FINEST CARMATS	SOUTH REGION CUP	5th Round
Greenock Juniors	2 (0)	Sinnamon, Barclay
Glenafton Athletic	2 (1)	Mullen, Kerr
Sat 17 Jan 2025	KO 1:30 pm	Ravenscraig Stadium, Greenock

Glenafton Athletic made four changes to the side that faced Shotts Bon Accord some five weeks ago.  Goalkeeper Max Currie has left the club and was replaced by the return of David Markey; Lewis Currie was replaced by Craig McCracken returning from injury; Evan Maley made way for David Craig and Cammy Ross (injured) was replaced by Michael Mullen.

Three former Glenafton players were wearing the red of Greenock – Craig Brown in the Glens side that reached the Scottish Junior Cup in Season 2013/14 while Ryan Sinnamon and Alan Frizzell (on the bench) both played for the club some 10 years later.

Glens kicked off and were first to threatem. Callum Wilson from the left floated a corner kick to the near post only for keeper Craig Beaton to outleap Shuggy Kerr and push the ball clear of the penalty box. Soon after Wilson trapped the ball in the ‘D’ with Ryan Sinnamon tight on his back, shirt-pulling from both players allowed Beaton to collect the loose ball.

The home side then got into the swing of things with some slick passing as they broke forward. Craig Brown from wide on the left clipped the ball into the left-hand side of the box for Tai Beckley to gather only for Craig McCracken to nick the ball and clear it upfield. Back came Brown breaking deep into the left-hand side of the box only for his square ball for the inrushing Beckley to be blocked by Ollie Rowe before Brannan McDermott launcedh the loose ball up the park.

On 11 minutes Beckley in a busy box blasted a ferocious volley from 15 yards only for David Markey on his six-yard line to deflect the ball away which then smashed off the crossbar and flew high up into the air before the keeper leapt to cleanly clutch it on the way down.

The home side continued to the peg the visitors back into their own half with fluent play. Beckley was picked out in the box and with McCracken tight on his back he rolled the ball back to the lively Lewis Kenmore only for his shot from 22 yards to sail over the bar.

Some respite for the Glens after Wilson was fouled as a pack of defenders closed him down only for Michael Mullen’s free kick from 28 yards to sail over the four-man wall and the bar. Nevertheless, it sparked a spell of pressure from the visitors which saw them win a corner on left which was headed clear by Jake Lewis and soon after another free kick was awarded, well outside the box. Players from both sides were lined up along the 18 yard line as Wilson clipped the ball towards the penalty spot where Kerr’s attempt to hook the ball goalward was deflected off Beckley and fell kindly for Michael Mullen to smash a shot from 12 yards out with the keeper rooted on his line as the ball crashed off the underside of the bar and into the net. Greenock 0 Glens 1, 22 minutes.

Play then raged back and forth for a spell. Greenock broke forward in numbers and a ball floated into the edge of the box for Beckley saw Markey rush from his line and leap to punch the ball away while sending team-mate McCracken crashing to the ground, clearly in some discomfort. Ryan Sinnamon pounced on the loose ball and curled it high to the edge of the right-hand side of the six-yard box for the inrushing Craig Darroch, only for it to loop over the bar, much to the relief of the back-tracking Markey. Meanwhile, McCracken left the field of play for treatment.

At the other end, Glens won a corner on the left which Wilson floated to the edge of the six-yard box where Beaton leapt above defenders and attackers alike, to grab the ball and after some juggling, he launched it upfield with players from both sides chasing it down. Kenmore won the race and progressed to the left-hand corner of the six-yard box, before clipping the ball past the advancing Markey for the incoming Cameron Barclay, who neatly gave Jamie Low and McDermott the slip only for Lee Duncanson to block his shot on the goal-line. Darroch kept the attack alive and the ball eventually fell for Beckley on the left of the box from where his low shot was blocked by McDermott and cleared the danger. A huge let-off for Glens.

 On 37 minutes it was clear McCracken couldn’t continue and made way for Lewis Currie.

The home side came close again, after Sinnamon curled a corner-kick from the left to the back-post where Darren Boyle, held off the challenge of Kerr, to crouch and bullet a header that went inches wide of the post – a ‘hands-on-head’ moment. At the other end Glens had a couple of shots from distance which were comfortably held by Beaton.

Back came Greenock, in numbers again, Barclay picked up the ball on the outskirts of the box only to be sandwiched between two Glens players on the edge of the ‘D’. Sinnamon’s free-kick crashed into the Glens wall and the ball quickly cleared from the box only to fall for Sinnamon again and his attempted chip slippped wide of the post.

HT Greenock 0 Glens 1

Greenock kicked off, and quickly pegged Glens deep into their own half. A free kick floated high into the box was headed clear by Rowe only for the ball to be quickly returned and Rowe to head clear again. Kenmore broke into the right-hand side of the box where he was stripped of the ball by Low at the expense of a corner. As the home side packed the six-yard box, Sinnamon clipped the corner low towards the penalty spot to match Brown’s run but with Ross Lindsay on his heels, his shot flew high over the bar.

Another Greenock attack was mopped up by the Glens defence and a counter attack saw the ball lofted high to the outskirts of the box for Kerr, forcing keeper Beaton to race from his line, both players now at the ‘D’ leaping for the ball, which was headed well clear to fall for Mullen to lob it from 30 yards, only for it to bounce a foot wide of the post.

The visitors then enjoyed a good spell and won a corner on the right which Low launched high into the goalmouth, indeed it looked net bound only for keeper Beaton, with Kerr at his back, to leap and claw the ball from under the bar before Boyle hooked it clear of the box.

Play then flowed back and forth with both defences on top.

On 61 minutes Greenock brought on Alan Frizzel in place of Craig Darroch (which is also the name of farm in Glen Afton!), as they were lining to take a free kick from tight on the right. Sinnamon curled the kicked wide of the two-man wall high to the back post for the inrushing Beckley only for the striker to be held back by Currie and a penalty kick awarded. Up stepped Ryan Sinnamon to send Markey the wrong way to level the tie. Greenock 1 Glens 1, 62 minutes.

Glens made a triple substitution with Ross Lindsay and Callum Wilson making way for Evan Malley and Robbie McDougall and soon after Brannan McDermott made way for Blair Anderson.

Play returned to another phase of back and forth without any clear-cut chances on show. However, on 77 minutes Greenock took the lead though Cameron Barclay with a low drive from inside the box that beat the advancing Markey. Greenock 2 Glens 1, 77 minutes.

Glens responded through Anderson breaking down the right and into the box only for his shot to be deflected wide for a corner. Low curled another great ball into the goalmouth where Jake Lewis won the aerial battle sending the ball to the 18 yard line where it was gathered by Maley who then picked out McDougall on the right-hand side of the box only for his shot to drift wide of target. 

Soon after Glens won another corner on the left and once again Low delivered an inch perfect cross for Shuggy Kerr to leap from the six-yard line and bullet a header that flashed past the air-borne keeper. Greenock 2 Glens 2, 83 minutes.

Both sides went in hunt of a late winner. The Glens were first to threaten with another Low cross from wide on the right that Kerr won the aerial battle with Beckley on the six-yard-line only for his downward header to be cleanly clutched by Beaton as Currie and Craig prepared to pounce any spillage.

At the other end, the seemingly tireless Beckley chased down the ball inside the Glens half before breaking into the box and driving to the bye-line with Duncanson in pursuit and as Rowe closed in, he whipped the ball across the face of goal past Markey at the near post for the incoming Brown at the back post to stroke the ball into the gaping net. However, the assistant referee had alrerady raised his flag in unison with Rowe and Duncanson’s raised hands, confirming Beckley’s cut back was from beyond the bye-line, and the goal disallowed.

Both sides went in the hunt of a late winner but time ran out and a short-lived penalty shoot-out followed.

FT Greenock 2 Glens 2

Greenock keeper Craig Beaton pulled off three outstanding saves to deny Michael Mullen, Lee Duncanson and Shuggy Kerr in turn.  Former Glens player Craig Brown had kicked off the shoot-out to make it 1-0; Jamie Cunningham made it 2-0 and former Glens player Alan Frizzell made it 3-0 to secure Greenock’s passage to the Quarter-Final and of course with Ryan Sinnamon’s penalty in regulation time the former Glens players secured a hat-trick.

Good luck to Greenock in the next round, worthy winners on the day.

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC
1. David Markey 2. Lee Duncanson 3. Jamie Low 4. Craig McCracken (18. Lewis Currie) 5. Ollie Rowe 6. David Craig 7. Brannan McDermott (15. Blair Anderson) 8. Ross Lindsay (16. Evan Maley) 9. Hugh Kerr (captain) 10. Michael Mullen 11. Callum Wilson (17. Robbie McDougall). Subs Not Used: 12. Callum McFadyen 14. Kelvin Daniel

GREENOCK JUNIORS
1. Craig Beaton 2. Ryan Corr 3. Ryan Sinnamon 4. Jake Lewis 5. Darren Boyle 6. Chris McGeown 7. Lewis Kenmore 8. Cameron Barclay 9. Tai Beckley 10. Craig Brown 11. Craig Darroch Subs.: 23. Kieran Devlin 12. Jamie Cunningham 14. Drew Murray 15. Jay Woods 16. Ryan Docherty 17. Alan Frizzell 18. Michael McAuley

Match Photos

Greenock Juniors vs. Glenafton Athletic