| WOSFL | Match: 07 | |
|---|---|---|
| Arthurlie | 1 (0) | MacNeil |
| Glenafton Athletic | 3 (0) | Mullen 3 |
| Sat 26 Sep 2026 | KO 2:00 pm | Dunterlie Park, Barrhead |
Glenafton made four changes to the eleven that started against Forth Wanderers last Saturday. Ricky Little, Callum Wilson and Jamie Petre were unavailable while Craig Truesdale took a place on the bench. Returning to the starting eleven were Craig McCracken, Ollie Rowe, Kieran MacDonald and Ross Smith.
Glens have enjoyed a good record against Arthurlie. Indeed, the Barrhead side last victory dates back to September 2012, however they currently sit top of the league, three points ahead of the 5th placed New Cumnock side.
Although Glenafton kicked off, Arthurlie were quick off the mark with back-to-back corners kicks, the latter ending with Michael MacNeil’s header sailing high over the bar.
Glens then enjoyed a good spell of possession in and around the ‘Lie box. Michael Mullen’s attempt to pick out Ross Smith on the outskirts of the box was intercepted by MacNeil before Ollie Rowe stripped the ball from him allowing Smith to chase it down before squaring it across the six-yard line for the incoming Mullen only for Shay Burke to clear the danger.
Soon after Rocco Devenny floated a ball into box for Mullen and Rowe, closely marked by MacNeil and Kyle Mitchell, Mullen claiming the latter handled the ball before Burke cleared.
On 11 minutes Mullen then gathered the ball in the ‘Lie box and with MacNeil on his heels he drilled a low shot from 15 yards forcing keeper Marc Waters to dive low at full stretch and push the ball a foot wide of the base of the post. Kieran MacDonald floated the corner that followed to the near post for Smith only for Ryan Sinclair to head the ball well clear of the box.
The Glens continued to press with the home side enjoying an occasional break upfield with breaks down either wing, but without a shot at goal.
0n 25 minutes Smith from tight on the left floated a cross into a busy box where Andy Strilring, on the penalty spot, outleapt Lewis Kinnaird only for his header to drift to right corner of the six-yard box and although Mullen beat MacNeil to the ball his low angled shot was well held by keeper Waters. Soon after Smith delivered another cross to the back post where Devenny and Sinclair’s aerial battle ended with Waters gathering the loose ball.
An Arthurlie break up the right saw Kyle Mitchell and Sean Slaven battle for the ball only for Craig McCracken to mop up the danger.
Glens countered with a long ball up the right where Devenny headed the ball infield for Mullen gathered the ball to break forward at speed with Devenny on his right and Smith farther on his left, it was to Smith he curled a high ball into the box only for Sean Doherty to intercept and head out for a corner-kick. Stirling, from the left, floated the kick into a busy six-yard box where both McCracken and MacNeil, with Burke sandwiched between them, leapt high and it was MacNeil that won the header sending the ball beyond the back post and although McLaughlin chased it down and to returned into the goalmouth, it became came clear that Burke had taken a knock and required treatment.
On 32 minutes ‘Lie won a free kick on the left which was floated deep into the box where Bannan McDermott won the aerial battle with Sinclair sending the ball high towards the outskirts of the box where Lee Roulston, with his back to goal, met on the drop only for his overhead kick sending it wide of the post. Back came Arthurlie through Sinclair breaking deep into the right-hand side of the box before clipping the ball to the back post where Fraser Scott leapt between Devenny and McLaughlin to bullet a downward header that Roulston got a touch but was blocked but not under control of keeper Fisher and MacDonald only for Jamie Gilmour to intervene and mop up the loose ball.
Back came Arthurlie and Slaven on the 18-yard line held off the challenge from Wilson and McCracken to square the ball to Sinclair, but under pressure from McLaughlin the hooked his shot high over the cross bar.
At the other end Smith broke deep into the left-hand side of the box and cut the ball across the six-yard line for Rowe to gather and stab a rising shot between two defenders and beyond the reach of the keeper and over the bar.
Play raged back and forth and in the closing minutes Arthurlie came close to breaking the deadlock as Roulston held of the challenge from Devenny at the edge of the box to curl a low powerful shot through a ruck of players and beyond the reach of the diving keeper only to drift wide of the post.
Glens countered up the right with Devenny leaping to head the ball over Callum Scott and into the box for Mullen to chase and drill a low diagonal shot that was deflected out for a corner by MacNeil, which was eventually cleared.
At the other the home side won a free kick, (handball perhaps?) on the 18-yard line. Callum Scott curled a low shot past the right-hand side of the wall only for keeper Fisher to pull off a stunning save and send the ball wide of the post. The corner-kick that followed saw McCracken and Stirling combined to prevent any shots at goal.
HT Arthurlie 0 Glenafton 0
Arthurlie kicked off and won two corner kicks in quick succession, the first Roulston’s header drifted wide of the post and the second saw Roulston’s header booted clear of the six-yard box by Gilmour.
The home side continued to press and a breakup the right saw the ball squared into the box for the incoming Fraser Scott with Andy McLaughlin by his side as he tumbled to the ground, adjudged to be a penalty kick by the well positioned referee. Up stepped captain Michael MacNeil and sent keeper Marc Fisher the wrong way as he stroked the ball in at the bottom left-hand corner of the post. Arthurlie 1 Glens 0, 52 minutes.
Some three minutes later Glens came close to drawing level as Mullen beat the offside trap before progressing to the edge of the ‘D’ and with Doherty and MacNeill either side of him he unleashed a powerful shot that whizzed wide of the reach of keeper Waters, airborne and at full stretch on his six-yard line, and inches wide of the left post.
Glens continued to press with good build up play albeit without testing the keeper.
Arthurlie responded and on the hour mark won back-to-back corners, left and right, the latter initiating a game of head tennis beginning with MacDonald in the six-yard box stooping low to head it high into air and descend on the ‘D’ where Burke head it high back into box only to be headed back out by McDermott which was intercepted by Burke and headed into the box, – 30 all; before football took over and fair old stramash ensued before McCracken cleared the ball upfield.
Stirling pushed down the left and switched play with a diagonal pass to Devenny on the far side of the box where he passed it back toward Smith on the outskirts of the box holding off Kinnaird before being brought down. Arthurlie set up a four-man wall on the 18-yard line while the keeper was situated on the middle of his goal-line. Up stepped Michael Mullen and blasted the free-kick from 28 yards that whizzed just to right of the leaping wall and began its descent from the six-yard line into the net squeezing between the inside of the post and the fingertips of keeper Waters at full stretch. Arthurlie 1 Glens 1, 63 minutes.
Mullen burst into the right-hand side of the box before unleashing a thundering angle shot that Waters at his near post could only look on as the ball whizzed over the junction of the post and bar.
At the other end Callum Scott from tight on the left touchline whipped a free-kick deep into the Glens box where MacDonald’s header took the sting out of it sending the ball towards the post where Fisher quickly gathered it, as Roulston and MacNeil closed in.
Arthurlie made double substitutions on 70 minutes with Fraser Scott and Kyle Mitchell making way for Paul Welsh and Max Gillies.
On 83 minutes McDermott’s shot from just outside the box deflected off Doherty and out for a corner that MacDonald floated high into the six-yard box where a leaping MacNeil header was intercepted by McCracken by a powerful header that whizzed past MacNeil on his descent and beyond the reach of the keeper only for the ball to dip over the bar.
Play continued to rage back and forth as both sided searched for a late winner.
Glens came close after Stirling drilled a low shot that whizzed inches wide of the post, with claims that the keeper got at touch waved away. At the other end Fisher blocked a low angled shot in a busy box.
On 90 minutes Glens made a change with Rocco Devenny making way after a great shift for substitute Callum Kenney (trialist).
Neither side was settling for a draw as they went in search of a winner.
Wilson gathered the ball just inside the Glens half before releasing Stirling down the left and from the edge of the box curled a pass to the near post just beyond the reach of the inrushing Smith as the keeper smothered the ball.
The visitors were now dominating the closing minutes of the game. Stirling switched play from the left to the right where the ball was finally gathered by McLaughlin to float a cross into the six-yard box only for the keeper and Docherty to clear the ball under pressure from Rowe.
Into added time and MacDonald broke down a ‘Lie attack and picked out Stirling in the centre circle who in turn picked out Mullen to release a ball into the box for Stirling to chase and after drawing the keeper well of his line he slipped the ball wide for Smith, only for the keeper to stick out a foot and divert the danger.
Back came the visitors and McDermott from inside the ‘Lie half picked out Michael Mullen to gather and progress to the edge of the box to thump a shot low between the legs of the leaping Sinclair and beyond the reach of the diving keeper to bulge the net. Arthurlie 1 Glens 2, 93 minutes. The celebrations that followed were joyous and worthy of strong team performance.
And yet! In a flash Glens had won the ball back from the kick-off and Stirling treading his path down the left … only for a blind spot, to occur. In a flash the keeper seeming to gather a loose ball was suddenly aware that Michael Mullen was about to pounce and steal the ball before slipping it home into the gaping net to complete a magnificent hat-trick. Arthurlie 1 Glens 3, 94 minutes.
The striker completing back-to-back league hat-tricks.
FT Arthurlie 1 Glenafton 3
| GLENAFTON ATHLETIC |
|---|
| Glenafton Athletic: 1. Marc Fisher 18. Andy McLaughlin 5. Craig McCracken 20. Brannan McDermott 12. Andy Stirling (captain) 14. Rocco Devenny (Callum Kenney/trialist) 6. Jamie Wilson 8. Ollie Rowe 3. Keiran MacDonald 10. Michael Mullen 9. Ross Smith Subs. Scott Gibson(gk) Craig Truesdale Kyle Hutton, Hugh Kerr, Jordan Allan |
| ARTHURLIE |
|---|
| Arthurlie: 1. Marc Waters 2. Ryan Sinclair 4. Lee Roulston 5. Michael MacNeil (captain) 6. Sean Doherty 8. Callum Scott 12. Shay Burke 15. Fraser Scott (16. Paul Welsh) 17. Kyle Mitchell (7. Max Gillies)18. Sean Slaven 22. Lewis Kinnaird Subs: 26. Chris Taylor 14. Ross MacMillan 19. Aaron McNulty |
| Match Photos |
| Arthurlie v Glenafton Athletic |
