| GREENVERSITY RENEWABLES | WOSFL Premier Division | Match 04 |
|---|---|---|
| Cumnock Juniors | 3 (2) | Dykes, Orr, McKenzie |
| Glenafton Athletic | 0 (0) | |
| Sat 10 Aug 24 | KO 2:00 pm | Townhead Park, Cumnock |
Glenafton made two changes to the eleven that started against Johnstone Burgh last Saturday with Hugh Kerr (unavailable) and Cammy Ross making way for Amand Dollani and Sam Kerr, while Ross Lindsay and Cammy Crooks (long term) remain on the injury list.
In the Cumnock dug-out was former Glenafton player and treble-winning manager Craig McEwan now assistant manager to Cumnock’s new manager Stephen Swift.
The Cumnock pitch was bathed in bright sunshine with a brisk breeze blowing albeit not strong enough to turn those windfall windmills on Hare Hill, back in the parish of New Cumnock! Although the Glens kicked off it was the ‘Nock that quickly took control of the game in whirlwind fashion.
On 3 minutes Cammy Chalmers from inside the box drilled a low angled shot that Ally Semple got down low to push wide for a corner preventing a posse of ‘Nockians getting a touch at the back post. Luke Watt played the kick short to Dylan Dykes to whip the ball into the goalmouth only for Lyle Holding’s clearance to be instantly fired back goalward by Watt which was deflected wide for another corner. Watt floated this one to the near post for the incoming Jon Craig to leap lively and send a looping header of the bar.
Glens eventually ventured into the Cumnock half albeit without breaching their box and were quickly back in defensive mode as the impressive Watt broke down the right and lofted a ball high into the box where Craig Pettigrew’s clearing header bounced out for a corner. Watt picked out the leaping Craig at the near post again only for his header to be blocked by Willet before it was deflected wide off a ‘Nock player and out for a goal kick.
Still only 5 minutes on the clock!
The visitors enjoyed some spells up both flanks but again without causing any panic in the penalty box while a Michael Mullen shot from distance flew wide of the target.
Back came Cumnock through Chalmers clipping a ball to the edge of the box for Dykes but his header, under pressure from Holding, drifted wide of the post. Jamie Conn burst into the left-hand side of the Glens box and drilled a low ball to the back post beyond the reach of Semple and team-mate Thomas Orr arriving at speed at the back post. Soon after Robbie Buchanan picked up a pass from Dykes to push forward to the outskirts of the ‘D’ with Amand Dollani giving chase and adjudged to have brought the midfielder down. Watt curled the free-kick over the wall only for the ball to fall safely into the hands of Semple.
On 20 minutes Cumnock made the break-through following a coming together of Conn and Holding in the Glens box leaving both players tumbling to the ground holding their shins – the referee in no doubt the Glens man was the culprit and up stepped Dylan Dykes to send Semple the wrong way and slot the spot kick into the corner of the net.
The Glens enjoyed a good spell of possession in the Cumnock half and yet still the penalty box proved to be a no-go area.
Cumnock countered down the right with Watt curling a ball to the back post and although Semple saw the ball late the keeper got down to nudge it away from the goal then quickly get back on his feet to block the inrushing Dykes’ attempt to fire the loose ball home, only for the striker to knock it past the post. Soon after Watt from the right curled another killer cross to the back post for Dykes but under pressure from Holding his header sailed high over the bar.
On 34 minutes Glenafton finally found their way into the Cumnock box. Willet from the half-way line lofted a ball to the outskirts of the box where Mullen did well to trap and flick it forward into the box only for Brownlie to head it back out before Stephen McLelland pounced to drive forward and clip the ball across the goalmouth beyond the reach of diving keeper Blair Currie, but alas also the inrushing Dollani.
Back came ‘Nock and inevitably Watt was the instigator with back-to-back crosses from wide on the right both aimed for Dykes in the box only for Pettigrew and Holding respectively to win the aerial battles. Third time lucky and Cumnock doubled their lead on 38 minutes. Watt down the right again played a couple of one-twos with Chalmers before the latter cut into the box between two defenders and then clipped a low ball between two more defenders and the keeper at the near post for Thomas Orr to guide the ball home despite Semple’s forlorn effort to block it..
Back came Cumnock and Dykes from within the ‘D’ surrounded by a pocket of Glens players rolled the ball back to Buchanan but his shot from 22 yards flew high over the bar.
On 45 minutes Mullen won the Glens their first corner of the match which Ryan Walker floated high into the heart of the box only to be headed clear by Buchanan.
HT Cumnock 2 Glenafton 0
Glens made two changes at the break with Sam McKee and Amand Dollani making way for Cammy Ross and Dylan O’Kane while Cumnock brought on Allan McKenzie for Thomas Orr and Benji Wright for Higgins.
Cumnock were first to threaten when despite the visitors appeals for offside Conn chased down Dykes’s lob into the box unhindered and although he drew Semple from his line the keeper came out on top pushing his shot wide to be mopped up by Willet.
Play now fell into a pattern of back and forth and the visitors were enjoying greater spells of possession within their opponent’s half with Ross, Mullen and O’Kane pushing forward but still in terms of creating chances the home side well ahead.
McKenzie’ shot from 8 yards was blocked by Holding at the expense of a corner which was cleared to the outskirts of the box by Holding only to be gathered by Buchanan who picked out Dykes on the left to curl a ball to the back post where a powerful Pettigrew header sent the ball flying out the box again only for it quickly returned for Craig to try and head home from a few yard, but flattened Holding in the process.
Glens then pressed down both flanks, switching from one to another at times, but without creating any chances of note. One such attack saw Cumnock Craig win the ball near his own corner flag before pushing up the left and in a flash the ball was switched to right and series of short pssed ended with Wilson whipping a ball from the corner flag high into the box forcing Semple to make an acrobatic leap to touch the ball over the bar. The corner that followed was headed clear by Pettigrew initiating another period of Glens’ pressure.
On 63 minutes Cumnock brought on Callum Scott for Cammy Chalmers.
Wilson intercepted a McLelland header on the half way line before pushing forward and slipping the ball to Conn on the overlap to break into the right-hand side of the box to drill a low angled shot that Semple dived to stop on the six-yard line and then grabbed the loose ball as Buchanan closed in.
Cumnock made a double substitution on 68 minutes with Dylan Dykes and Jamie Conn replaced by Josh Jack and Joe McKee.
Glens pressed up the right and although Ross’s determined attempts to break into the box were repelled a game of head tennis followed and McClelland outjumped Wilson to knock the ball forward to Mullen only to be barged in the back but the free-kick from the edge of the box came to nothing.
On 78 minutes Glens brought on Andy Strachan for Craig Pettigrew who had taken a knock which delayed a free-kick that Cumnock won tight on the touchline. Joe McKee played it short to Watt before breaking up the touchline to receive a pass from Watt before chipping a perfectly weighted ball that more or less landed on Allan McKenzie’s head to bullet home a downward header to putit Cumnock 3-0 to the good.
Glens made a final substitution with Evan Maley making way for Lewis Currie.
In the closing minutes Glens won a corner-kick after Brownlie intercepted a cross to bullet a header over his own bar. O’Kane’s kick was headed clear. Soon after Willet floated a free-kick into the six- yard box where Rowe outleapt Brownlie only for his header to be headed clear.
The home side however still held ambitions to add their tally and Jack came close with a flashing downward header from the six-yard line that beat Semple only for Strachan to hook it off the line as McKenzie looked to pounce.
FT Cumnock 3 Glenafton 0
| GLENAFTON ATHLETIC |
|---|
| 1. Ally Semple 2. Lyall Holding 4. Ollie Rowe 5. Craig Pettigrew (capt.) (15. Andy Strachan); 3. Jared Willet; 11. Evan Maley (15. Lewis Currie) 6. Stephen McLelland 8. Ryan Walker 7. Sam McKee (16. Cammy Ross); 9. Amand Dollani (12. Dylan O’Kane) 10. Michael Mullen Subs Not Used: 23. Keon Thurston (gk) |
| CUMNOCK JUNIORS |
|---|
| 1. Blair Currie 2. Luke Watt 3. Jon Craig 4. Daniel Higgins (Benji Wright) 5. Darren Brownlie 6. Jamie Wilson (capt.) 7. Cammy Chalmers (Callum Scott) 8. Robbie Buchanan 9. Thomas Orr (14. Allan McKenzie) 10. Dylan Dykes (Jack) 11. Jamie Conn (Joe McKee). Subs Not Used: Adam Strain (gk), Sam Ellis, Josh Jack, Stefan McCluskey |
| Match Photos |
| Cumnock Juniors v Glenafton Athletic |
Glenafton Athletic 