GREENVERSITY RENEWABLES	WOSFL Premier Division	Match 01
Glenafton Athletic	4 (2)	Rowe 2, Mullen 2
St. Cadoc’s	3 (2)	McLaughlin, Diver, Breen
Sat 27 Jul 2024	KO 2:00 pm	Loch Park, New Cumnock

Glenafton hosted St. Cadoc’s on the opening game of the 2024/25 league season. The home side have been busy during the close season and seven players, including two of the bench, made their debuts.

St. Cadoc’s finished 3rd in the league last season only 6 points adrift champions Beith Juniors, however by way of some consolation they signed The Mighty’s top goalscorer Ciaran Diver, who was also the league’s top scorer with 29 goals, including a hat-trick against the Glens in the game we do not speak of! In the St. Cadoc’s side was former Glenafton defender Richie McKillen.

The visitors kicked off and were quickly on the front foot with Neil McLaughlin firing a low angled shot from inside the box in the opening minute that slipped wide of the back post. A minute later some excellent build up play set up Lewis McTaggart deep in the Glens box for a close range shot that was deflected wide for a corner kick which eventually fell for McLaughlin only for his shot to be blocked and then mopped up by Craig Pettigrew before picking out Cammy Ross who set off on a lung-bursting run upfield only for Andy Lithgow to intercept his pass to Kerr of the edge of the ‘D’.

Back came Saints with Ciaran Diver driving into the right hand side of Glens box only to be brilliantly stripped of the ball by Ross Lindsay. Soon after Ollie Rowe broke down another Cads attack and Andy Strachan snapped up the loose ball to release Ross down the right-wing giving BJ Coll the slip, not for last time, before whipping the ball into box only for Shuggy Kerr’s looping header to drop wide of the back post.

Play continued to flow back and forth. Gary Muir gathered a throw-in tight on the right and from the half-way line he lasered a superb ball to the left-hand corner of the Glens box dipping over Strachan’s head to fall perfectly for the inrushing McLaughlin to chest the ball down before lashing a low shot that the outrushing Semple blocked with his shins.

Soon after Muir drilled a low free kick from the right into a packed box only for the ball to rebound off players and fall for Evan Maley to lob it up to the centre circle where Kerr’s head-flick was trapped by Michael Mullen to quickly play a diagonal pass back to Ross Lindsay on the left from where he curled a long ball to the outskirts of the far corner of the box for Ross to chase only for Marc Kelly to head it out for a Glens throw. A free kick followed after Coll impeded Ross on the touch-line which Lindsay whipped nto the box where Ollie Rowe leapt from the six-yard line head and shoulders above defenders Lithgow and Muir to bullet a downward header that bounced a yard from the goal line and then high into the net past the keeper Max Currie rooted to the spot. Glens 1-0 up on 13 minutes.

Midway through the half the visitors won a corner on the right which was floated to the back post where Pettigrew got the jump on McKillen with a looping header to the edge of the box where further headers from McKee and then McClelland saw the ball well clear of danger.

With their way back into the box well marshalled by the Glens defence St. Cadoc’s looked to stroke the ball about the centre circle but were caught out after Ronan Hughes weakly hit square ball to Coll was intercepted by Mullen who burst through the middle with McKee for company and three defenders chasing behind. The striker blasted a low shot from 15 yards that the outrushing keeper did well to get down low to push away to his right only for McKee to gather the ball on the outskirts of the six-yard box. With Muir in pursuit he retreated and slipped a perfectly weighted pass to Kerr now breaking into the penalty box before sprinting past Hughes and drilling a low angled shot from 10 yards that evaded the leaping McKillen’s attempt to block and the static keeper as it fell for Michael Mullen to slam the ball into the net beyond the reach of captain Coll on the goal-line. Glens 2-0 up on 22 minutes!

However, the tide quickly turned and St. Cadoc’s were level some 6 minutes later.

Semple launched a long high ball down the left and Mullen made a spectacular effort to stop the ball going out for a throw only for Muir tight on his back to pounce on the loose ball and clip it back up field into the right hand side of the box for Lewis McTaggart to chase down unopposed before firing a low pass to edge of the six yard box for the inrushing Ciaran Driver but under pressure from Strachan he couldn’t connect properly and the ball took a slight deflection before bobbling toward the back post for Neil McLaughlin to lash home and halve the deficit on 26 mins.

Soon after Glens gave away possession with the ball falling for Muir to push forward and although his attempt to curl a pass into the box for Diver deflected off Pettigrew it fell for Kelly who slipped the ball to McTaggart wide on the right to drill it across the face of goal for Ciaran Diver to slam it home from 6 yards out. Game all square at 2-2 on 28 minutes.

Play continued to rage back and forth at a pace without any further scoring although the home side came close in the closing minutes. Glens switched play from right to left with a string of passes that concluded with Evan Maley tight on the touchline to curl a ball to the far side of the six-yard box where Ross’s attempt to head the ball across the face of goal was blocked by Coll’s forearm, igniting loud appeals for a penalty from Glenafton players, dug-out and supporters alike, while Coll was content to concede a corner.

Although the corner-kick was cleared the Glens quickly recovered the ball on the outskirts of the box from where Maley squared the ball to Pettigrew tight on the right touchline to roll it up the line for Mullen. The striker weaved between Jack Breen and Kelly to break into the box before giving Muir the slip only for his shot from the corner of the six yard box to be blocked by Lithgow.

At the other end Diver chased down a pass into the box but Semple was quick off the line to smother the ball and the danger.

HT Glens 2 St. Cadoc’s 2

Glens kicked off and were first to threaten after Maley cut in from the left and pushed forward before unleashing a shot from 25 yards which flew over the keeper, well off his line, before dipping over the bar.

St Cadoc’s countered through McTaggart from deep in the box hooking a ball to the near post which was smothered by Semple while Rowe was in place to protect his keeper from the inrushing Diver.

Back came Glens with Mullen breaking deep into the left hand side of the box before whipping the ball into the goalmouth for the incoming Kerr only for McKillen to head it wide for a corner kick which was cleared by a powerful Lithgow header.  

St. Cads then enjoyed a good spell of pressure in and around the Glens box with the best chance falling to McLaughlin in the six-yard box from a McTaggart cross but despite his great leap his header drifted wide of target.

On 64 minutes Glenafton made a change with Sam McKee making way for Ryan Walker.

The visitors continued to press and McLaughlin clipped a great ball through the middle for Breen to burst into the box only for the back-tracking Rowe to make a goal-saving tackle.  Soon after Strachan blocked McLaughlin’s from a few yards out at the expense of a corner.

Some respite for the home side after Mullen and Ross combined to pick out Kerr in the box where the striker gave Coll the slip before thumping a shot that deflected off Lithgow for a corner which keeper Currie punched away from under the bar.

St. Cadoc’s countered in lethal fashion with a break down the length of the right wing but with defenders closing in substitute Daniel McManus rolled the ball back to Muir on the touchline who in turn laid it off inside to Hughes to clip a glorious ball deep into the Glens box where Jack Breen go between Ross and Rowe to stoop and guide a glancing header beyond the reach of Semple. The visitors getting their noses in front on 80 minutes.

Glens made a change with Dylan O’Kane replacing Cameron Ross and soon after Armand Dollani came on for Evan Maley both wide men having kept St. Cadoc’s on their toes throughout the match. On 83 minutes Glens came close to drawing level after O’Kane’s powerful run down the right and clipping the ball to the near corner of the six-yard box where Mullen got between McKillen and Lithgow to guide
a cushioned header beyond the reach of Currie’s outstretched arms only for the ball to crash off the underside of the bar and then hoofed clear.

Back came Glens and won a corner on the left which Lindsay floated high into the box where both Mullen and Rowe outleapt defenders and it was Ollie Rowe that bulleted an unstoppable header that whizzed between the keeper and defender on the post before bulging the net. Match all square at 3-3 on 83 minutes.

The Glens tails were up and St. Cadoc’s heads were down and it was the home side that took the lead a minute later through a wonder strike from Michael Mullen. St. Cadoc’s played a long ball up the park for Diver only for Rowe to intercept and roll the ball forward to Lindsay in the Glens half of the centre circle from where he clipped the ball upfield to match Mullen’s run to the outskirts of the left side of the box. However, a sliding tackle from Muir saw the Glens striker momentarily lose possession only to fend off another tackle from the grounded defender to win the ball and lash a shot from 18 yards that whizzed over the leaping Currie before bulging the net and sparking glorious celebrations. Glens 4-3 on 84 minutes.

The home side continued to press and Walker from wide on the left lobbed a high ball into the box for Dollani to chase only for Currie to win the race and boot the ball clear from the six-yard line.

In the closing minutes play continued to flow back and forth without either side creating any clear-cut chances and the three points were staying in New Cumnock.

FT Glens 4 St. Cadoc’s 3

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC
1. Ally Semple 3. Andy Strachan 4. Ollie Rowe 5. Craig Pettigrew (capt.); 2. Cammy Ross (17. Dylan O’Kane) 8. Stephen McLelland 7. Sam McKee (12. Ryan Walker) 6. Ross Lindsay 11. Evan Maley (14. Amand Dollani) ; 9. Shuggy Kerr 10. Mick Mullen Subs: 15. Lewis Currie 16. Lyall Holding 21. David Markey (gk)

ST. CADOC’S
1. Max Currie 2. Gary Muir 3. BJ Coll (capt.) 20. Richie McKillen 5. Alan Lithgow 6. Jack Breen 7. Marc Kelly 8. Ronan Hughes 9. Ciaran Diver 10. Lewis McTaggart 11. Neil McLaughlin Subs. 12. Anton Brady 14. Bob McHugh 15. Reece McGuire 16. Daniel McManus 17. Kyle Munro 18. Mark McLuckie

More Match Photos

Glenafton Athletic vs. St. Cadoc’s