GREENVERSITY RENEWABLES	WOSFL Premier Division	Match 03
Glenafton Athletic	0 (0)
Johnstone Burgh	4 (1)	Moore 3, McCann
Sat 03 Aug 2024	KO 2:00 pm	Loch Park, New Cumnock

Thank you Chelsea Carruthers and her father for sponsoring the match ball, joined here with Glenafton chairman John Stewart and Glenafton manager Ryan Caddis.

Glenafton made three changes to the 11 that started against Darvel on Tuesday evening with Sam McKee, Andy Strachan (unavailable) and Ross Lindsay (injured) making way for Ollie Rowe, Cammy Ross and Ryan Walker.

On the Burgh bench was former Glenafton captain and ‘Hall of Famer’ Craig Menzies,  who enjoyed 9 successful seasons at the club.

Today’s match between Glenafton Athletic and Johnstone Burgh marks the first meeting of the two clubs in the West of Scotland Football league following Burgh’s promotion after finishing in 3rd place in last season’s First Division. The teams first met on league business back in Season 2002/03 in the newly formed West Region Super League with Glens joining as ‘The Last Champions of Ayrshire’ and Burgh as ‘The Last Champions of Central’!

Burgh kicked-off on a sun-drenched pitch and were quickly on the front foot creating a clutch of half-chances. Darren Christie’s header from a corner was plucked out the air by keeper Ally Semple; Daniel O’Neil’s close range shot from a free-kick drifted wide of the target and Blair Rossiter’s shot through a ruck of players from 16 yards out was well held down low by Semple.

Although the visitors continued to enjoy the bulk of the possession the Glens passed up a great chance to take the lead on 12 minutes. Shuggy Kerr clipped a ball into the right-hand side of the box where Michael Mullen held off the challenge from Kian Gilday to head the ball back to Cammy Ross who quickly squared the ball between the two centre backs for the incoming Jared Willet only for his shot from 8 yards to be comfortably collected by keeper Luke Scullion.

Back came Burgh and a free-kick floated in a packed Glens box was won in the air by O’Neil and his downward header seemed destined to sneak in at the post only for Semple at full stretch to push wide for a corner which again was won by O’Neil only for this header to fly well wide of target.

Midway through the half Rossiter from wide on the right cut inside the Glens box and slipped past two red shirts before picking out Aaron Mason who weaved past another defender before blasting a shot from 8 yards over the bar.

Glens enjoyed a good spell of possession in the Burgh half without breaching their box until 25 minutes when Michael Mullen, under pressure from O’Neil, drilled a low shot from 16 yards which beat the keeper but sneaked inches wide of the post.

The visitors duly responded with another wave of attacks. Mason was denied from close range after a perfectly time tackle in the box by Lyall Holding. Rossiter and Mason combined down the left before the latter squared the ball to Jordan Moore at the corner of the six-yard box only for Rowe to give him no room, other than retreat. Full-back Fraser Mullen then blasted and low angled shot from the edge of the box only to cannon off Evan Maley’s back sending the ball high into the air and fall safely into the hands of Semple.

On 32 minutes Johnstone Burgh broke the deadlock in deadly fashion. Cammy Eadie from the centre circle fired a low forward pass to Mason who held off Holding before stroking the ball toward the 18- yard line where Moore took the heat out of the pass to let the ball roll into the path of the inrushing Gilday to complete the one-two with Jordan Moore who then burst into the space between the central defenders and slot the ball under the diving Semple on the six-yard line.

The home side responded well and Ross’s perseverance down the right won a corner which he floated to the back post where Mullen’s header whizzed wide of the post. Soon after Mullen won another corner which keeper Scullion did well to wade through a packed six-yard box and clutch the ball out from Kerr’s head before falling on the ground.

At the other end the lively Gilday whipped a ball from wide on the left to the back post forcing Semple to come off his line and pluck the ball from a gathering of yellow shorts.

Play the fell into a pattern of back and forth with a handful of se-pieces which were handled well by respective defences.

HT Glens 0 Burgh 1

Glenafton made one change at the break with Cammy Ross making way for Dylan O’Kane.

A lively start to the half as the Glens earned an early corner which O’Kane floated into the six-yard bow where after some head the ball descended for the leaping Rowe to sending a looping header goalward where it was clutched under the bar by Scullion.

At the other end Fraser Muller whipped a ball in from the right for the alert Moore to pounce on the ball in a busy box only to be forced wide where he holds off a defender before his shot blazes over the bar.

Back came Glens through Ryan Walker launching a long ball down the right for Michael Mullen to chase with Eadie for company to be joined by his keeper racing from his line and although Mullen got a shot away the ball zipped inches wide of the post.

On 55 minutes Burgh doubled their lead through Gilday pressing down the left before squaring a ball from the touchline to Malky McDonald on the 18-yard form where he drove forward and with Rowe closing he cracked a low angled shot from 10 yards which Semple did well to get down to finger the tip the ball away across the face of goal only for Jordan Moore, with a free run, to pounce and side foot the ball into the net from 3 yards out.

After Evan Maley took a sore one tight on the right touch-line O’Kane floated the free-kick over the two-man wall and deep into a packed six-yard box where Holding won the aerial battle with Gilday only for his header to be firmly held the keeper.

On 61 minutes Glens brought on Amand Dolani for Shuggy Kerr.

The home side enjoyed a good spell of possession in the Burgh half. Michael Mullen forced his way down the right to the corner to then cut the ball back towards the penalty spot from where Dollani cracked a vicious rising shot that was pushed over the bar by the airborne Scullion.

O’Kane’s corner was won in the air by Rowe before scramble over the bye-line and claims for another corner for the home side waved away.

At the other end Mason from wide on the left whipped a ball into the box for the incoming Moore only to be robbed of the ball by Rowe and then Rossiter’s attempt to fire home the loose ball bravely blocked by Stephen McClelland.

Some controversy on 71 minutes after Dollani held off O’Neil on the right touchline until the frustrated Burgh defender pulled him the ground as the referee when for his yellow card, O’Neil punched the ball in anger and was lucky not to get a second yellow for dissent. To rub salt in the wound the free-kick was overhit and out of play at the back post.

The visitors then mounted attacks down both wings and although the Glens defence stood firm Burgh added a third on 75 minutes with that man Jason Moore. A ball launched up the right where Moore with Rowe tight on his back headed it on for Mason on the overlap to burst into the right hand of the box and squared it across towards the penalty spot seemingly for the substitute Max Kerr, but no the inrushing Jason Moore intercepted the ball on his stride to slam it into the back post beyond reach of the diving Semple on the six-yard line. 3-0 Burgh, hat-trick for Moore.

Glenafton made another change with Stephen McLelland making way for Sam McKee.

Played ebbed back and forth and seemed to be drawing to conclusion only for Burgh to make it 4-0 following a deadly counter-attack in the closing minutes.

Michael Mullen clipped a ball down the right for O’Kane to chase and in turn cut it back into for McKee only for substitute Graham Dorrans to intercept and then from the near post flick it forward to Eadie who picked out Kerr on the left on outskirts of the box before breaking forward to complete his first one-two. Eadie then stroked the ball forward to Mason and gathered the one-two before pushing into the centre circle to break into centre circle from where he clipped the ball forward to set substitute Gary McCann with a free run to the Glens box and drawing Semple well off his line before slamming home a low shot from 16 yards, 4-0 on 89 minutes.

FT Glens 0 Burgh 4

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC
1. Ally Semple 3. Lyall Holding 4. Ollie Rowe 5. Craig Pettigrew (capt); 2. Cammy Ross (14. Dylan O’Kane) 6. Ryan Walker 7. Evan Maley 8. Stephen McLelland (15. Sam McKee) 2. Jared Willet; 9. Hugh Kerr (12. Amand Dollani) 10. Michael Mullen   Subs Not Used: 16. Lewis Currie 23. David Markey (gk)

JOHNSTONE BURGH
1. Luke Scullion 2. Fraser Mullen 3. Kian Gilday 4. Cammy Eadie 5. Daniel O’Neil 6. Del Esplin 7. Darren Christie 8. Malky McDonald 9. Jordan Moore 10. Blair Rossiter 11. Aaron Mason. Subs: 12. Jason Naismith 14. Graham Dorrans 15. Max Kerr 16. Gary McCann 17. J. Lyon 18. Craig Menzies 13 A Paton

Match Photos

Glenafton Athletic v Johnstone Burgh