PDM HUWS GRAY	WOSFL Premier Division	Match 19
Kirkintilloch Rob Roy	1 (1)	Pirrie
Glenafton Athletic	1 (1)	Moffat
Sat 09 Mar 2024	KO 2:30 pm	Guy’s Meadow, Cumbernauld

Glenafton made two changes to the eleven that started against Benburb last Saturday with Ryan Sinnamon, Gary Fraser (suspended) and Scott McLean (injured) making way for Dylan O’Kane, Michael Moffat and midweek signing Craig Johnston.

It was a bitterly cold and dull overcast day with an icy wind biting its way across Guy’s Meadow, however the Rabs turned he heat up from the start.

In the opening 20 minutes the home side’s constant pressure yielded no fewer than 4 corner kicks and 3 free-kicks on the outskirts the box which created a couple of good chances. Jamie Pirrie’s free-kick from 22 yards dipped over the bar while No. 7’s header from 8 yards suffered the same fate. Pirrie also tried his luck form open play only for his shot drift high and wide of target.

During this opening period the visitors did occasionally venture forth but without creating any chances of note. However, as the half progressed, Glenafton were seeing more of the ball although it was Rob Roy that continued to carry the goal threat.

Another Rabs corner-kick flew across the face of the Glens goal without a touch from either defenders or attackers.

On 28 minutes No.11 drilled a low angled drive from 25 yards and keeper Ally Semple got down low to push it wide only for No. 7 to quickly retrieve the ball on the bye-line and cut it back for Pirrie to clip a shot that was blocked by Lyall Holding sending the ball back to Pirrie only for his second attempt to take a deflection before being cleared off the line by Mick McMullin and No. 9 pounced but under pressure from Craig Johnson his shot flew wide of the back post.

Soon after No. 7 floated a corner to the near post where Caddis headed in back and No. 7 whipped the ball to the back post where although Kevin Green won the aerial battle the ball drifted well wide. Another corner quickly followed which after a scramble at the back concluded with No 4. shot blocked by Ollie Rowe at the expense of …… another corner … which was overhit.

At the other end, Caddis, at the left-hand corner of the box, spotted the keeper of his line at the near post and tried a speculative lob only for it to drop wide of the far post as the keeper sprinted along the goal mouth. Glens continued to press but couldn’t breach the Rabs’ box and indeed the home side countered and No. 9 chased down a through ball only for his shot from 22 yards to whiz well of the post.

On 38 minutes O’Kane gathered the ball deep in his own half and broke through the middle before lofting a high ball to the left-hand corner of the box for McWaters to skip past the full back and drive to the bye-line before chipping the ball high into the six-yard box for Caddis only for Green to bullet a clearing header to the outskirts of the box where Moffat met it first time to blast a shot just wide of the post.

No. 7 broke down the left only for Holding and Paton to combine to relieve him off the ball before the latter clipped a great ball to the ‘D’ for Moffat to chase only for the alert keeper to race from his line and stick out a foot out and rob the ball allowing Green, at the second attempt, to clear the danger.

Play was now raging back and forth and on 41 minutes Rob Roy broke the deadlock with a well worked goal. It began in their own box through No. 2 curling a ball from the 18 yard line down the left for No. 7 to chase and after leaving Holding in his wake he continued down the wing and some six yards from the bye-line he cut inside to the edge of the box before drilling an angled pass back to No. 9 on the penalty spot and with his route to goal blocked he rolled the ball back to No. 6 in the ‘D’ who quickly picked out Pirrie with space in the box to curl a perfectly place shot into the far corner of the net beyond the unsighted Semple. 

End to end stuff now and it was the visitors that capitalised on some uncertainty in the Rabs box on 47 minutes to draw level. The keeper and Green got into a fankle and Moffat from the ‘D’ nicked the ball forcing the goalie to try and win it back just inside the box only for Moffat to knock the ball to his right but with a heavy touch sending it to the far right of the box a few yards from the bye-line with the determined keeper still in pursuit, meanwhile Green placed himself on the goal-line. The chance appeared to have gone but Moffat engineered a perfectly weighted ball past an inrushing defender back to O’Kane on the edge of the box only for No.6 to clumsily barge him off the ball a step inside the penalty area. Up stepped Michael Moffat now oblivious to the missed chance and sent the keeper the wrong way to draw the Glens level.

The half-time whistle went before the ball was spotted on the centre circle.

HT Rob Roy 1 Glens 1

The Glens started the half positively enjoying a good spell of possession and another break on 51 minutes saw Caddis challenge for the ball with in the air with Green tight on his back. The defender threw his arms up in the air before falling to the ground landing on his side with one leg sticking up bent at the knee before lashing out at Caddis catching him full on the upper thigh with his studs, sending the striker to the ground in considerably pain. The Rabs captain pleaded his innocence and the referee with no support from his assistance who had a clear view of the incident, took no action other than speak to both players! Rabs very fortunate not to be down to 10 men.

Back to the game and Rob Roy chalked up another corner which floated into the heart of the goalmouth from the left and headed clear by McMullin for a throw on the right which was headed on from the 6-yard box into the goal mouth where Semple held off the challenge of No. 9 to eventually get both hands on the ball.

Play opened up and was now flowing back and forth at pace, however with a few clear-cut chances on show.

Mid way through the half Glens made a double substitution with Alex McWaters and Liam Caddis making way for Dario Viviani and Carlos Lyon. Soon after Rabs brought on No. 17 for No. 11.

On 77 minutes Pirie made a determined run through the middle before cracking a low shot from 22 yards that whizzed wide of the post, although the diving Semple appeared to have it covered. Soon after No.6 rifled a shot from 30 yards that Semple held well on his line, as No. 8 hoped to capitalise on any spillage.

Back came Glens and Paton switched play from the half-way line on the right to O’Kane on the left who cut inside and then slipped the ball between two defenders to Lyon on the edge of the box to quickly completed the one-two only to be brought down on the edge of the ‘D’. O’Kane dusted himself down to take the free-kick only to smack his unfortunate team-mate Johnston full on the face, who didn’t duck quick enough while standing on the outer edge of the wall!

On 85 minutes Moffat broke through the middle before picking out O’Kane on the left-hand corner of the box who cut inside before curling a shot that was blocked by No. 6, the loose ball eventually fell Johnston only for his chip into the box for Moffat to be intercepted by Grant

Both sides went all out for a winner and the pace was taking its toll with some players suffering cramp but the match ended all square into four minutes added time.

FT Rob Roy 1 Glens 1

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC
Glenafton Athletic: 21. Ally Semple 14. Lyall Holding 20. Ollie Rowe 5. Craig Pettigrew (captain) 3. Michael McMullin 18. Dylan O’Kane 16. Craig Johnston 6. Paul Paton 10. Alex McWaters (17. Dario Viviani) 9. Michael Moffat 12. Liam Caddis (15. Carlos Lyon) Subs Not Used: 1. David Markey 4. Taylor Buchanan. 1. David Markey 4. Taylor Buchanan 11. Ryan Sinnamon, 25. Trialist

KIRKINTILLOCH ROB ROY
Apologies no team lines.

Match Photos

Kirkintilloch v Glenafton