Glenafton kicked of their 2022/23 Premier League campaign with a trip to to face Largs Thistle. The hosts came out on top, home and away, in last season fixtures and finished two places and two points above the Glens in 10th place in the 20 team league. Reconstruction at the start of this season saw the top flight to 16 teams.

Prior to kick-off a minute’s silence was held in memory of Ossie Findlay who passed away recently. Ossie was assistant manager of the successful Largs Thistle side that won the Scottish Junior Cup in Season 1993/94, defeating holders Glenafton in the final.

Captain Craig Pettigrew won the toss and the Glens kicked off with four of the summer signings in the starting line-up; keeper Conor Cullen, defenders Adam Caldwell and Michael McMullin along with midfielder Paul Paton while a fifth, striker Cameron McKenzie was on the bench.

Both sides were well matched and created a number of decent chances. Glenafton took the lead on 34 minutes after Paul Paton curled a glorious free kick from the right to the far edge of the six yard box for the incoming Ollie Rowe, who had given his marker the slip, to rise and power a downward header that beat the keeper at the nearpost and bounced onward to arrive perfectly on time to match Michael McMullin’s run to the back post, where he kept his cool to nod the ball home from a few yards out between two defenders.

HT Largs 0 Glens 1

The second half followed a similar pattern with chances coming and going at each end. McMullin came close to doubing the Glens lead after lasering a shot from 25 yards, only for the alert Jamie McGowan to push it over the bar. Although Largs were reduced to 10 men after Cory Hughes received a second yellow card they conjured up an equaliser on 78 minutes. Stuart Faulds on the right, 10 yards or so from the goal-line, clipped a well weighted free kick into the heart of the box where Craig Forbes got between two defenders to rise and angle a flashing header high into the net beyond keeper Conor Cullen at full stretch.

Glens came close to regaining the lead in the closing minutes after Leon Murphy’s looping header beat McGowan, only for the ball to bounce off the top of the crossbar and the keeper then pull off a point-blank save as Sam McKee tried to bury the loose ball. At the other end Forbes too, came close to claiming the points for Largs before both sides had to settle for a share.

FT Largs 1 Glens 1