Sat 18 Mar 2023 KO 2:00pm	Loch Park ,New Cumnock
PDM Buildbase WOSFL Premier League	Match 21
Glenafton Athletic 2 (0)	Kerr, Moffat
Cambuslang Rangers 1 (0)	Reid

Glenafton made two changes to the eleven that started against Beith with Michael McMullin and Sam McKee making way for Craig Pettigrew (returning from injury) and Michael Moffat. On the bench for Glens was young keeper Aiden Russell, recently signed on a dual contract with Glenafton U17.

The sun was shining and the Glens got off to a bright start. Adam Caldwell from the right wing whipped the ball into the box where it was trapped by Michael Moffat sandwiched between two defenders and with his back to goal, he turned to drill a low shot that keeper Andy Wilson at full stretch tipped it away from goal and Alan Reid booted the loose ball out for a throw as Leon Murphy closed in. Alex McWaters collected the shy to feed Moffat who run along the 18 yard line before cracking a low shot that Wilson got down low to stop and clutch the ball as McWaters threatened.

On 3 minutes the Glens early pressure paid off after Caldwell cut in from the right to roll the ball back to Paul Paton on the outskirts of the centre circle in the Cambuslang half from where he side-footed a forward pass to McWaters who cleverly dummied the ball to let it run for Hugh Kerr to kill on the 18 yard line and take a touch before guiding the ball beyond the reach of the advancing keeper and into the net from 14 yards.

Glens continued to press and pegged back Lang into their own half for a spell. Wilson kept his cool to clear his lines as Moffat was ready to pounce and later Reid did enough to put Ollie Rowe off getting his head firmly on Murphy’s corner kick.

Just as the visitors began to string some passes together, they were caught on the counter and the home side doubled their lead on 11 minutes.

Rowe launched a clearance high upfield and Kerr timed his run perfectly to meet the ball 10 yards inside the Lang half and cushion a forward header for Michael Moffat to chase. He burst between two blue shirts and although Reid had given up the chase Calum Scott kept on the striker’s heels deep into the box only for the gap to grow as Moffat approached the six-yard box and two strides further on, with the keeper covering the near post, he cooly clipped the ball with the outside of his boot from the left edge of the six-yard box into the far side of the net from the tightest of angles.

Despite this set-back the visitors began to grow into the game with the movement of Paul Fee and Robbie Leighton catching the eye. Play was much more evenly balanced now in terms of possession albeit much of the activity in the 18 yard box was initiated from set-pieces rather than open play.

Cambuslang came within a whisker of halving the deficit on 31 minutes. Leighton cut in from wide on the right but his way into the box was blocked by Paton at the expense of a throw in. Reid picked out Leighton on the corner of the box who then held off a defender before meeting the ball on the bounce to leather a super shot that dipped to beat the finger tips of keeper David Markey and crash off the crossbar.

Glens countered with a flowing moving down the right starting with Caldwell playing it forward to Moffat who whipped it down the wing for McWaters to drive to the bye line and then cut it back to Moffat now arriving at the edge of the box only for his shot to sail over the bar. Soon after good build up play by Glens ended with McWaters from tight on the left touchline curling a ball deep into the box for Kerr only for Jack Breslin to intervene at the expense of a corner which was readily cleared.

HT Glens 2 Cambuslang 0

Some early pressure from the Glens was soaked up by the Lang defence before the visitors themselves began to turn the screw.

On 50 minutes play was switched from Reid on the right to Scott in acres of space on the left from where he pushed forward before threading the ball upfield to Grant Brennan to break into the box and crack a shot from a tight angle only for Markey to pull a great save and push it round the post with a strong hand. Leighton curled the corner into the six-yard box where Craig Pettigrew won the aerial battle with Breslin to head it clear only for Leighton to recover the ball and clip it back into the box where although on this occasion it was Murphy that got the jump on Breslin the ball fell for Brennan and his shot from 12 yards was comfortably held by Markey. Keiran Boubekri then forced his way deep into the right-hand side of the box but was forced wide by Dean Currie and his low angled shot was then blocked by Pettigrew.

Back came Glens and after one corner kick had come to nothing the one that followed was curled into a crowded goalmouth by McLean and was bravely punched away by the keeper with both fists. As he got back from the ground he could only look on as Moffat quickly returned what seemed to be a net-bound shot only for Leighton to keep his cool on the goal line and head the ball to safety for another corner. This corner like the next one was well defended by the visitors.

At the other end Leighton gathered the ball wide on the right and pushed forward to edge of the box before cutting inside and drilling a low shot that Markey blocked on the six-yard line and Pettigrew was on hand to clear the rebound.

Conditions began to worsen with the persistent rain, albeit not heavy.

On the hour mark the Glens made a treble substitution with Scott McLean, Hugh Kerr and Michael Moffat making way from Michael McMullin, Sam McKee and Calvin Kemp.

A long high clearance by Markey was clipped down the right by McWaters for McKee to chase down and after cutting inside he rolled the ball back to Paton to curl a cross into the box. Here Reid forced McWaters off the flight of the ball which then bounced high and above the reach off the keeper who had rushed off his line only for the incoming McMullin to send his header looping over the bar.

Play was now raging back and forth and Markey dived at the feet of Leighton to bravely grab the ball. However, there was little the keeper could do when Lang found the net on 68 minutes after some great build up play only surpassed by the finish. Breslin played the ball out from the back to Fee on the left who then clipped it up the wing for Brennan to gather and drive to the bye-line and although his cross to the back post was slightly overhit the ball was quickly recovered by Leighton to roll it back to the 18-yard line for Alan Reid to meet on his stride and lash a shot beyond the reach of Markey at full stretch and into the far corner of the net.

The home side came close to restoring the two goal cushion after Kemp nicked the ball on the half way line and with a perfectly weighted pass released McWaters down the right who after a quick glance launched a high ball to the far post for the inrushing McMullin to leap and bullet header from the six yard line that cannoned of the keeper’s body and the chance was gone.

Glens continued to press and after killing the ball on his chest McKee hooked the ball down the right for Murphy to hunt down and whip it high into the box for the inrushing McKee only for Reid to intercept and head the ball high into the air and after battling for the loose ball McMullin cracked a shot from 10 yards that once again rebounded off the keeper and Sam Greenwood mopped up the danger.

It was third time unlucky for McMullin after keeper Wilson raced from his line to clutch the ball out the air and then run to the edge of the box to launch itl upfield. However, his kick fell for McMullin just inside the Lang half who immediately sent a high ball back goalward and beyond the reach of the back-tracking keeper who was relieved to see it drop over the bar.

At the other end the visitors won a free-kick some 25 yards from goal and although Scott curled it round the wall the ball fell comfortably into the keeper’s arms.  

On 86 minutes Glens brought on Dylan O’Kane for Alex McWaters who have covered every soaking blade of grass on Loch Park.

The visitors mounted a final push without creating any clear chances and indeed were nearly caught out after Rowe’s throw from the half way line was headed on by Murphy and pounced on by McKee to fire it across the face of goal for the incoming O’Kane only for Wilson to dive and cut out the cross and Greenwood cleaned up again.

The Glen controlled the additional minutes of the game to earn a hard-fought three points.

FT Glens 2 Cambuslang 1

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC
1. David Markey 22. Ollie Rowe 20. Dean Currie 4. Craig Pettigrew (captain) 2. Adam Caldwell 8. Paul Paton 3. Scott McLean (35. Michael McMullin) 11. Leon Murphy; 9. Hugh Kerr (10. Calvin Kemp) 6. Alex McWaters (18. Dylan O’Kane) 15. Michael Moffat (7. Sam McKee). Subs Not used 14. Ryan Nisbet,  Callum McFadyen, Aiden Russell (gk).

CAMBUSLANG RANGERS
1. Andy Wilson 2. Alan Reid 5. Sam Greenwood 4. Jack Breslin 3. Calum McLean 20. Robbie Leighton 8. Calum Scott 7. Paul Fee 6. Ciaran McPherson 10. Grant Brennan 16. Keiran Boubekri. Subs. 11. Ben Richford 22. Tony Stevenson 18. Sean McGonagle 17. Majid Suleyman 26. Bryn Halliwell.

More Match Photos

Glenafton Athletic v Cambuslang Rangers