WOSFL Premier Division	Match 02
Glenafton Athletic	3 (2)	Stirling, Mullen, Devenny
Irvine Meadow XI	2 (1)	Gaffney, Trialist
Tues 28 Jul 2026	KO 7:45 pm	Loch Park, New Cumnock

Glens made one change to the eleven that started against Ardrossan Winton Rovers on Saturday with Jamie Wilson making way for Ricky Little. On the bench is midfielder Rocco Devenny, on loan from Ayr United. His older brother Justin (now at Crystal Palace) played as a trialist for the Glens in a 3-1 win over Irvine Meadow in the opening league game of season 2020/21 at Meadow Park.

Ross Fisher, brother of Glens keeper Marc Fisher, opened the scoring for Glens that day and tonight he is in the Meadow dugout as a member of the coaching staff. Also, in the dug-out is former Glenafton manager Ryan Caddis.  Meanwhile in the Meadow starting eleven are former Glenafton players Lyall Holding and Michael McMullin.

Glens kicked off and less than two minutes later Meadow opened the scoring after Jack Whittaker tight on the right touchline clipped the ball into the box for Trialist only for Craig McCracken to win the aerial battle sending the ball high into the air before dropping towards the edge of the ‘D’ where Andrew Gaffney met it sweetly to drill a low left-footed shot beyond the reach of Marc Fisher at full stretch and into the right hand corner of the net. Glens 0 Meadow 1, 2 mins.

The home side came close to drawing level after Kieran MacDonald fired a free kick from the right into the box where Ollie Rowe leapt to skim a header, seemingly for the top far corner of the net only for air-borne keeper Joe Wilton to pull off a great save and claw the ball to the far side of the six-yard box.  Ricky Little gathered the loose ball and picked out Andy Stirling to square the ball to Craig Truesdale only for his shot from 22 yards to drift wide of the right-hand post.  Soon after Truesdale’s low-angled shot from deep in the right-hand side of the box was blocked by the soles of Wilton’s boots.

Meadow enjoyed a spell of attacking pressure in the Glens half forcing them into conceding free-kicks in dangerous positions one of which almost drew the sides levels only for Fisher to get down loss and push Gaffney’s low drive round the post. The corner from the left was intercepted by Ross Smith sending a header high into the air that was collected by Craig McCracken in a busy box from which he broke free before racing upfield and from 10 yards shy of the half-way line threaded a superbly weight diagonal pass between two Meadow players for Stirling breaking down the right. On gathering the ball, Andrew Stirling pushed forward into the box and cut inside the back-tracking Meadow player before guiding his shot through the gap between a defender and the keeper into the far corner of the net. Glens 1 Meadow 1, 24 mins.

The home side’s tails were up and won a corner of the right which Kieran MacDonald floated into the heart of the box and although Michael Mullen won the header it sent the ball rolling towards the left hand side of the box with Gaffney and Stirling both giving change, and although Meadow player got the first touch to try and guide the ball upfield, the Glens player intercepted and was then tripped before the ball went out for a shy.  As Gaffney raced to take the shy, the referee pointed to the penalty spot much to the consternation from the nearby Meadow dug-out. As the dust settled, but not the midgies, Michael Mullen blasted home the spot kick. Glens 2 Meadow 1, 30 minutes.

Back came Meadow with a fast-moving attack which concluded with the Trialist from inside the ‘D’ threading a perfectly weighted diagonal deep into the right-hand side of the box for the inrushing Lyall Holding to cut the ball back to Brophy on the far side of the six-yard line only for McCracken to block and then immediately rise to rebound the ball off Gaffney for a goal-kick.

Meadow continued to press and from deep on the right they strung together slick passes that concluded with Euan Baird breaking into the left-hand side of the Glens box giving both McLaughlin and McCracken the slip, drawing Fisher from his line only for his shot to slip inches wide of the far post.

Glens responded through McLaughlin, from tight on the right, rolling the ball to Smith on the outskirts of the box who slipped pas two defenders before squaring the ball to MacDonald to curl a low shot from 25 yards which Wilton pushed wide to his left and the loose ball mopped up.

An excellent half of football concluded with the home side narrowly in front.

HT Glens 2 Meadow 1

The visitors were first to threaten through Michael Mullen launching the ball from the left hand corner of his penalty box that bounced high on the centre spot and quickly gathered by Stephen Docherty to burst into the right hand side and drill a low shot only for the advancing Fisher to block and clear in the one action.

Meadow continued to press and short corner caused chaos in a packed penalty area forcing Fisher to come off his line only for his attempted punch to fall for Holding on the outskirts of the six-yard box but with three Glens shirts and a team-mate between him and the goal-line his shot crashed of the underside of the bar resulting in another stramash that the Glens finally cleared.

At the other end Mullen’s free-kick from 28 yards out smashed off the Meadow’s bar with Wilton beaten.

Back came Meadow through Brophy picking up a pass from Holding before weaving his way to the outskirts of the box before curling a low shot the Fisher pushed wide of the post for a corner that came to nothing. The visitors were now dominating possession in the Glens half without however the reward of an equaliser.

However, as the game was drawing to a close the home side conjured up a couple of decent chances. Ross Smith broke forward and then managed to extricate himself from a pack of three Meadow player before nipping into the box and giving another defender the slip before drilling a low shot that Wilton pushed away.

On 88 minutes Meadow’s pressure was rewarded with a free-kick at the right-hand corner flag despite Glens protests. The ball was curled high into the box to be met on the drop by Trialist 2 who coolly guide it home between pairs of legs and into the met. Glens 2 Meadow 2, 88 minutes.

Nevertheless, the Glenafton lifted their heads and went in search of a winner. Substitute Jamie Petre floated a free kick high into a packed Meadow box where MacDonald won the header sending the ball to the right hand side of the six-yard box where Cammy Ross gathered and cut it back across the face of goal for the inrushing substitute Rocco Devenny to blast a shot over a ruck of players including the keeper only for it to be headed off the line.

However, the young midfielder on his Glens debut would have the last word. Deep into added time the energy shown by the players was outstanding as they broke down the left wing at a pace concluding with Petre taking the ball to the corner of the penalty box and although under pressure from defenders he slipped but quickly recovered to pick out Devenny inside, who in turn laid the ball off to Stirling on the touchline. From here the Glens captain with three defenders in his way, weaved in and out before drilling a low cross to the near post and although Wilton got a hand to it, Rocco Devenny kept his cool to stroke the ball into the gaping net from 8 yards out. Glens 3 Meadow 2, 94 mins.

As Meadow kicked off, the referee blew his whistle to bring an end and enthralling match where both sides gave there all.

FT Glens 3 Meadow 2

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC
1. Marc Fisher 18. Andy McLaughlin 5. Craig McCracken 8. Ollie Rowe 3. Kieran MacDonald 19. Craig Truesdale 7. Callum Wilson 4. Ricky Little 12. Andy Stirling (captain) 9. Ross Smith 10. Michael Mullen. Subs Used: 11. Cammy Ross, 16. Rocco Devenny, 17. Jamie Petre. Subs Not Used: Harry Sutton (gk) 2. Lee Duncanson 6. Jamie Wilson, Robert McDougall

IRVINE MEADOW XI
1. Joe Wilton 2. Lyall Holding 3. Shaun Gallacher 4. Ben Ferguson 5. Michael McMullin 6. Ross Davidson 7. Euan Baird 8. Kieran Brophy 9. Trialist 10. Andrew Gaffney 11. Jack Whittaker. Subs: 12. Owen Carey 14. Benji Wright 15. Dominic Boland 16. Michael McPeake 17. Stephen Docherty 18. Trialist 20. Chris Calder

By kind courtesy of Irvine Meadow supporter Gerry Begley ‘s video clips of the game