PDM HUWS GRAY	WOSFL Premier Division	Match 14
Gartcairn	4 (0)	McGuigan 3, MacDonald
Glenafton Athletic	3 (1)	Rowe, Moffat, O’Kane
Sat 27 Jan 2024	KO 1:30 pm	MTC Stadium, Airdrie

Glenafton made one change to the eleven that started against Pollok two weeks ago with Sam McKee replacing Liam Caddis.

Today marked the Glens first match away to Gartcairn.

The game kicked off on a bitterly cold and yet blindingly sunny day and it was Gartcairn that came close on 3 minutes after Kieran MacDonald from the left clipped a ball to the near post only for Darren Smith’s close-range header to sail inches high and wide of the target.

Soon after keeper David Markey got down low to block another attack down the left and Craig Pettigrew beat Mark McGuigan to the loose ball and cleared the danger.

Glens countered with a strong run through the middle by Dylan O’Kane who was soon outnumbered three-to-one at the edge of ‘D’ from where he rolled the ball back to Gary Fraser but his thunderbolt from 25 yards bounced off a defender.

Back came Gartcairn through Darren Smith breaking into the right-hand side of the box and although Mick McMullin forced him wide, he still managed to whip the ball to the far corner of the six-yard box where Harry Mitchell headed it back deep into the goalmouth for McGuigan seemingly about to pick his spot only for McMullin to make a crucial interception and Ollie Rowe clear the loose ball.

The visitors broke down another attack and Craig Pettigrew snapped up the loose ball deep in his own half leaving Smith in his wake as he pushed forward over the half-way line before picking out Scott McLean wide on the right who quickly played the ball inside to O’Kane. The young striker was proving a handful and as he set off on a diagonal run toward the outskirts of the box with Kevin Smith lagging behind and after several attempts to hold him back, the frustrated midfielder finally sent O’Kane tumbling as he reached the ‘D’.  

McLean stepped and drilled a low inch perfect free-kick to the right-hand side of the leaping wall and although keeper Liam Russell dived low at full-stretch he could only push the ball away and the inrushing Ollie Rowe, one of the three Glens players closing in, side-footed the ball home from 2 yards out. Glens 1-0 up, 15 minutes gone.

Controversy five minutes later when McGuigan and Markey had a coming together at the corner of the six-yard box leading to the striker and his team-mate Smith appealing loudly for a penalty while the keeper claiming he had won the ball. To rub salt in the would the referee booked McGuigan for diving (-still his day would take a turn for the better!!)

Play continued to rage back and forth with the Glens creating the better of the chances. On 26 minutes Paul Paton lobbed a ball down the right wing where O’Kane leapt to kill it on his chest before turning to shake off Ross Dunlop and although the centre back closed him down the striker gave him the slip again to fire a shot from 22 yards that Russell leapt to clutch under his bar. Later McLean cracked a low diagonal shot from the 18-yard line which although it beat the keeper the ball slipped inches wide of the far post. Soon after Russell smothered Moffat’s shot from the corner of the six-yard box.

Gartcairn finished the half strongly. On 37 minutes McShane floated a ball into the box where McGuigan got a touch at the near post sending it bouncing toward the back post for Smith to guide a looping header back across the face of goal where McGuigan gathered it at the by-line and rolled the ball back to Mitchell to fire a fierce low shot that Markey got down low to block and the rebound was eventually cleared. Just before the half-time whistle Nicol clipped a great ball into the box for the inrushing Smith only for his shot from six-yards to fall comfortably safe into the arms of Markey.

HT Gartcairn 0 Glenafton 1

The home side were quick out the blocks and won a corner in the opening minute. McShane curled the ball into the goal mouth where it glanced off McGuigan’s head and fell for Nicol who cleverly tried to stab the ball home with the sole of his boot only for Markey to push it onto the bar and it was Lyall Holding, one of a clutch of defenders in the goalmouth, that cleared the descending ball off the line before McGuigan’s attempt to bury the rebound was deflected over the bar for another corner. This one proved to be less traumatic for the Glens defence as McShane curled it over the bar.

Back came Glens with Moffat beating Nicol to the loose ball in the centre circle before driving through the middle and threading a ball to O’Kane and although his shot from inside of the box rebounded off Gerry McLaughlan he quickly retrieved the ball and rolled it back to Holding on the right wing. The full back clipped the ball into a busy box where Dunlop headed it clear only for Paton to pounce and play a slick one-two with Sam McKee to burst deep into box only for his shot to be deflected wide by MacDonald for a corner which was comfortably cleared.

At other end McShane blasted a ferocious shot from 18 yards that knocked Markey off his feet as he punched the ball clear and with McGuigan lurking Rowe headed it wide at the expense of a corner. Jamie Bain clipped a low ball into the box and McGuigan’s strike from 12 yards was headed clear by Holding. It was the alert McGuigan that snapped up the loose ball on the outskirts of the box before slipping it to the inrushing Smith only to be tripped in the box by McMullin. The referee pointed to the spot and Mark McGuigan sent Markey the wrong way to level the match on 54 minutes.

The home side continued to press, stroking the ball about and were creating all the decent chances on show. A great leap in the box by McGuigan saw him flash a header wide of the post. Soon after MacDonald from wide on the left whipped a wicked ball into the box for the inrushing Tom Reilly only for his effort to slip inches wide of the junction of post and bar. Smith then got between two defenders in the box to bullet a header from 8 yards out which saw Markey pull off a brilliant point blank save.

A goal was coming and it came on 63 minutes after Bain, from midway in the Glens half and tight on the right flank, launched a high ball to the back post where Kieran MacDonald met it sweetly on the drop to guide the ball past Markey from a tight angle. Gartcairn 2-1 up.

Glens made a change and replaced Sam McKee with recent signing Dario Viviani, on loan from Ayr United.

The visitors regrouped and hit back in quick fashion. A high ball up the middle saw O’Kane dart between McLaughlan and Ross to gather the ball and although the latter pinched it back at the corner of the penalty box his attempted clearance fell for Moffat who made a diagonal run into the box with McLaughlan in pursuit and then cut inside to run toward along the goal-line and as he lined up to shoot McLaughlan took him out with a barge in the back. Michael Moffat dusted himself down and sent the goalie the wrong way to level the score on 67 minutes.

Tails up, Moffat from inside the Glens half released Viviani to break down the right to drive into the box between Mitchell and McShane before cutting the ball back to Moffat now at the edge of ‘D’ who laid it off to O’Kane to drill a low angled shot from 18 yards only for Russell to make a fine save and hold on to the ball as Viviani closed in, ahead of the Cairn defence.

Soon after O’Kane and Viviani put McLaughlan under pressure on the outskirts of the box forcing the defender to play it back to the keeper who cleared it from his six-yard box, in the nick of time as Viviani threatened.

On 75 minutes Gartcairn make a double substitution with Darren Smith and Tam Reilly making way for Darren Bowie and Stephen Docherty

Cairn’s composure had all but evaporated as O’Kane gathered a clearance in the centre circle and spotting McLean behind him to his left, he clipped the ball up the touchline for McLean to chase, showing Bain a clean pair of heels. On gathering the ball McLean slowed down letting Bain catch up before another burst down the wing left him free to clip the ball into the box where Moffat’s glancing header took two defenders out and Paton pounced on the loose ball. from her he squared the ball to Viviani who took a touch before guiding his shot through Bowie’s legs and although the keeper blocked it with an outstretched leg he couldn’t stop Dylan O’Kane blasting the ball home from 6 yards out. Glens 3-2 upon 75 minutes.

Gartcairn got a second wind and Docherty broke down the right before squaring the ball into the box where McGuigan rolled the ball back to McShane to drill a daisy-cutter that beat the unsighted Markey only to slip inches wide of the base of the post. The home side continued to press and McShane corner from the left was punched away at the back post by Markey.

On 85 minutes the home side replaced Harry Mitchell with Kamil Krol.

Paton nicked the ball from McShane just inside the Glens half and chipped it forward to O’Kane and with McLaughlan tight on his back he flicked a header for Viviani to chase down and in a flash, he was at the outskirts of the box where he skipped past Dunlop before cracking a diagonal shot from 8 yards that the keeper pushed up in the air with a strong hand and then caught the ball on the way back down.

Soon after Moffat gathered the ball in the centre circle and broke forward and laid it off to Paton who played a one-two with Holding before clipping the ball into the box over the head of MacDonald into the box for Viviani to chase only for his attempted lob to be blocked by McLaughlan.

Gartcairn countered and Krol launched the ball into the left hand-side of the box for Docherty to clip to the far-side of the box for the incoming Bowie to blast the ball from the corner of the six-yard box against McMullin a yard away and loud claims of hand-ball saw the referee point to the spot – a harsh call as McMullin could do little about it. Glenafton manager Ryan Caddis expressed his views to the match official and was ordered off before Mark McGuigan sent Markey the wrong again to draw level on 90 minutes.

The Glens picked themselves up and won a corner that O’Kane floated high into the heart of the goalmouth where the keeper leapt to punch it clear from Rowe’s head before tumbling to the ground.

Back came Gartcairn through Docherty breaking into the right-hand side of the box and chipping the ball from the bye-line high towards the penalty spot where it took a bounce and as Holding and McGuigan hunted it down the striker was first to get a foot to the ball only for Holding to clip him a second later – for Gartcairn’s third penalty of the match. It was Mark McGuigan that stepped up to complete his hat-trick of spot kick and seal the three points for Gartcairn on 94 minutes.

FT Gartcairn 4 Glenafton 3

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC
1. David Markey 14. Lyall Holding 20. Ollie Rowe 5. Craig Pettigrew (captain) 3. Michael McMullin 2. Scott McLean 6. Paul Paton 8. Gary Fraser 7. Sam McKee (17. Dario Viviani) 18. Dylan O’Kane 9. Michael Moffat Subs Not Used: 10. Alex McWaters 11. Ryan Sinnamon 12. Liam Caddis Ally Semple (gk)

GARTCAIRN
1. Liam Russell 2. Jamie Bain 3. Kieran MacDonald 4. Gerry McLaughlan 5. Ross Dunlop (captain) 6. Ian McShane 7. Darren Smith (15. Darren Bowie) 8. Kevin Nicol 9. Mark McGuigan 10. Tam Reilly (17. Stephen Docherty) 11. Harry Mitchell (16. Kaml Krol). Subs 12. Scott Stevenson 14. Kenny Bar, Kyle Pirie (gk)

Match Photos

Gartcairn vs. Glenafton Athletic