PDM Huws Gray	WOSFL Premier League	Match 09
Largs Thistle	2 (0)	Ramsay, Sewell
Glenafton Athletic	2 (1)	Moffat, McWaters
Sat 30 SEP 2023	KO 2:00 pm	Barrfields Park, Largs

Prior to kick-off the there was a minute’s silence for young Robbie Meiklem who recently passed away . Robbie played for Girvan’s U20 team and previously played for Auchinleck Talbot’s youth side.

Glenafton made four changes to the eleven that started against Irvine Meadow last Saturday with Zak Ross, Ollie Rowe, Sam McKee and Trialist making way for Michael McMullin, Charlie Maxwell, Scott McLean and Alan Frizzell.

On the Largs bench was former Glens striker Scott Adam

The home side kicked off but it was the visitors that were quickly on the front foot and opened the scoring on 4 minutes. Ryan Sinnamon broke down the right flank and whipped a ball to the back post where defender John Tennent won the aerial battled with Michael Moffat knocking the ball high and forward which was then headed out the box by Stuart Faulds where it fell for Paton to blast a low shot that was deflected wide for a corner on the left. Scott McLean curled the kick to the near post where Moffat leapt between Simon McBryde and Craig Forbes to bullet a header high into the net from 3 yards out.

Glens quickly closed down Largs as they struggled to make any progress up the park with Paton in particular robbing the ball and setting up counter-attacks.

On 6 minutes Moffat picked the ball up just inside the Largs half and burst through the middle undeterred until Forbes closed in at the edge of the box forcing the striker to blast a shot that dipped inches over the bar with keeper Matt Johnston rooted to his line.

Glens continued to press with Sinnamon down the right switching play to the left for McLean to gather near the corner flag and roll it back up the touchline to Michael McMullin to break forward and slip it to Charlie Maxwell in the box to crack a low shot that Johnson got down low to push the ball away and the inrushing McMullin’s attempt to bury the rebound flew over the bar.

Largs began to get into the game as an attacking force. David Ramsay from wide on the left floated a cross to the back post where Craig Pettigrew headed it clear only for McBryde to trap it on his chest before slipping wide to Ramsay to fire another cross that was deflected wide for a corner which Stuart Faulds clipped to the near post where on this occasion Luke McBeth intervened to head it out the box.  

Play was now flowing back and forth.

Sinnamon and McWaters combined well down the right as did Frizzell and Moffat through the middle without however testing the keeper. At the other end Will Sewell from the left-hand corner of the box curled a shot that just dipped of the bar although keeper David Markey had it covered.

On 20 minutes Faulds floated a corner into the goalmouth and although McBeth beat Sewell to the ball his header fell for Cory Hughes who did well to engineer an acrobatic volley through a busy six yard box only for Markey to dive to his left and grab the ball, hold it tightly on the ground as Ramsay was about to pounce.

Back came Glens through McMullin tight on the left, who picked up a pass from Paton before driving down the wing and launching a high ball into the six-yard box for the incoming Frizzell only for Johnston to leap high and clutch the ball cleanly.

Thistle pressed for the equaliser but the Glens defence scrambled clear back-to-back attacks one from each wing. Paton then intercepted a Largs pass and instantly clipped the ball down the right for Frizzell to chase and hold of the challenge for Hughes, before pulling up clutching the back of his thigh.

On 31 minutes McWaters threaded a ball for Frizzell who then broke into box to fire a low shot only for Hughes to block and send the ball wide for corner. However, before it could be taken Frizzell was clearly in some distress and Hughes had suffered a knock, while team-mate Forbes was also in some pain. Both sides were forced to replace the injured threesome – Glens brought on Dylan O’Kane for Adam Frizzell while Largs brought on Ryan McCreath for Cory Hughes and Lewis Davidson for Craig Forbes. McCreath was soon in the thick of it, heading clear the delayed corner-kick.

Sinnamon gathered a wayward clearance in space and pushed forward before leathering a shot well over the bar from 22 yards out. At the other end Sinnamon blocked Sewell’s cross at the expense of a corner which Moffat blocked at the near post and then Paton blocked Daryll Duffy’s attempt to slam home the loose ball which fell for McLean to hoof clear of the box only for Blair Devine to launch it back in and Pettigrew’s clearing header draw matters to a conclusion.

In the closing minute of the half Ramsay conjured up a volley from the right hand corner of the box that Markey killed on his chest before catching the ball.

HT Largs 0 Glens 1

Largs brought on Laurie McMaster for Simon McBryde at the break.

O’Kane kicked off for the Glens and won a corner in the opening minute subtly playing the ball off the shins of a defender at the bye-line. McLean curled the kick to the back post where McMullin sandwiched between two defenders just failed to make contact and the ball rolled out of play.

Largs pushed forward and McMullin found himself back in a defensive role where he beat Ramsay in a race for the ball and hooked it clear; soon after his towering leap saw him win the aerial battle with Duffy and then his trip on Ramsay set up a free-kick for Davidson from 28 yards but the Glens wall stood firm and McBeth took a sore one on clearing the ball.  

Glens were being pinned back deep in their own half. Sean McLeod boxed in at the corner flag on the right managed to switch play to by whipping the ball across the goalmouth but no takers it rolled on to the left wing where it was lashed back across the face of goal with Markey and Ramsay giving chase but to no avail and the ball went out of play.

Controversy on 54 minutes Duffy was fouled on the left touchline earning O’Kane a yellow card despite pleading a case of wrong identity. Soon after McLean just failed to keep the ball in play on the left-hand side and as Largs tried to retrieve the ball away for a quick shy, he threw the ball away and booked accordingly. Soon after Glens won a shy at the same place and the Largs defender picked up the ball and slowly walked back towards his own goal with no action taken!

Play was now raging back and forth with Largs still creating the better of the half-chances. Sewell burst down the left to the corner before firing the ball into the six-yard box where Ramsay got a touch to line a shot but McMullin intervene and his header was cleared out the box by McLean.

 On 59 minutes the assistant referee flagged and after a discussion with the referee O’Kane was shown a straight red card for an off the ball incident. 

Glens regrouped and the 10 men won a corner which was well defended.  Largs countered with some fast-flowing football but no shots at goal and on 69 minutes made another change with Jamie Martin coming on for Blair Devine. Soon after Faulds drilled a free-kick from just outside the right- hand-side of the box across the face of goal for Duffy to crack a shot from about the penalty spot only for Markey to pull off a great save with a strong hand to push it high over the bar.

Largs won a free kick on the left about 5 yards in from the corner-flag. Faulds rolled a diagonal pass to Davidson who quickly returned the ball for Faulds to clip a glorious ball high into a packed box where David Ramsay sent a low glancing header into the corner of net beyond the reach of Markey at full stretch to square the match on 72 minutes.

Thistle’s tails were up and it was backs to the walls for the 10 men to soak up another period of sustained pressure. Faulds played a corner from the right short to the corner of the box for McLeod to arrow a shot that whizzed inches over the bar with Markey having it covered with an outstretched arm.

Some respite for the Glens as McWaters burst down the right and rolled a diagonal pass back towards the ‘D’ where the incoming Maxwell thumped a shot that Johnston got down low to push the ball into the ground with both hands sending it over the head of McCleod and McLean met it on the drop to crack a shot that just whizzed over the junction of the bar and post with the keeper stranded on its line.

At the other end McMaster tried to pick out Duffy in the box only for the ball to deflect off Pettigrew high into the air and the alert Duffy readjusted to pull off an acrobatic overhead volley but Markey was his measure clutching the ball cleanly on his line, as Ramsay ws alert to any a spillage. The home side had another couple of half chances that came to nothing.

On 80 minutes Glens won a free kick on the right about 25 yards from goal. McMullin floated a cross into the box where although McBeth beat McLeod to the ball his header fell for the inrushing Maxwell only for the alert McLeod to block his shot.

Play resorted to a spell of back and forth and it was Largs on 82 minutes that got the break to take the lead. McLeod slipped the ball to Duffy in space on the right to fire a cross into the box which although McMullin turned his back on, it struck him on an outstretched arm. Willie Sewell stepped up and sent Markey the wrong way from the penalty spot.

Credit to Glenafton, their heads didn’t go down and they enjoyed a sustained spell of pressure. Keeper Johnston leapt from between a mass of bodies to flick away a corner kick and McMullin’s attempt to clip the ball back into the danger area was deflected wide for another corner which was eventually scrambled clear.

On 89 minutes Largs made their final changes with the impressive Darryl Duffy replaced by the former Glens striker Scott Adam.

Glens continued to press and a free-kick was floated into the box where McBeth’s downward header was booted out the six- yard box for another corner, now into added time.  There were nine Largs players (including the keeper) and five Glens player squashed into the six yard box and it was McMullin that beat Adam in the aerial battle only for his header to flyover the bar; while Pettigrew was grounded taking a sore one the back of his heel.

On 93 minutes McCreath and McBeth leapt for the ball and although the Largs man won the contest, he sent the ball back towards his own box where Maxwell on the edge of the ‘D’ stretched his leg to get the slightest of touches to slip it to Alex McWaters on the 18 yard line to hold off McMaster and push forward before drilling a low diagonal shot from 10 yards that went under the keeper’s body and into the net at the near post. 

Glens captain Craig Pettigrew had checked with the referee of the remaining time… 30 seconds! From his own half Tennent launched a ball upfield forcing Markey to run from his line and grab the ball as Adam and Sewell gave chase, the latter bundling the keeper to the ground, with no action taken, other than a broad smile from Markey. Pettigrew reminded the referee that the 30 seconds were up and the whistle blew for time.

FT Largs 2 Glens 2

The travelling support congregated at the pavilion steps to clap the players off the park after a tough shift.

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC
1. David Markey 11. Ryan Sinnamon 4. Luke McBeth 5. Craig Pettigrew (captain) 3. Michael McMullin 10. Alex McWaters 17. Charlie Maxwell 6. Paul Paton 2. Scott McLean; 9. Michael Moffat 16. Alan Frizzell (18. Dylan O’Kane). Subs Used: 8. Gary Fraser 14. Lyall Holding 15. Zak Ross

LARGS THISTLE
1. Matt Johnston 2. Sean McLeod 3. Blair Devine (17. Jamie Martin) 4. John Tennent 5. Cory Hughes (18. Ryan McCreath) 6. Stuart Faulds 7. David Ramsay 8. Simon McBryde (16. Laurie McMaster) 9. Will Sewell 10. Daryll Duffy (12. Scott Adam) 11. Craig Forbes (14. Lewis Davidson) Subs Not Used: Jamie McLean, David McGrath

Match Photos

Largs Thistle v Glenafton Athletic