Ryan McChesney Testimonial

Ryan McChesney Testimonial	24/07/2022 KO 2pm	Loch Park, New Cumncok
Glenafton Treble Team 2016/17 [REDS]	5 (1)	McCann, Gray, Andrew 2, McChesney
Ryan McChesney Select [BLUES]	2 (1)	O’Kane, Murdie

Glenafton Athletic were proud to host a testimonal match for local lad Ryan McChesney. He signed for the club in Season 2010/11 as a central defender having previously played with the successful Glens 1992 youth side as free scoring striker. Ryan played for 10 seasons up until 2019/20 and plans were in progress to mark his testimonial only for the season to close early due to COVID. The Glens closed down for the season during which time Ryan turned out for Dalbeattie Star before returning to the Glens at the start of season 2021/22 and has since moved onto Maybole. He made 300 appearance for the club scored 27 goals and his honours include those won in the Treble Season of 2016/17 – WOSFL Premier Champions, Scottish Junior Cup Winners and Evening Times Cup Winners . Add to these winners medals for West of Scotland Cup , Ayrshire Sectional Cup and Super League 1st Division Championship.

Glenafton Athletic Treble Team 2016/17

Players and coaches from the Glenafton side of Season 2016/17

Back Row: Joe Andrew, Chris Meikle, Ryan McChesney, Brian McGarrity, Craig Menzies, David Gray Front Row: Craig Potter, Conor Lynass, Ally Park, cameron Marlow, Kieran McAnespie (27 mins), Mick McCann.

Ryan McChesney Select

A selection of Ryan’s friends and from Glens players of Season 2021/22

Back Row: Russel Ferguson, Paddy McDonald, Jamie Kerr, Steven ‘Shaka’ Hyslop, Stuart Bell Front Row: Kris McChesney, Dylan O’Kane, Sam McKee, Alan Murdie,Sean Bennie, David Blyth (inset)

Both sides lined up for team photos before kick-off on a sun-bathed Loch Park with a good turn-out to see the local hero in his Testimonial Match. Alan Mason kindly volunteered, (after some cajoling) to be referee for the day. It proved to be a highly entertaining game that was played in a very competitive and equally good-natured manner with plenty of chances, great saves and goals galore over two halves of 40 minutes. For the purpose of the report the teams will be referred to the Reds and the Blues.

The Reds started off strongly with a succession of corner-kicks in the opening 10 minutes, the best of which saw a Mick McCann close range header scrambled off the line by keeper Jamie Kerr and defenders Russell Ferguson & Stuart Bell.

The Blues began to grow into the game. David Blyth clipped a ball down the right wing for Sean Bennie who quickly cut it back for Dylan O’Kane to gather at the edge of the box and skip past one defender, holding off another before squaring for Shaka Hyslop to fire a low shot that was held on the line by keeper Brian McGarrity. Soon after Alan Murdie intercepted a clearance and stroked the ball forward to McKee to break into the box and from a tight angle fire a low shot that beat McGarrity at the near post only to slip wide of the back post.

At the other end David Gray cracked what seemed to be a goal bound shot from 22 yards only for Kerr to pull off a super save and tip the ball over the bar. The Treble Side continued to press and the keeper got down low to hold a shot from Gray from 10 yards out. Chessy then switched play from deep on the left with a great cross field pass to Chris Meikle who quickly slotted the ball into the box for Joe Andrew and loud appeals for penalty followed the tackle from Bell. Referee Mason was unimpressed and stood his ground; no pen!

Midway through the half the Reds made a change with Cammy Marlow made for Kieran McAnespie.

Back came the Blues after Kris McChesney won the ball and laid it off to Blyth who broke through the middle releasing McKee down the right who then cut inside to run along the outskirts of the penalty box and then after playing a one-two with Blyth blasted a shot from the edge of the ‘D’ which McGarrity did well to clutch cleanly.

Kieran McAnespie picked up the ball deep in his own half to casually stroll up the left wing before, from 10 yards inside in his own half, launching a superb ball upfield high over the defenders’ heads to drop it into the heart of the ‘D’ and match Conor Lynass’s run into the box who let the ball take another bounce before cracking a shot only for Kerr to block it, sending the ball high into the air. Lynass beat the keeper to the loose ball and tried to guide it into the net only for the backtracking Bell to clear it off the line as McCann closed in.

Gray clipped the corner-kick to the corner of the six-yard box where Craig Potter powered a header that was blocked on the line by the keeper and the loose ball quickly cleared upfield. McAnespie killed the ball on his chest before feeding Lynass with another inch perfect pass where from inside the ‘D’ he took a touch, as Bennie and Paddy MacDonald closed in, and cracked a shot that Kerr pushed round the post.

The Blues cleared the corner kick and McKee picked up the loose ball to burst upfield through the middle with Blyth breaking to his left and O’Kane to his right; with the latter taking the pass and progressing into the box only for the advancing McGarrity to block the point-blank shot.

The Reds countered with a wonderful passage of flowing football. Meikle won the loose ball and slipped it to McAnespie who clipped the ball up the left wing where Gray gathered before feeding Ally Park still deep in the Reds half, who squared it to Potter, who picked out Joe Andrew in the centre circle who then squared to Park, who in turn clipped it forward to Gray wide on the left who stroked it infield for Andrew to push forward and try chip the keeper from 20 yards only for the ball to dip over the bar.

The deadlock was finally broken on 33 minutes with a move that began as a thing of beauty and ended with a stroke of good-luck or bad-luck depending on the colour of your shirt. O’Kane intercepted McAnespie’s pass sending the ball up the right-hand touchline where McKee beat Chessy to the ball and burst into the box only for his attempt to pick out the incoming Blyth at the back post to be intercepted by Craig Menzies – cue vintage Zee!

He strolled out the box with ball at his feet before a burst of speed took him past O’Kane and threading a forward pass at pace between two blues shirts to McCann in the centre circle while continuing his run to complete the one-two and gathered the ball on the half-way line. From here as Bennie & Bell closed-in he took them both out of play with the cutest of reverse passes upfield for McCann to hunt down and break into the box where he gave Hyslop the slip (literally) and then drew the keeper from his line which by this time Bennie, Bell and Zee had all arrived in the box. Now for the good or bad luck! Mick’s attempt to curl the ball round Kerr deflected off the keeper and then Bennie’s attempt to clear the loose ball cannoned over Bell’s chest and into the empty net. Reds 1 Blues 0.

A minute later the Reds came close to doubling their lead after a Davie Gray special from 25 yards out crashed beat the airborne keeper only to crash off the inside of post, inches under the bar, and the ball bounce across the face of goal and out for a goal kick.

Another minute later and the Blues were level. Blyth recovered the ball in the centre circle and released McKee down the left and then cut inside to the ‘D’ where he back-heeled the ball into the box and although Chessy & Zee had blocked his way to goal O’Kane pounced on the loose ball and rifled it past McGarrity and into the roof of the net. Reds 1 Blues 1.

In the last action of the half Kerr pulled off another fine save from Gray’s powerful shot, from 16 yards.

HT Red 1 Blues 1

Blues made a change at the break with Shaka Hyslop making way for Cammy Marlow (Blue top / Red Shorts!) and he was soon in the thick of it, robbing Lynass of the ball in the box after a great pass from McCann.

The game flowed back and forth before the Blues took the lead on 50 minutes. Sam McKee broke down the right and cut into the box before laying the ball back to Alan Murdie to sweep a low shot that beat McGarrity at his near post and into the net. Pleas from the Reds for an early infringement fell on the deaf ears of Referee Mason. Reds 1 Blues 2.

On 54 minutes the Reds won a free kick on the outskirts of the left hand side of the box. Despite the Blues setting up a three-man wall about six yards from the ball David Gray stepped up and delivered a Gray special, curling the ball over the wall and the head of a defender on the six yard line and into the top left postage stamp with the keeper rooted to the spot. Reds 2 Blues 2.

Glens legend Robbie Henderson and his dad get a good view

Five minutes later the Reds got their noses in front after McCann from deep in the box laid the ball off to the incoming Joe Andrew to lash home an unstoppable short from the corner of the six-yard box. Reds 3 Blue 2.

At the other end McGarrity blocked a low angled shot from McKee and Menzies mopped up the loose ball on the goal line.

On the hour mark Lynass got the better of Marlow this time as he broke into the right hand side of the box and flashed the ball across the face of the goal beyond the back post where McCann tried to set up McChesney with a shot from 6 yards but the ball rolled on bye and Joe Andrew smashed the ball through a ruck of players and into the net. Reds 4 Blues 2.

Another attempt to set up Chessy for a goal saw the former Glens youth striker fire wide of target. On 65 minutes another opportunity fell his way after Marlow was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box and the Reds were awarded a penalty. The tension mounted as the Ginger Chessy gingerly stepped up to the spot, laughing and joking but no doubt the nerves were tingling – no danger, as he slammed the ball from 12 yards. Reds 5 Blues 2.

By pure chance the Blues won a penalty kick, but on this occasion, McChesney – Kris that is, clipped the ball over the bar.

At the other end Chessy had a great opportunity to find the net from open play only to send the ball six-feet wide of target much to the amusement of Reds and Blue. Soon after Chessy skipped past Bell in the box but the defender recovered to block his shot from 6 yards.

Further half chances came and went at either end including McGarrity blocked a low shot from O’Kane; Bennie stopped a Gray shot on the line and then blocked Lynass’s attempt to bury the rebound.

FT Reds 5 Blues 2

GLENS TREBLE TEAM 2016/17: 1 Brian McGarrity 12. Chris Meikle 4.Craig Menzies 5. Ryan McChesney 2. Cammy Marlow (6. Kieran McAnespie) 11. Conor Lynass 7.Ally Park Craig Potter 3. David Gray 9. Mick McCann 10. Joe Andrew.

RYAN McCHESNEY SELECT: 1. Jamie Kerr 2. Sean Bennie 18. Russel Ferguson 5. Steven ‘Shaka’ Hyslop ( 5. Cameron Marlow) 4. Stuart Bell 19. David Blyth 7. Paddy McDonald 9. Kris McChesney 3. Alan Murdie 10. Sam McKee 11. Dylan O’Kane.

After the final whistle both side formed a guard of honour and while each player should his hand in turn they burst into song “We don’t need no Messi, we’ve got ginger Chessy’!