 yards out he clipped the ball over the head of the advancing keeper and into the empty net to put the Glens in front on 44 minutes. 

HT Glens 2 Beith 1

The visitors made a change at the break with Lewis Barclay making way for Jason Duffy.

Winning and Markey comfortably saved early half chances from a Ryan header and a Kevin Watt shot respectively before the Glens doubled their lead on 51 minutes.

Murphy on the left played the ball inside to McKee who then slipped it to Ryan on the right-hand corner of the box to thump a low angled shot that Winning did well to get down low to block and Noble cleared the loose ball. Glens quickly recovered the ball tight on the right touchline where McKee and Kerr played a one-two before the former lobbed the ball back into the busy box where Ryan back-heeled the ball high into the air and on its descent Rowe, with his back to goal and two defenders for company, killed the ball on his chest and as it dropped swivelled to strike an unstoppable shot into the net from 8 yards out. A stunning strike for his ninth goal of the season.

Two minutes later however the Mighty halved the deficit. Kevin Watt broke into the right-hand side of box but with Bennie in close attention he was forced to retreat and roll the ball back to Frize on the outskirts of the “D” who quickly clipped it to Hepburn at the left hand corner of the box. From here he cut inside, taking two Glens players out of play, before squaring the ball to Frize who met it first time and leathered a cracking shot through a ruck of players into corner of the net from 22 yards out.

The visitors’ tails were up and they pegged the Glens deep into their own for a good ten-minute spell. A Hepburn corner was headed clear by McKernon at the near post and soon after Markey snatched the ball from the feet of Fowler at the same time. During this period full back Dean McBride suffered a bad knock and was clearly in some distress and was replaced by striker Andy Reid.

Some respite for the Glens through Murphy breaking up the left where he won a throw which Gilmour launched to the corner of the six-yard box for Kerr to head on and although Ryan got a touch the keeper was quick off his line to gather the loose ball.

At the other end McKay, from wide on the right, whipped a ball to the back post and although James Martin got his head to it Duffy got his head to the clearance send in the ball high and wide of target.

Ryan then chased down a ball in the Beith box with Calum Watt and Nobel in attendance. He gave the former the slip and then survived a push from the latter before being booked for diving after McKay’s tackle.

Defences remained on top for long spells as play raged from end to end. Although Beith appeared to have the lion’s share of possession with their methodical build up play the Glens seemed to have the better of the half chances.

On 75 minutes McKernon from the centre circle floated a free-kick into the left-hand side of the box where Rowe rose unchallenged to head it high into the six-yard box where Winning punched it clear from the head of Ryan only for it to fall for Kerr to swivel and lash a shot over the bar from 10 yards out.  Soon after Ryan’s cross into the box was headed clear by Noble as far at the “D” where Rowe met it on the drop only for his shot to be headed clear by Noble again.

Beith then pressed for a spell and although Reid intercepted a clearance by Markey on the bye-line before cutting the ball across the face of the empty goal there with no team-mates in the danger area and Gilmour mopped up the danger.

Kerr then cut out a McKay pass in the centre circle and slipped the ball to McKernon before breaking into the box along-side Ryan and it was the latter that picked up the forward pass from McKernon but his cut-back into the six-yard box drifted high over the bar and he pulled up quickly in some pain.

Beith countered through McKay picking out Kevin Watt on the outskirts of the box and with way forward blocked by Pettigrew he slipped the ball wide for the incoming Duffy to fire a shot from the 18-yard line which Markey cleanly clutched under the bar

On 83 minutes the game was up for Jordan Ryan having chased down every ball sent his way and was forced to limp off with Ryan Nisbet taking his place.

A minute later Beith came within a whisker of drawing level. Kevin Watt picked up a pass from Hepburn and from the right-hand corner of the six-yard box turned to whip a ball to the back post where Fowler and Reid were placed but the latter’s attempt to force the ball over the line was blocked by Bennie sending the ball dipping over the bar. Fowler and Reid held their heads in their hands while Bennie puffed out his cheeks before exhaling his sense of relief! The corner that followed in comparison proved to be an anti-climax as Markey grabbed the ball unchallenged.

At the other end Nisbet won a corner-kick that was headed clear by McGlinchey only to be recovered by McKee who played a couple of one-two’s with McKernon to release Murphy down the left to win another corner which was headed over the bar by Kerr.

Beith responded through a mazy run by McKay wide the right giving two Glens players the slip before cutting inside and clipping the ball into the six yard box but again there were no takers other than Markey’s bread-basket.

In the last minute of regulation time Frize curled a ball to the back post for the incoming Fowler only for Bennie to head out of play for a corner and it was Bennie that headed that clear from the same post. Frize recovered the ball only to be robbed by Rowe albeit at the expense of another corner which McGlinchey headed high into the air and Markey, surrounded by 3 players from each side, kept his cool to welcome the dropping ball into his hands.  Beith continued to press and Callum Watt clipped a ball into the box for Fowler but again Benne headed clear only for it to be returned for him to win another header before the Glens gained control of the ball after McKay’s foul on Kerr on defensive duties.  

Glens took full advantage of the break and won back-to-back throw-ins down the left only yards from the corner flag. Frustration then set in as feet were taken from Murphy but there was no time to take the free kick as the referee’s whistle brought proceedings to an end on 93 minutes.

FT Glens 3 Beith 2

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC

1. David Markey 2. James Martin 4. Craig Pettigrew 5. Sean Bennie 3. Mark Gilmour; 7. Sam McKee 6. Jamie McKernon 8. Ollie Rowe 11. Leon Murphy;  9. Hugh Kerr 10. Jordan Ryan (12. Ryan Nisbet) Subs: 14. David Blyth 15. Darren Curtis 16. Aaron Miller 17. Calum Thomson 21. James Hart (gk)

BEITH JUNIORS

1. Aidrian Winning 2. Dean McBride (14. Andy McBride) 4. Steven Noble 5. Conner McGlinchey 3. Lewis Barclay (15. Jordan Duffy) 7. Calum Watt 6. Jay McKay 8. Paul Frize 11. Del Hepburn 9. Kevin Watt 10. Josh Fowler. Subs: 12. Kenny McLean

Match Photos

Glenafton Athletic v Beith Juniors