Clydebuilt Home Improvements	SCOTTISH JUNIOR CUP	Round 2
Greenock Juniors	1 (0)	Irvine
Glenafton Athletic	4 (2)	Rowe, O’Kane, McBeth, Moffat
Wed 18 OCT 2023	KO 8:00 pm	Ravenscraig Stadium, Greenock

Glenafton made four changes to the eleven that started against Dundonald Bluebell on Saturday. Ryan Sinnamon (injured), Craig Pettigrew, Gary Fraser and Michael Moffat made way for Zak Ross, Ollie Rowe, Charlie Maxwell and Alan Frizzell.

In the Greenock side were former Glenafton players Paul Murphy a member of the Super League 1^st Divisions team (2011/12) and forward Craig Brown a member of the Scottish Junior Cup runner-up squad (2012/13).

The game was originally scheduled to be played on Saturday October, but was postponed after the pitch was waterlogged after a week-end of heavy rainfall. Tonight, the pitch looked great under the lights while the swirling wind couldn’t make up its mind what direction to blow throughout the game.

Glens kicked off and were quickly on the front foot and passed up a glorious chance to take the lead on 4 minutes with a box-to-box attack. Keeper David Markey rolled out the ball to Zak Ross to push forward and pick out Charlie Maxwell just inside the Greenock half who in turn squared to Alex McWaters tight on the right wing before bursting forward into the box to chase down McWaters ball over the top of the defence and square it for the incoming Alan Frizzell only for his shot from 6 yards to fly over the bar.

Paul Paton picked up a yellow card on 10 minutes for a foul just inside the Glens half. The free kick was drilled low into the box but easily mopped up by the Glens defence.

On 13 minutes the Glens won a corner-kick on the left and Scott McLean after deciding not to play it short to Sam McKee and instead float the ball high into box where Ollie Rowe timed his run perfectly from the 18-yard line to the 6-yard line and bullet a header into the net.

Soon after McLean rolled a corner from the right to the outskirts as an unmarked Paton burst forward to fire a low shot that took a deflection of a defender in the six-yard box and his alert team-mate booted the ball clear for a throw-in. Ross gathered the shy and curled it to the far side of the box where McKee twisted and turned before getting a shot away that was pushed wide for a corner on the left by keeper Bryan Tucker. McLean curled it low into the six-yard where it fell for the inrushing Lyall Holding only for Tucker to pull off another good save.

On 19 minutes Alan Frizzell pulled up with a hamstring injury and the home side enjoyed a decent spell of possession against the 10 men albeit without threatening the Glens goal before Michael Moffat came on as his fellow striker’s replacement.

Greenock floated a free-kick into the box which was cleared for a throw-in which in turn was cleared and to set up a Glens counter-attack up the left which concluded with another corner for the visitors.

McLean played it short with McKee and back-tracked down the left wing to gather the ball and launch it to the back post where Rowe peeled off a static defence to head it across the six-yard line for Holding to head home, only for Tucker who had been guarding the near post to pull off a fantastic save, diving back across his goal- line and clutch the ball.

The home side were beginning to push forward without testing the keeper although a shot from 30 yards drifted wide of the post.

On 30 minutes a loose ball bounced about the centre circle and Maxwell was clear favourite to win the race as Aidan Duffy burst forward from defence and it was the Glens midfielder that gathered the ball and as he turned to back heel it away from the inrushing Duffy the Greenock player couldn’t apply the brakes and took the legs from Maxwell. Duffy was sent off and Maxwell was carried off in some distress with Dylan O’Kane coming on to replace him.

A good move from Greenock saw a drive through the middle and the ball slipped into the box to be laid off to an incoming runner and forcing Markey to race from his line and block at the expense of a corner. Craig Brown fired the ball across the face of the goalmouth only for the header from the six- yard line to fly high over the bar.

Glens began to press again with Paton pushing forward where he challenged for a ball that saw the Jamie Black take a head knock and the referee blow for a free-kick, only for the assistant referee to intervene leading to Paton earning a second yellow card and his marching orders. It was now 10-aside with 5 minutes of the half remaining.

At the other end Greenock tried their luck from 25 yards out but once if flew over the bar wind assisted.

Back came Glens and Luke McBeth broke down the left from deep on his own half. After some patient build up play he pressed into the left hand side of the box to lay off to McKee who gave a defender the slip before drilling the ball low across the face of goal where the unmarked Dylan O’Kane had drifted in from the right and to bullet the ball first time between two defenders and into the net. Glens 2-0 up on 47 minutes and the half-time blew seconds after the re-spot.

HT Greenock 0 Glens 2

Glens made one change at the break with Lyall Holding making way for Craig Pettigrew.

The wind continued to change its mind as it swirled about the stadium. Play was going back and forth in the opening encounters of the new half without any clear-cut chances on show until the 58^th minute when Greenock won a free kick 22 yards out, on the right of the ‘D’. Jamie Black stepped-up and whipped a great ball over the wall which looked goal-bound only for it to crash off the bar and back into play where Markey obstructed while trying to retrieve the loose ball.

Another change from the Glens with Gary Fraser replacing Alex McWalters while five minutes later the home side brought on Tai Beckley and Alan Docherty for Craig Brown and Darren Patton

Played got bogged down in the middle of the park for a spell as possession changed hands again with and decent chances of note.

However, on 68 minutes the Glens extended their lead. Tucker launched the ball upfield which McLean on the half-way line and rolled it forward to McKee on the left wing who flicked it over his shoulder to Moffat, taking a defender out of play, before bursting down the wing to collect the return pass and drive towards the bye-line. From here he took stock as the defender closed in and drifted back a few yards before curling a ball to the back-post where the inrushing Luke McBeth planted his two feet on the ground before bulleting a header into the net.  3-0 the Glens!

The home side made another double substitution with Taylor Lindsay and Black making way for Lewis Barclay and Euan Campbell

The tempo of the game increased as played raged back and forth under the dazzling lights with Beckley’s shot from the edge of the box warming Markey’s hand at one end and Tucker diving at the feet of O’Kane.

Meanwhile on 78 minutes Greenock brought on Andy Irvine for Jamie Cunningham and five minutes later the sub pulled one back for the home side after a free kick was floated into the box and he won the aerial battle to head the ball up in the air and then met it one the drop to curl a volley past another defender and into the top corner of the net. Glens 3-1 on 83 minutes.

However, on 85 minutes Glens restored their three goal cushion after Michael Moffat came away with the ball from a hefty tackle and glided past another defender in the box before arrowing a low angled shot beyond the reach of Tucker at full stretch and into the corner of the net.

Glens enjoyed the bulk of the possession in the closing minutes and Moffat and came close to bagging a brace after cutting into the left-hand side of the box and drilling a low shot that cracked off the base of the far post.

Into added time O’Kane broke into the right-hand side of the box and lashed a shot inches over the bar. Soon after the young striker blasted a shot from 30 yards that Tucker did well to push away with both hands.

FT Greenock 1 Glens 4

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC
1. David Markey 15. Zak Ross 14. Lyall Holding (5. Craig Pettigrew) 20. Ollie Rowe 2. Scott McLean 10. Alex McWaters (8. Gary Fraser) 4. Luke McBeth 6. Paul Paton (captain) 17. Charlie Maxwell (Dylan O’Kane); 16. Alan Frizzell (9. Michael Moffat) 7. Sam McKee. Subs Not Used: 3 Michael McMullin 19. Gary Harkins

GREENOCK JUNIORS
26. Bryan Tucker 2. Taylor Lindsay (15. Lewis Barclay) 3. Jamie Cunningham (captain) (14. Andy Irvine) 4. Cameron McPhee 5. Paul Murphy 6. Jamie Black 7. Declan Black (17. Euan Campbell) 8. Travis Stracey 9. Darren Patton 10. Craig Brown (18. Tai Beckley) 11. Aidan Duffy (16. Alan Docherty). Subs Not Used: 1. Nathan Lightfoot 19. Jamie McKenna