PDM HUWS GRAY	WOSFL Premier Division	Match 22
Irvine Meadow XI	2 (1)	McDowall, Cruden
Glenafton Athletic	4 (1)	Moffat, O’Kane, Kerr, Fraser
Sat 30 Mar 2024	KO 2:00 pm	Meadow Park, Irvine

Glenafton made one change from the eleven that started against Arthurlie with Cammy Crooks making way for Hugh Kerr.

Hosts Meadow were sitting bottom of the league with 12 points from 23 games while Glens sat 3 places below with 20 points from 20 games as both sides went on search of precious points.

It was the home side that took an early lead on 5 minutes after winning a free-kick a few yards inside the visitors’ half. George Sewell lofted the ball high into the Glens where Brendan Sharpe won the aerial battle with Michael McMullin to head the ball on for the alert Jack McDowall to guide his header into the net from 12 yards out.

Glens drew level on 15 minutes after keeper David Markey launched the ball upfield only to be headed high back towards the half-way line where Paul Paton on the run sent a looping header over the top of the Meadow defence to the edge of the box where Hugh Kerr nicks the ball as Stuart Davidson tries to get it under control and then draws the keeper to the corner of the six- yard box before rolling the ball across the box toward the penalty box for Michael Moffat.

HT Meadow 1 Glens 1

Into the second half and the visitors made a couple of changes with Cammy Ross and Michael Moffat making way for Alex McWaters and Dylan O’Kane. Play continued to ebb back and forth and a Meadow corner from the right clipped off a head to run out for a throw-in to the Glens on the opposite of the park. Gary Fraser took a quick throw to McWaters and on picking up the return ball he launched it long and high up the flank for Dylan O’Kane to chase and gather of the corner of the box and his quick feet took him to the corner of the six-yard box unchallenged and slip it past the keeper and into the net. Glens 2-1 up on 69 minutes.

Back came Meadow to draw level on 74 minutes following a game of head tennis between both sides to and fro across the half-way line after the ball fell for Simon McBryde to gather and burst down the right before squaring the ball into the box where the incoming Thomas Cruden met it sweetly to rifle it home from 15 yards out.

Another Meadow break down the right, ended with the ball into the box being cleared and snapped up by O’Kane who instantly rolled it back to Paton, before heading upfield at speed. Meanwhile Paton slipped the ball to McWaters on the right to chip a perfectly weighted forward pass over the head of a defender and to match O’Kane’s run who took a touch before breaking into the box only to be bundled to the ground by the back-tracking Stuart Davidson. Up stepped Shug Kerr to slam the spot kick past keeper Kyle King to put the Glens 3-2 up on 79 minutes.

Glens made another change with Sam McKee making way for Cammy Crooks.

The visitors added a fourth on 86 minutes after Paton gathered the ball tight on the right-hand touchline, just inside the Glens’ half, from where he picked out Kerr with an exquisite lob up the wing which was trapped by the striker who then held off Sewell and Paul O’Byrne to drive deep into the Meadow box and cut the ball across the face of the goal for the inrushing Gary Fraser to kill it with his left foot before slotting it home with his right foot from 6 yards out.

FT Meadow 2 Glens 4

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC
1. David Markey 14. Lyall Holding 20. Ollie Rowe 5. Craig Pettigrew (captain) 3. Michael McMullin 2. Cammy Ross (10. Alex McWaters) 6. Paul Paton 8. Gary Fraser 7. Sam McKee (15. Cammy Crooks) 9. Michael Moffat (19. Dylan O’Kane) 18. Hugh Kerr Subs Not Used: 11. Ryan Sinnamon 12. Ryan Caddis 16. Craig Johnston, Trialist

IRVINE MEADOW XI