GREENVERSITY RENEWABLES	WOSFL Premier Division	Match 15
Johnstone Burgh	2 (2)	M. Kerr, Mason
Glenafton Athletic	1 (0)	H. Kerr
Sat 01 Feb 2025	KO 1:30 pm	Keanie Park, Johnstone

Glenafton made three changes to the starting eleven that faced Darvel last Saturday with Cammy Ross, Jamie Taggart and Ollie Rowe (unavailable) making way for Lyall Holding, Jared Willet and Ryan Walker. Meanwhile Evan Maley, Craig Pettigrew and Sam McKee all remain on the ‘injured list’.

In the Johnstone Burgh squad is Glenafton’s 2017/18 Treble winning captain Craig Menzies, a spectator for the day. Despite the overcast weather the pitch looked in great condition in the impressive bowl of Keanie Park.

Shuggy Kerr, captain for the day, kicked off for the Glens.

Burgh were first to threaten on 2 minutes after Ross Smith won the ball deep in the Glens box only for his shot at goal to be blocked by Jordan Allan sending the ball high into the air before Graham Dorrans’ attempt to head home the loose ball was clutched out the air by keeper David Markey.

Glens replied through Michael Mullen gathering the ball inside the Burgh half and pushed forward to the outskirts of the right-hand side of the box before lashing a low diagonal shot from 25 yards out that keeper Luke Scullion did well to get down low and push wide and although Jared Willet chased down the loose ball his shot from the edge of the six-yard box was blocked by the back-tracking Fraser Mullen.

On 14 minutes Chris Erskine gave two defenders the slip on the right-hand edge of the box before cracking a ferocious shot only for Scullion to pull off a great save, leaping to claw the ball away from the near post. Glens recovered the loose ball and won a corner kick which was well cleared.

Back came Glens with Lyall Holding breaking down the right the touchline only to lose out on a 50-50 tackle with the young defender having to be carried off and replaced with Cammy Ross on 18 minutes.

Play continued to flow back and forth at pace without either keeper being tested until the 24^th minute. Smith weaved his way to the outskirts of the box to the right of the ‘D’ only to be clipped by Willet. Strangely, the referee sprayed the line for the Glens wall about a foot inside the box and the spot for the free-kick some 6 or 7 yards from the wall (making it more difficult for the kicker probably). However, up stepped Max Kerr to curl the ball over the heads of the leaping wall and beyond the reach of Markey at full stretch before crashing off the inside of the post and into the net. Burgh 1 Glens 0.

The home side’s tails were up and they swept forward in numbers and doubled their tally on 26 minutes. Ross Davidson, loanee from Stirling Albion,  gathered the ball deep in the Glens half and played a slick one-two with Fraser Mullen tight on the right wing before threading a perfectly weighted forward pass into the box for Aiden Gilmartin to take a touch before squaring his pass between two Glens players to Smith who stabbed it back a few yards for Aaron Mason to drill a low shot from just inside the box into the left-hand corner of the goal. Burgh 2 Glens 0.

Burgh kept the pressure on. Graham Dorrans robbed the ball from Erskine before breaking forward only for his shot from 20 yards, under pressure from Allan, drifted wide of the post. Soon after Smith burst down the left to break into the box and although his low angled shot beat the outrushing Markey the ball drifted inches wide of the back post.

At the other end Michael Mullen and Kerr combined to breach into the Burgh box but were quickly outnumbered and the ball cleared up the left wing by Cammie Eadie for Gilmartin to chase down only for Markey to rush from his line and block the striker’s shot from the edge of the box.

On 39 minutes Glens countered down the right from where Mullen cut the ball inside for Ross Lindsay to slip it forward for Erskine to weave his way past two Burgh boys before slipping the ball into the box for the incoming Willet to fire a low diagonal shot as Daniel O’Neill closed in, only for the ball to crash off the post and knocked out for a corner-kick which ended with Lewis Currie’s header drifting wide.

Another passage of possession football from Burgh concluded with Fraser Mullen whipping the ball from wide on the right to the back post where the leaping Ross headed clear as Kerr and Mason waited to pounce.

At the other end Glens won a free-kick tight on the right wing some 25 yards from the bye-line. Ross Lindsay whipped the ball which cannoned off the two-man wall at the corner of the box sending the ball high into the air and although Scullion leapt to clear the ball it bounced off the side-netting and out for a corner-kick that ended with Allan’s header sailing over the bar.

The last action of half ended with Mason’s low shot from 22 yards sail well wide of target.

HT Burgh 2 Glens 0

From the kick-off, Burgh quickly broke upfield with Max Kerr breaking into the left hand side of the box before squaring the ball to Mason to drill a low shot that Markey blocked with his feet and the rebound was cleared.

At the other end Michael Mullen gave two defenders the slip and then threaded a ball between two others to pick out Erskine on the right-hand side of the ‘D’ only for his shot to sail high and wide of target,

Back came Burgh and Gilmartin’s low angled shot from the right hand-side of the box was blocked by the advancing Markey at the expense of a corner on the right which was scrambled clear for a corner on the left which saw O’Neill’s close range header dip over the bar.

Glens then enjoyed a decent spell of possession in Burgh’s half. On 57 minutes Kerr chased down a ball into the box and while leaping to control it, he was pushed from behind on his behind by Gilday sending him tumbling to the ground, but no action from the referee.

Burgh then broke upfield where Markey and Currie combined to rob Gilmartin of the ball on the six-yard line. The ball was quickly returned to the danger area and fell for Max Kerr with seemingly only Markey to beat, but a touch too much allowed Currie to close him down and force him to shoot wide.

A Glens attack broke down at the edge of the Burgh box and the counter attack ended with the lively Mason driving into the right-hand side of the box and although his low angled shot beat the advancing Markey it slipped inches wide of the back post.

Although play continued to flow back and forth the visitors never seriously tested the keeper while the home side constantly posed a threat.

Smith’s determination won the ball on the right corner of the Glens box and slipped the ball to Gilmartin who managed to break free of a pocket of defenders before lashing a low shot that Markey got down low to push away with both hands.

Another Glens break upfield was pushed back by the Burgh attack while the lethal counter-attack set up Gilmartin in the box with only the keeper to beat, however as Allan closed in, he drilled a low shot from close range wide of Markey’s reach but also wide of the far post – a ‘head in the hands’ moment for the slick striker.

Midway through the half Burgh won a debatable free-kick after Lindsay had stripped Dorrans of the ball on the outskirts of the box.  Davidson curled the kick over the wall, only for Markey to come to the rescue again, getting down low and to push the ball wide, the keeper then punched the ensuing corner-kick from under his bar well clear of his box.

Back came Glens and Allan released Michael Mullen up the left from where he pushed to the bye-line before cutting inside to the edge of six-yard box to clip the ball for the inrushing Kerr only for keeper Scullion to punch clear.

On 73 minutes Glens brought on Jamie Taggart for Ryan Walker while soon after Burgh made triple substitution with Gilmartin, Smith and Kerr making way for Gary McCann, Darren Christie and Kenzie McCrystal

Mason continued to pose a threat and looked certain to score as he broke deep into the box only for Markey to swipe the ball from his feet with a perfectly timed tackle.

On 82 minutes Glenafton made their final change with Mason McDougall coming on for Erskine.

In the closing minutes play continued to rage back and forth and it was the visitors that found net on 90 minutes.

Ross broke up the right, only for his cross for the inrushing Taggart to be intercepted by Kilday, his header sending the ball well clear of the box, which Davidson looked to gather only for McDougall to nick it. The youngster drifted wide right, giving Dorrans the slip, and from the outskirts of the right-hand corner of the box, lobbed a perfect ball high into the box where captain Shuggy Kerr outleapt captain Danny O’Neill on the six yard line to bullet a downward header into the far corner of the net beyond Scullion at full stretch. Burgh 2 Glens 1.

The late goal spooked Burgh and once the team had lined up for the restart Mason on the far side was brought off to be replaced by Malky McDonald and 90 seconds later the referee blew for time.

FT Burgh 2 Glens 1

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC
1. David Markey 2. Lyall Holding (12. Cammy Ross) 4. Lewis Currie 5. Jordan Allan 3. Jared Willet; 7. Ryan Walker (14. Jamie Taggart) 6. Ryan McCubbin 8. Ross Lindsay 11. Chris Erskine (15. Mason McDougall) 9. Hugh Kerr (captain) 10. Michael Mullen. Subs not used: Darren Jamieson, 21. Keon Thurston (gk).

JOHNSTONE BURGH
1. Luke Scullion 2. Fraser Mullen 3. Kian Gilday 4. Cammy Eadie 5. Danny O’Neill 6. Ross Davidson 7. Aaron Mason (17. Malky McDonald) 8. Graham Dorrans 9. Aiden Gilmartin (16. Darren Christie) 10. Ross Smith (18. Kenzie McCrystal) 11. Max Kerr (14. Gary McCann) Subs: Alan Cook, Callum Law, Blair Rossiter

Match Photos

Johnstone Burgh v Glenafton Athletic