Friendly
Glenafton Athletic	0 (0)
Bonnyton Athletic	0 (0)
Sat 11 Jul 2026	KO 2:00 pm	Loch Park, New Cumnock

Glens hosted Bonnyton Thistle in their 3rd friendly of the new season having lost 2-1 at home to Troon before coming from behind midweek to win 3-2 in a visit to Albion Rovers with a double from Jordan Allan and a goal from young Robbie McDougall.

Glenafton introduced new signing Keiran McDonald signed from Beith while after the match the signing of Ross Smith, also from Beith was completed.

The Bonnyton Thistle starting eleven included defender Adam Caldwell who played for Glenafton in Season 2022/23.

The contrast in conditions from the wind and rain of last Saturday’s friendly against Troon, were stark, as the sun beat down on Loch Park and ‘hydration breaks’ were certainly on the cards.

Although Glens kicked off it was Bonnyton that came close in the opening minute as Adam Caldwell picked up a pass on the left-hand side of the box before pushing forward and drilling a low angled shot that whizzed past the advancing keeper Harry Sutton and inches wide of the back post. A minute later Sutton, on the penalty spot, stretched to get fingertips to a ball that appeared to be destined for the gaping empty net.

Glens countered through Michael Mullen driving to the outskirts of the ‘D’ before slipping the ball wide to Robbie McDougall only for his shot from inside the box to whizz over the advancing keeper Dylan Caddis.

Back came the visitors and Dylan Howarth from deep in the box had his shot blocked by Sutton.

Play then flowed back and forth with few other chances on show as the ‘hydration break’ beckoned.

Following the restart both sides forced corner kicks that were well defended.

On 34 minutes Keiran MacDonald floated a free-kick into a packed box with Craig McCracken drifting into the box only for keeper Caddis to tip the ball over the bar.  Callum Wilson curled the corner kick that followed which was headed clear.

At the other end Howarth from the outskirts of the box on the right whipped a cross to the back post where Aiden McGee gathered the ball and fired a shot that flew high over the bar.

Soon after Louis Kerr from the left-hand side of the ‘D’ drilled a low shot angled shot to the near post where keeper Sutton got down low and smothered the ball as McGee was looking to pounce on any spillage. Howarth then whipped another ball from the right to the back post forcing Sutton to race from his line only for McGee to give chase and as the ball headed for the corner flag the two came together with the keeper adjudged to have fouled Howarth as he tripped over him; the free kick came to nothing.

HT Glens 0 Bonnyton 0

The early play raged back and forth with a few efforts on goal.

Aidan McGee’s attempt from deep in the box was comfortably saved by Sutton. At the other end Macdonald, from tight on the right, floated a high ball into the six-yard box where Mullen and McDougall were outnumbered by three defenders and a leaping keeper, all of whom failed to make contact with the ball as it bounced wide of the post.

Back came Glens, only for McDougall and Smith to be closed down by a host of defenders. 

On the hour mark Glens made a change with Robbie McDougall making way for Blair Anderson.

The home side enjoyed a good spell of possession deep in the Bonnyton half. MacDonald from wide on the right whipped a free-kick across the face of the goal only for it to whiz through the gap between Caddis and McCracken and wide of the back post.

McLaughlin and Caldwell tussled for the ball on the outskirts of the Bonnyton box at the expense of a corner kick which was headed clear. Mullen then gathered a pass from Stirling on the edge of the ‘D’ and held off the challenge of Jack Sherwood before swivelling and drilling a low shot that was comfortably held by the diving Caddis.

Glens continued to press and shouts of a Caldwell hand ball in the box fell on deaf ears while soon after the same player conceded a corner which was returned to MacDonald and his second attempt was punched clear by Caddis.

Bonnyton broke up the right through Ryan Kenney only for his first attempt to square the ball across the face of goal to be blocked by MacDonald while his second attempt to pick out Hewitt at the back post was intercepted and clutched by Sutton.

Back came the home side through Anderson driving down the right to the bye-line only for his attempt to pick out Smith on the six-yard line to be headed out for a corner by Sherwood. Wilson floated the kick from the left high into the six-yard box beyond the leap of Louis Kerr and seemingly falling perfectly for McCracken only for Jace McCulloch to have a stranglehold on him, despite which he managed to break free and ironically was penalised for a push on McCulloch.

On 77 minutes Glens made a change with Kieran MacDonald making way for Jordan Allan and soon after Ross Smith was replaced by player-manager Hugh Kerr.

The home side continued on the front foot and came close to breaking the deadlock after Mullen held off three defenders at the edge of the box before blasting a shot only for Caddis to pull off a super save pushing the ball inches wide of the junction of the post and crossbar. The corner that followed was just beyond the reach of Kerr sandwiched between two defenders at the back post.

Glens continued to push and Anderson from tight on the right picked out Stirling with a peach of a pass as he weaved his way into the left-hand side of the box taking out three defenders and forcing Caddis to rush to his six-yard line before Stirling seemingly angled the ball between the keeper and McCulloch into the net, only for the defender to sweep the ball inches wide of the post.

Stirling, from the left, played the corner short to McLaughlin just within the box who then rolled it back to the edge of the ‘D’ for Allan to curl a ball towards the back-post where Kerr met it on the six-yard line only for his initial shot to be blocked by Kris Chisholm before his second attempt to bury the rebound slipped inches wide of the post.

Mullen picked up a pass just inside the Bonnyton half and with Caldwell and McCulloch giving chase he drilled a low angled wide of the far post.

Soon after Kyle Hutton blasted a free-kick from 25 yards out low and wide of the wall only for Caddis to get down low and push it wide of the post. Stirling curled the corner high to back post where McCracken’s header sailed over the bar.

FT Glens 0 Bonnyton 0

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC
1. Harry Sutton 2. Andy McLaughlin 3. Kieran MacDonald (16. Jordan Allan) 4. Ricky Little (captain) 5. Craig McCracken 6. Kyle Hutton 7. Andy Stirling 8. Callum Wilson 9. Ross Smith (trialist) (14. Hugh Kerr) 10. Michael Mullen 11. Robbie McDougall (trialist) (12. Blair Anderson (trialist))

BONNYTON THISTLE
1. Dylan Caddis 2. Adam Caldwell 4. Jack Duncan 5. Jack Sherwood 6. Thomas Dempsie 7. Aidan McGee 9. Louis Kerr 10. Kris Chisholm 11. Dylan Howarth 15. Jace McCulloch 16. Ryan Kenney Substitutes: 21. Halliday 3. Taylor 8. Dunnet 12. Currie 18. Walker 19. Hewitt

Match Photos

Glenafton Athletic v Bonnyton Thistle