Sat 13 May 2023 KO 2:00 pm	Dunterlie Park, Barrhead
PDM Buildbase WOSFL Premier League	Match 30
Arthurlie 2 (2)	Simeon, Roulston
Glenafton Athletic 4 (2)	McLean, McWaters, O’Kane, Kerr

The Glens travelled to face Arthurlie in the last game of the league campaign with both sides safe from relegation. Glenafton made 3 changes from the eleven that started against Clydebank last Saturday Aiden Glavin (injured), Ryan Nisbet and Hugh Kerr were replaced by Craig Burns, Craig Pettigrew and Leon Murphy respectively.

Although Glens kicked off with Dunterlie Park bathed in the Barrhead sunshine it was Arthurlie that shone brightly with two goals in the opening 5 minutes.

The first came on 3 minutes after a perfectly executed text book move down the right flank. Dale Simeon gathered a ball from Andy McLaughlin to push forward and as defender Ollie Rowe approached slipped it wide to Gary Carroll on the overlap before sprinting off towards the back post the goal to meet Carroll’s cross from bye-line, leaping unmarked to head the ball home via the inside of the post.

Two minutes later, Simeon turned provider by floating a corner kick high to the far side of the box where Lee Roulston sent a high looping header back into the goalmouth over the heads of players from both sides congregated at the post and although it appeared Michael Moffat had headed it off the line, the ball was adjudged to have crossed the line. The decision stood despite the Glens appeal.

Glens rallied and had a couple of attacks that fizzled out before they halved the deficit on 8 minutes. Moffat gathered the ball on the left and slipped the ball between two defenders into the path of the Scott McLean breaaking into the right hand side of the box to drill a low shot from 15 yards past a defender and beyond the reach of keeper James Scott.

Played raged back and forth before the visitors levelled the score on 16 minutes with McLean turning provider. The attacking midfielder gathered the ball in his own half before driving forward to the outskirts of the box where he was forced to break into the right-hand side of the box to square a well weighted pass to Alex McWaters to smack a sweet strike from 12 yards into the corner of the net, for his first Glens goal.

A minute later ‘Lie passed up a good chance to retained the lead after Conor Bradley dragged his shot from 18 yards inches wide of the post. While soon after at the other Scott pulled off a good save from the Moffat’s shot from 25 yards and the keeper eventually got hold off the ball at his near post from the corner kick that followed.

On 24 minutes Jordan Leyden pressed through the middle before cracking a low shot that just bounced dangerously in front Burns and the former Barrhead Boys Club keeper did well to get down low and push the ball away with both hands and then rise to his feet and force Simeon to send his attempt to bury the rebound round the post.

The referee stopped played for a drinks-break in the scorching sunshine but after play resumed clear-cut chances for either side had dried up despite the endeavour on show the best of which fell Arthurlie after Leyden floated a free kick into the box only for Gary Carroll header to fall into the welcoming arms of Burns.

HT Arthurlie 2 Glens 2

Arthurlie made one change at the break keeper Gary Black replacing James Scott between the sticks. The keeper was quickly called into action after Michael McMullin lasered a shot from the left corner of the box that was always on the rise as the keeper tipped it over the bar.

Ten minutes into the new half the Glens made a double substitution with Leon Murphy and Michael Moffat making way from Sam McKee and Hugh Kerr.

The home side were enjoying the bulk of possession and a corner kick on the hour mark although won in the air by Glens captain Craig Pettigrew created quite a goal mouth scramble with the loose ball eventually cleared by Adam Caldwell. Soon after Caldwell and Kerr combined in the six yard box to clear another corner.

Arthurlie made a triple substitution with Connor Bradley & Lewis Strain making way for Ayr United loanee Kinlay Bilham & Jordan Shelvey and soon after Lewis Warnock replaced Andrew McLaughlin.

Midway through the half Roulston chased down a long clearance upfield and from wide on the right delivered a superb diagonal pass to Simeon on the left flank to break into the box only for Burns to push away his shot from a tight angle.

On 72 minutes Glens responded in a lethal fashion to take the lead for the first time. Dylan O’Kane picked up a pass from Kerr on the outskirts of the box and as a defender closed-in, he dinked to the right before blasting an angled shot from 25 yards beyond the keeper, diving at full stretch at his near post, who could only look on as the ball bounced of the base of the far post and into the net.

Second half substitutes Sam McKee and Hugh Kerr the combined to double the Glens lead on 79 minutes. McKee broke into the right-hand side of the box and then rounded the keeper, as he rushed from his goal, to progress to the bye-line from where he clipped the ball across the face of the goal for the incoming Hugh Kerr to prod the ball past a defender on the line for his 21st goal of the season.

The home side made their final substitution with striker Gary Smith replacing Gary Carroll.

Arthurlie quickly regrouped and won a corner kick on the right and Pettigrew won the aerial battle in the goal mouth sending the ball looping high into air that dropped towards the corner of the six yard box which Leyden met on the drop to volley a low shot through a ruck of players only for the alert Craig Burns  to  get down low and push the ball off the line and then get a strong hand to stifle Warnock’s attempt to stab home the loose ball before Pettigrew then hoofed it clear.

Glens countered through Paton playing a one-two with McKee and picking up the return pass at the corner of the six-yard box from where his low angled shot beat the keeper but slipped wide of the far post.

The visitors made their final substitution on 86 minutes with Craig Pettigrew making way for Dean Currie.

In the closing minute of the match Smith chased down a ball into the box and from the bye-line cracked a stunning volley but Burns, once again came out on top with another spontnaeous and brave block at his near post.

FT Arthurlie 2 Glens 4

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

ARTHURLIE
Arthurlie: James Scott (Gary Black), Max Kerr, Michael MacNeil, Conor Bradley (Kinlay Bilham), Lee Roulston, Andy McLaughlin (Lewis Warnock), Jordan Leyden, Ryan McGregor, Liam Strain (Jordan Shelvey), Dale Simeon, Gary Carroll (captain) (Gary Smith).

Match Photos

Arthurlie v Glenafton Athletic

The Glens finished the league campaign in 10th place in the 16 team Premier Division.