Sat 28 Jan 2023 KO 1:30pm	Loch Park, New Cumnock
PDM Buildbase WOSFL Premier League	Match 16
Glenafton Athletic 3 (2)	McLean 2, McKee
Kirkintilloch Rob Roy 0 (0)

Glenafton made one change from the eleven that started on Wednesday against Petershill with captain Craig Pettigrew returning from injury replacing Paul Paton (suspension).

At the centre of Rob Roy’s defence was former Glenafton player Ross Fisher currently on a month loan-deal from Hurlford.

Although Glens kicked off it was the visitors that were first to threaten in the opening minute when Adam Martin chased down a loose ball into the box forcing keeper David Markey to rush from his line and dive at the forward’s feet to snatch the ball.

The home side enjoyed a good spell of possession and came closing on 6 minutes after Calvin Kemp clipped a great ball down the right for Scott McLean to chase and then drive into the box before drilling a low angled that not only slipped wide of the advancing keeper Kevin McAllister but also the far post. 

The Glens then scrambled clear a couple of Rabs’ attacks before taking the lead on 9 minutes. McMullin from wide on the left and deep in clipped a high ball upfield, where although Daniel O’Halloran won the aerial battle Hugh Kerr snapped up the loose ball and quickly picked out Scott McLean on the outskirts of the right-hand side of the box from where he drilled another low angled shot that found the far corner of the net beyond the reach of the wrong-footed keeper. Glens 1-0 on 9 minutes.

Play then raged back and forth with both sides seeing plenty of the ball without creating any clear- cut chances.

On 19 minutes Robbie Young burst into the left-hand side of the Glens box before cutting the ball back to Martin only for his shot to be deflected over the bar for a corner-kick which was headed clear by McMullin setting up a fast flowing counter-attack involving Kemp, Sean McKenzie and ended with Sam McKee’s run into the box halted by a well-timed slide-tackle by Scott Walker.

The visitors then created a number of half-chances.  On 25 minutes Alan Woodhouse’s close-range header from Jordan’s Duncan’s corner kick fell kindly into the arms of keeper Markey. Five minutes later a cleverly worked free kick saw O’Halloran ping the ball along the ground from the centre circle to Young upfield who then turned to slip the ball through to Jamie Barclay to fire a shot from the edge of the ‘D’ only for the ball sail just wide of junction of post and crossbar. Soon after, Young burst through the middle with McMullin and Leon Murphy closing him down and although Jordan Duncan was unmarked on the right of the box , Young continued his run before cracking a shot from the ‘D’ that dipped over the bar.

On 33 minutes the Glens had the ball in the net after McClean from the right whipped a cross from the bye-line to the near post where keeper McAllister leapt and with his arm at full stretch pushed the ball away with his finger-tips as Kerr challenged with both players stumbling over the goal-line, leaving Sean McKenzie free to guide the ball into the net from 2 yards out. No goal, as the referee awarded Rabs a free-kick for Kerr’s challenge on McAllister. 

At the other end Kemp’s challenge on Duncan in the ‘D’ earned the Rabs a free-kick which although Martin curled the ball over the wall it dipped it over the bar. Soon after Barclay’s low angled from 20 yards, through a crowded box was well held by the diving Markey.

In the closing minute of regulation time Kemp clipped a ball through the middle for McKenzie to chase and although he alluded Ross Fisher’s tackle at the edge of the box it forced the Glens strike wide to the corner of the six yard from where he chipped the ball past two other defenders and into heart of the goalmouth for the incoming Kerr only for his header to be grasped under the bar by McAllister.

HT Glens 1 Rob Roy 0

Rabs brought on Connor Hughes at the break for No?

A lively start to the second half as both sides pressed. McAllister launched a free kick from the outskirts his box to outskirts of the Glens box where McLean returned the favour and launched the ball just beyond the centre circle where Kerr once again evaded Fisher’s tackle to open a free run deep into the Rabs’ box only for his cut-back for the inrushing McKenzie to be intercepted by O’Halloran and the chance gone.

Play continued to flow from end to end and Markey had to rush from his line to steal the ball from Woodhouse’s feet. On the hour mark McKenzie slotted a pass between two defenders for McKee to chase down into the box where Kian Gilday stripped the ball from his feet with a perfectly timed slide-tackle only for McLean to pounce on the loose ball to thunder a shot that powerful it took the feet from McAllister after blocking it with both hands.

Rabs made a change with Alan Woodhouse making way for Derek McNab but two minutes later the Glens doubled their lead!

The Rabs defence was caught on the hop and it was a case of 3 vs 2 in Glens’ favour as McKee chased down a ball with Kerr to his inside and further out on the left was Murphy while the back-tracking Fisher and Walker were struggling to close the gap leaving McKee the time and space to drill a low shot from 10 yards out between the legs of the advancing keeper and into the net. Glens 2-0 on 67 minutes.

Soon after McKenzie burst two defenders to the left-hand side of the box then tried to chip the keeper only for the ball to dip over the bar. At the other end Martin’s shot from a tight angle was blocked by Markey and loose ball smothered. McNab then conjured up a great effort at an overhead kick in the Glens box but just lacked the power to trouble Markey who caught the ball cleanly.

On 79 minutes Glens made a double change with Sean McKenzie making way for his brother Cameron and Dylan O’Kane coming on for Hugh Kerr. Rabs also made another change?

Both sides continued to press but defences were on top until 86 minutes. O’Kane nicked the ball on the outskirts of the ‘D’ but soon found himself with two Rabs blocking his route to goal he rolled the ball to the right where Scott McLean trapped it on the 18 yard line before taking a touch and lashing another low pile driver that flew under the keeper’s body and into the corner of the net.  

In the closing minute Glens brought on Calum McFadyen for his competitive debut replacing Sam McKee and he was soon in the thick of the action which continued to the final whistle.

FT Glens 3 Rob Roy 0

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC
1. David Markey 3. Scott McLean 4. Craig Pettigrew (captain) 20. Dean Currie 5. Michael McMullin 11. Leon Murphy 10. Calvin Kemp 22. Ollie Rowe 7. Sam McKee (12. Calum McFadyen) 9. Hugh Kerr (18. Dylan O’Kane) 11. Sean McKenzie (19. Cameron McKenzie) Subs: 2. Adam Caldwell,   14.Mathew Hoffin, 15. Ryan Nisbet

ROB ROY
1. Kevin McAllister 2. Scott Walker 3. Kian Gilday 4. Ross Fisher 5. Daniel O’Halloran 6. Jamie Barclay 7. Jordan Duncan 8. Jack Gordon 9. Robbie Young 10. Alan Woodhouse 11. Adam Martin Subs: 12. Connor Hughes 14. Derek McNab 15. Colin Granger 16. Louis Campbell 17. Jon Millerick 18. J. Connelly 19.  A. Gallacher

More Match Photos

Glenafton Athletic v Kirkintilloch Rob Roy