PDM HUWS GRAY	WOSFL Premier Division	Match 29
Glenafton Athletic	5 (1)	Rowe, Kerr 2, Moffat, McWaters
Cumnock Juniors	0 (0)	Slooves
Fri 10 May 2024	KO 7:45 pm	Loch Park, New Cumnock

A minute’s silence was held before kick-off in memory of former Glenafton defender Mick Neil who played for the club in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Glenafton made two changes to the eleven that started against St. Cadoc’s on Tuesday evening with Alex McWaters and Liam Caddis (injured) making way for Sam McKee and Michael Moffat. The penultimate league match of the season for the home side, currently sitting 4^th bottom, where a victory would ensure their Premier Division status.

The first Glenafton v Cumnock local derby dates back to August 1930, over 93 years ago. The latest meeting between the New Cumnock and Old Cumnock two sides was brought forward to the Friday evening to avoid a clash with a live televised Glasgow derby to be played on the Saturday afternoon, although the date of the first clash between these two teams is hotly disputed by some supporters of either team! Whatever the case the switch had the desired outcome with a good-sized crowd congregating on the terracing and the bonnie bonnie bankings of Loch Park.

Although Glenafton kicked off in the glorious evening sunshine it was Cumnock that made a bright start winning an early corner that former Cumnock keeper Ally Semple pushed away from the far post. The ball was quickly recovered by the ‘Nock allowing Sam Jamieson to drive to the bye-line only for his cut-back to the inrushing Allan McKenzie to be intercepted and held by Semple at the near post. The visitors continued to press but the finishing touch continued to elude them.

Glens countered through Shuggy Kerr’s header into the left-hand side of the box which was chased down by Michael Moffat and although he threaded his cross between two defenders and over the head of a third, keeper Jamie Barclay clutched the ball from under the bar as Cammy Ross threatened in the six-yard box.

Play began to rage back and forth, often punctuated with free kicks which typically were played into a box busy with defenders and attackers in equal number and the ball eventually cleared to safety.

On 20 minutes Cumnock came close to breaking the deadlock. Andy McLauchlin burst down the right to hunt down a ball bouncing into the box and met it on the nick of the time on the bye-line to cut it back into the goalmouth where Sam Jamieson got in between two defenders and blast a shot from 6 yards that crashed off the top of the post. The force of the shot sent the rebound out to the right where Robbie Buchanan won the race to retrieve it before drilling the ball back into the six-yard box only for Craig Pettigrew to clear as Jamieson hoped to pounce again. The chances sparked a good spell of Cumnock possession pegging the Glens back but their defence stood firm.

The tide began to turn in the home side’s favour with a wave of attacks. Sam McKee gathered the ball tight on the left then skipped past defender Andy McLaughlin before driving to the edge of the box and floating a high ball to the far corner of the six-yard box where Ross leapt to send a header that looped high over the bar.

Soon after Ollie Rowe headed another ‘Nock attack clear and in a flash Moffat and Kerr combined to win a corner on the left which was pinged low to Pettigrew at the near corner of the six-yard box only for Jamie Wilson to rob the ball with a well-timed slide tackle.

Back came Glens with playmaker Payton clipping the ball to Moffat who quickly laid it off to Ross on the right. The two then combined down the wing to win another corner which McKee floated high into the box where it was eventually cleared and recovered by the home side to win another corner on the right. McKee floated an identical high kick to the edge of the six-yard box where Ollie Rowe leapt between McLaughlin and MacKenzie to bullet a header between the keeper and the unmarked near post. Glens ahead on 60 minutes.

Cumnock quickly countered and launched a free kick into the box that was cleared and promptly clipped back into the goalmouth where McKenzie and Semple leapt together with the keeper clutching the ball under the bar before falling to the ground. Soon after Buchanan and Wilson were robbed of the ball by Pettigrew on the edge of the Glens box before slipping the ball to Paton to curl it upfield for Kerr to chase. On reaching the ‘D’, with the back-tracking Alan Cook closing in from behind and keeper Barclay racing from his line, Kerr opted to lob the goalie but the adrenalin rush sent the ball high into the flight path for Prestwick!

Moffat gathered a short throw-in from Lyall Holding deep on the left and gave two defenders the slip to drive to the bye-line before cutting it back for Ross only for McLennan to intercept and clear it the edge of the box where Fraser met it first time to blast a shot from 22 yards that deflected off Wilson and out for a corner on the right. On this occasion McKee’s kick was headed clear by McLaughlin as Rowe was well marked by Cook.

At the other end Jared Willet played a short-corner on the right to Jamieson to drive along the bye-line only for Sinnamon to nick the ball from him at the edge of the six-yard box.

Cumnock continued to press and on 42 minutes Jamieson from the right, close to the corner flag whipped a ball across the face of goal where Callan Veitch, under pressure from Paton, did well to trap it and set up a shot from six yards only for Rowe to make a great block. Fraser pounced on the loose ball and squared to Ross who set off on a lung-bursting up the right wing only to be tripped by Willet. Paton floated the free-kick high into the heart of the box where Kerr won the aerial battle with Cook only for his header to sail high over the bar.

Soon after, Fraser killed MacLennan’s clearing header on his chest before leathering a shot from 22 yards that was deflected wide for a corner on the left which McKee delivered to the near side of the six-yard box only for Pettigrew’s header dipped over the bar.

HT Glens 1 Cumnock 0

Cumnock kicked off with the sun now beginning to set behind the Glens goal and were first to threaten. Cook launched a free-kick from inside his own half to the right hand side of the box where MacKenzie’s downward header was trapped by McLauchlin at the corner of the six-yard box who rolled it wide to McLaughlin to fire it back to the near post where Semple safely gathered.

At the other end Paton clipped a free-kick from wide on the right into a busy box where a scramble ensued before Pettigrew managed to tee a shot up from 12 yards which from its trajectory must have deflected off a defender as it sailed high over the bar, but a goal kick awarded. Sinnamon then curled a great cros from wide on the right, high into the six yard box for Kerr only for Barclay to leap and pluck the ball out the air.

Back came Cumnock who were up in the numbers in the Glens box only for MacKenzie to lose possession allowing Fraser to fire the ball upfield for Kerr to chase albeit Cook had a clear head start, however under pressure, he was forced to play the ball back to his keeper now rushing to the edge of the box. By this time Kerr was in the box and Barclay not wanting to handle the back pass chested the ball down and pushed it out beyond the edge of the ‘D’ to boot the ball upfield with Moffat closing in. However McKee was quick to react and lobbed the ball back high over the head of the stranded keeper and Kerr leaving Cook no option it seemed but to dive and handle the ball in the six-yard box to prevent it going into the gaping net. The unfortunate centre-back was shown a red card and Shuggy Kerr stepped up to slam home the spot kick. Glens 2-0 up on 54 minutes against the 10 men of Cumnock.

Cumnock made a change with Andy McLauchlin making way for Ruari Ellis. The ‘Nock responded well breaking in numbers upfield again, to win a corner on the left which was curled to the near post where Jamieson’s glancing header bounced up to fall kindly for Ellis only for his header to drift wide of the back post.

At the other end Moffat held off three defenders at the edge of the ‘D’ before knocking the ball forward to Kerr, played onside by McLaughlin, to break into the box only for Barclay to come off his line, forcing the striker wide and his shot then deflected wide by the keeper. The corner kick was cleared and Cumnock countered in numbers which ended with Buchanan’s low angled shot beating Semple at the near post only for the ball to drift inches wide of the back post.

The home side then large spells of possession as they broke forward in numbers. On 65 minutes Sam McKee, after a great shift with both assists, made way for Alex McWaters.

Glens continued to press and on 69 minutes extended their lead in fine style. Sinnamon clipped a ball from the edge of the ‘D’ forward to Kerr in the centre-circle who then broke to the left of McLennan while Michael Moffat broke to the right of the defender to collect his team-mate’s pass before skipping past Ellis to burst into the box and guide a shot from 12 yards beyond the reach of Barclay, diving at full stretch on the six-yard line, and into the bottom corner of the net.

Glenafton made a double substitution with Michael Moffat and Gary Fraser leaving to loud applause from the jubilant home support to be replaced by Cammy Crooks and Dylan O’Kane. Three minutes later Cammy Scott received the same reception from the fans on making way for young Harvey Gilmour.

It was very much one-way traffic and the Glenafton substitutions made a big contribution to extend their lead.  Crooks from deep and tight on the right played a slick one-two with O’Kane before gliding past Willet and clipping a high ball into the box where Alex McWaters killed it before cracking a glorious shot from 16 yards over the heads of two defenders into the far corner of the net with Barclay rooted to the spot. Glens 4-0 up on 82 minutes.

Credit to Cumnock as they continued to seek out a consolation and came close after Willet curled a wicked corner to the back post only for Crooks to leap above two blue shirts to win the ball allowing Pettigrew to launch it up the park where Gilmour gathered on the left and on feigning to cut inside, he instead slipped the ball up the wing for O’Kane to cut into the box only for McLaughlin to clip his heels. Up stepped Shuggy Kerr and although Barclay guessed ‘which way’ on this occasion he couldn’t prevent the striker’s spot kick nestling in the net, to make it 5-0 on 86 minutes.

As the match drew to a close Cumnock won another corner kick and came close to a consolation only for MacKenzie’s header to flash across the face of goal and mopped up by the Glens. Rowe launched the ball down the left where it was gathered by Gilmour tight on the wing before giving McLennan the slip to curl a great ball to the far side of the box for the incoming Crooks only for his shot to be blocked by Willet.

Three minutes added time brought the match to a close and of course there were loud cheers in recognition of doing the league double over their local rivals in such an emphatic fashion while it would be fair to say these feelings of joy were swamped with those of relief felt by the players, supporters and management & staff in retaining Premier Division status after a long and stressful season.

FT Glens 5 Cumnock 0

Getting a wee bit dark for photos!!

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC
21. Ally Semple 11. Ryan Sinnamon 20. Ollie Rowe 5. Craig Pettigrew (captain) 14. Lyall Holding; 2. Cammy Ross (17. Harvey Gilmour) 6. Paul Paton 8. Gary Fraser (15. Cammy Crooks) 7. Sam McKee (10. Alex McWaters); 9. Michael Moffat (19. Dylan O’Kane) 18. Hugh Kerr Subs Not Used: 1. David Markey 3. Michael McMullin

CUNOCK JUNIORS
1. Jamie Barclay 2. Andy McLaughlin 3. Jared Willet 4. Mark McLennan 5. Alan Cook 6. Jamie Wilson 7. Robbie Buchanan 8. Andy McLauchlin 9. Sam Jamieson 10. Allan MacKenzie 11. Callan Vietch Subs: Ruari Ellis, Grant Dickie, Robbie Young, Jacob Pagan, Adam Strain (gk)

Match Photos

Glenafton Athletic v Cumnock Juniors