SCOTTISH COMMUNITIES CUP	Round: 02
Glenafton Athletic	1 (0)	C. Wilson
Forth Wanderers	4 (1)	Phairs 2, O.G., Feros
Sat 20 Sep 2026	KO 2:30 pm	Loch Park, New Cumnock

Glenafton fielded the same starting eleven that faced St. Roch’s last Saturday.

Today’s opponents Forth Wanderers currently sit in 7^th position in the West of Scotland Football League 2^nd Division. In starting eleven is former Glenafton defender Michael McMullin.

The two teams had met each other twice before in the Scottish Junior Cup. In Season 1962/63 Glens won 4-0 at Forth in the 2^nd round and would go on to reach the final for the first time only to lose out to Irvine Meadow.  The second meeting was 40 years ago in the 3^rd round at Loch Park in Season 1986/67, with the home side running out 4-1 winners before losing at Linlithgow Rose in the 5^th round. Today’s meeting in the 2^nd Round is of course under the new banner of the Scottish Communities Cup.

Forth won the toss and elected to play against the strong blustery wind while the Glens kicked off towards the club house end with the wind at their backs, perhaps an advantage?

Not to be, however – as the visitors opened the scoring on 3 minutes after No. 3 broke down the left before clipping a ball into the ‘D’ only for the Rocco Devenny to clear it upfield to the centre circle where Michael McMullin casually lobbed the ball high into the Glens box where Connor Phairs pounced to beat the offside trap and rounded the keeper Marc Fisher before slotting the ball into the gaping net from a tight angle. Glens 0 Forth 1, 3 minutes. 

Although the Glens responded with a decent spell of possession in the Forth half, converting that into attempts at goal was proving difficult. On 14 minutes Callum Wilson floated a corner kick from the right, high into the six-yard box only for the wind to guide it over the bar at the back post. Soon after his low shot from 22 yards whizzed wide of the left-hand post, albeit keeper James Scott had it covered.

Andy Stirling pushed wide down the left and whipped a cross into the box where Michael Mullen won the aerial battle with Michael McMullin sending the ball high into the air and although Jamie Petre beat Phails to the descending ball, keeper Scott raced from his line to claw it clear.

On 25 minutes Glens threatened again after Stirling, from tight on the left a few yards from the bye-line, lobbed a cross into the six-yard box for Mullen only for McMullin to intercept and bullet a header some inches over the bar; the corner kick was mopped up by the Forth defence.

On the half hour mark Rocco Devenny, from just inside the Forth half, floated a ball high into the air and beyond the reach of the leaping McMullin while on its descent it bounced high into the air again where Mullen met it on the drop to drill a low shot from 15 yards out, only for Scott pull of a fine save at full stretch to send the ball high over the bar, earning a handshake for McMullin. The corner that followed was headed high into the air by McMullin and after a stramash the danger was cleared.

Brannan McDermott from tight on the left launched a high ball to the back post for the incoming Craig Truesdale with No. 6 for company, only for keeper Scott to leap and clutch it cleanly.

After all that Glens pressure, Forth came close to nicking a second as Phairs challenged for a loose ball in the Glens box only for keeper Fisher and Jamie Gilmour to combine and see off the danger.

HT Glens 0 Forth 1

Forth were first to threaten coming close on 50 minutes as Ross McKenzie and Phairs combined at the edge of the box before the latter drilled a low shot, as Ricky Little and Callum Wilson closed in, only for Fisher to get down low and push the ball wide of the post.

The corner kick was cleared but a minute later Forth doubled their lead with a touch of class. Keeper Scott launched the ball high upfield only for Ross McKenzie to kill the descending ball on the top of his boot before taking a couple of touches to stab forward a diagonal pass between two defenders and into the path of Connor Phairs arriving at the edge of the box to drill a low shot beyond the advancing keeper and into the net. Glens 0 Forth 2, 51 minutes.

Glens made a change with Rocco Devenny making way for Ross Smith.

Play raged back and forth with a couple of half-chances – a Forth corner was cleared off the line while at the other end a Callum Wilson low shot from distance was well held by the keeper.

Forth extended their lead after a corner from the right was floated into the goal mouth where Michael McMullin appeared to get a touch before the ball deflected off a defender and into the net. Glens 0 Forth 3, 64 minutes.

Soon after the heavens opened for a spell.

On 69 minutes Glens made a double substitution with Brannan McDermott and Craig Truesdale making way for Kieran MacDonald and Ollie Rollie.

A Glens free kick saw the ball fall for Smith on the outskirts of a busy six-yard box and as two defenders closed in, he drilled a low shot only for Scott to get down low and push the ball off the goal-line before it was cleared out for a throw in.

Stirling and Smith combined before the latter drilled a low ball across the face of goal for Mullen to guide it goalwards only for  the keeper to block it with both hands before smothering the loose ball.

The sun broke through again and yet the gloom descended on Loch Park as Forth went fourth! MacDonald from deep in his own half launched the ball upfield which was intercepted by the Forth defence and after some head tennis the ball was hooked upfield for Eddie Feros to chase down and burst into the box before chipping the ball over Fisher, now advanced to the corner of the six-yard box, and into the gaping net. Glens 0 Forth 4, 74 mins.

Forth were looking for a fifth after No. 19 burst into the left hand side of the Glens box and squared to the inrushing No. 6 only for Fisher to intercept and block with his foot, before No. 19  gathered the loose ball and gave a couple of defenders the slip before his shot was cleared of the line by MacDonald. Soon after No. 16 collected the ball in the box with his back to goal, before turning and whipping a shot that hit the side netting.

On 78 minutes Mick McMullin had picked up an injury and was substituted.

Glens mustered a late challenge with a low shot from Mullen drifting wide of the post. Five minutes later Callum Wilson was brought down on the left hand side of Forth’s box by No.6. Wilson stepped up to slam home the spot kick. Glens 1 Forth 4, 89 mins. Little consolation though!

FT Glens 1 Forth 4

Good luck to Forth in the next round.

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC
1. Marc Fisher 18. Andy McLaughlin 4. Ricky Little 6. Jamie Wilson Andy Stirling 20. Brannan McDermott (3. Kieran MacDonald) 7. Callum Wilson 14. Rocco Devenny (9. Ross Smith) 19. Craig Truesdale (8. Ollie Rowe) 10. Michael Mullen 17. Jamie Petre Subs: Scott Gibson (gk), 5. Craig McCracken 3. Kieran MacDonald 9. Ross Smith 8. Ollie Rowe, Kyle Hutton, Jordan Allan

FORTH WANDERERS
James Scott, Enzo Wright, Danny McKenzie, Craig Forbes, Olly Tobin, Michael McMullin, Tiger Lawson, 7. Eddie Feros 14. Connor Phairs, Kyle Laughlin, 10. Ross McKenzie Subs: Chris Smith, Nicki Paterson, Jordon Love, Aaron McFarlane, Kyle Caig.

Match Photos

Glenafton Athletic vs. Forth Wanderers