Glenafton Athletic

• ETHX SCOTTISH JUNIOR CUP
• Semi-final 2nd leg
• New Dundas Park, Bonnyrigg
• Saturday 22nd April 2017

• BONNYRIGG ROSE ATHLETIC 0 (0)
• GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 0 (0)
  • Glenafton win 1-0 aggregate

JUNIOR CUP JOY AS ‘SWEET AFTON’ EDGE OUT THE ‘RED RED ROSE’

Glenafton completed a hat-trick of Scottish Junior cup wins over Bonnyrigg following a goal-less draw to secure a 1-0 aggregate victory and book their place in final where the New Cumnock side will face local rivals Auchinleck Talbot on Sunday 4th June.

Defences were on top in a pulsating semi-final 2nd leg tie with play ebbing and flowing, not so gently but at a pace,  on the green braes of New Dundas Park. The red  Roses kicked off and were awarded a free kick almost immediately after Cameron Marlow outjumped Kieran McGachie to win the ball at the touch-line before the Rose striker fell to the ground with a scream.  The free kick was floated into the box and McGachie’s header fell kindly for defender Ruaridh Donaldson only for his shot from 10 yards out to flash wide of the post.

Cammy MArlow closes down Alann Horne

Glenafton pressed and after a goalmouth clearance they earned a corner kick which was played short before the ball was curled by David Gray into the six yard box where it was cleared too. Back came Bonnyrigg and Donaldson tried his luck from 25 yards but his shot swerved well wide of target.

On 6 minutes Marlow stood his ground as McGachie backed into him before taking an orchestrated tumble in the box only for the referee to stand his ground and wave away appeals for a penalty. Glens broke upfield through Darren McGill who released the ball to Joe Andrew in the centre circle and in a flash the ball was played up the right-wing for Dan Orsi to progress before chipping the ball into the box  where the incoming McGill met it sweetly only for his header to be cleared by the Rose defence.

A long clearance by keeper Michael Andrews initiated a game of head tennis in the visitors’ box which ended with the hosts winning a corner kick which was cleanly clutched by keeper Brian McGarrity.

At the other end Andrew collected a short throw into the box and with his back to goal he slipped the ball to McGill who quickly passed to John Carter to roll the ball back to Orsi and his angled low drive sneaked just wide of target. Orsi then switched play from the right, via Andrew, to McGill on the left who burst forward in his customary style before drilling a low shot that also ended wide of the back post.

John Carter goes close

Another Rose raid ended with a corner-kick which McAusland headed clear of the six yard box before Ryan McChesney launched it clear of the 18 yard one. The ball was  gathered by Carter who found McAusland to chip a perfectly weighted pass up the right-flank for McGill who with his way to the box blocked  returned the ball to McAusland on the overlap and another peach of a cross landed on the head of Carter on the edge of the six yard box only for the ball to drift beyond the post. A move worthy of a goal.

Darren McGill on the move

A minute later a Rose free kick from wide on the right was headed across the face of goal by Dean Hoskins for Wayne McIntosh at the opposite post and from yards out he looked certain to score only to connect poorly with the ball to send his header wide as the keeper looked on. On 24 minutes McGarrity was called into action and tipped McIntosh’s header over the bar before cleanly clutching the resulting corner-kick in a packed six yard box.  Jonathan Brown kept the pressure on the visitors by floating the ball into the box from wide on the right but again McGarrity came out on top grabbing the ball from the head of McGachie.

Glenafton responded through a series of set-pieces from David Gray the first of which a free-kick from just outside the box that was blocked by the wall, followed by a corner whipped to the back post that was punched clear by Andrews as McAusland threatened and finally another free-kick which was well held by the keeper.

Brian McGarrity and Kieran McGachie

On 38 minutes Hoskins launched a free kick from deep in his own half to far the corner of the six yard box for target man McGachie only for the leaping McGarrity to get the better of him again with a solid hold. Gray  replied for Glens with a free-kick into the box that was headed on by McAusland and the ball snapped up by Carter close to the bye-line only for his shot from a tight angled blocked and then cleared by an alert Donaldson.

Bonnyrigg enjoyed a sustained spell of pressure in the closing five minutes of the half and a Craig Menzies header deep in the six yard box ended one attack while some wayward shooting ended another as the home side lacked the guile to find an opening.

H/T Bonnyrigg 0  Glenafton 0

Rose, now with the Glens 1st leg goal weighing heavier on their minds, pressed from the restart and on 51 minutes they came within a finger-tip of cancelling out the visitors aggregate lead.  Brown’s cross from the right was met at the near side of the box by Adam Nelson and his looping header looked destined for the top corner at the back post only for McGarrity to claw the ball from under the bar as McIntosh and  McGachie waited to pounce.

Another fine save from Brian

From the corner that followed McGarrity majestically plucked the ball from the air with team-mate McChesney at his back to guard off the attention of McIntosh. A quick throw-out to Menzies initiated a lung-bursting box to box run from captain Menzies only for his pass for Andrew on the penalty spot to be cut out and cleared by Jonathan Stewart.  The same player was less fortunate at the other end when his shot from the outskirts of the box nearly soared over the protective fence behind the goal. McGarrity then had to be on his toes to punch the ball clear from the bar after a wicked cross from Lewis Turner on the right touch-line.

Craig Menzies breaks upfield

On the hour mark Hoskins impeded Andrew on the outskirts of the box and up stepped  Gray to curl a sweetly struck free-kick round the wall only for keeper Andrews to a get a strong hand to the ball to prevent it from bulging the net.

David Gray’s free kick curls round the wall

Both sides opted for fresh legs as the hectic pace and battle scars took their toll. The home side replaced Adam Nelson with Andrew Kidd while the visitors brought on Conor Lynass for Dan Orsi and minutes later Alan Cairns for an injured Cammy Marlow.

A long high clearance from Andrews into the Glens box had Turner and McIntosh chasign down the ball only for Menzies to intervene keep a cool head to head the ball back to his keeper.

On 70 minutes Hoskins took the feet from Andrew in the box but the visitors loud claims for a penalty fell on deaf ears. Soon after good build up play by the Glens ended with Ally Park’s shot from a very tight angle being well blocked by the keeper at the base of his near post.

Joe Andrew tripped in the box

Bonnyrigg completed their substitutions with Jonathan Brown and Alan Horne replaced by Scott Gray and Sean Jamieson but still they couldn’t unlock a Glenafton side defending in numbers and counter-attacking with some menace.

David Gray & Ally Park double team on Kieran McGachie

Both teams were very much aware that time was running out. Too fast it seemed for Rose and their anxiety heightened through a series of poorly struck wayward shots.For the Glens, and in particular the travelling Afton Army, time was passing slowly. However the team kept its cool and the endurance running of Carter and McGill and the hold play of Andrew and  Lynass not only denied Rose possession but posed the threat of a killer late goal.

Following five long added on minutes, during which time the Glens brought on Mick McCann for John Carter,  the game remained goal-less at the final whistle and Glenafton progressed to the final on aggregate after two keenly contested games.

John Carter and Joe Andrew celebrate after the whistle.

F/T Bonnyrigg 0 Glenafton 0 (Glenafton win 1-0 aggregate)

Glenafton Athletic: 1. Brian McGarrity 2. Kyle McAusland 3. Cameron Marlow (14. Alan Cairns) 4. Craig Menzies 5. Ryan McChesney 6. Ally Park 7. Dan Orsi (12. Conor Lynass) 8. David Gray 9. Joe Andrew 10. John Carter (16. Mick McCann) 11. Darren McGill. Subs: 15. Ryan Borris Gk Blair Lochhead.

Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic: 1. Michael Andrews 2. Jonathan Brown (16. Sean Jamieson) 3. Ruaridh Donaldson 4. Kerr Young 5. Dean Hoskins 6. Jonathan Stewart 7. Lewis Turner 8. Alan Horne (15. Scott Gray) 9. Kieran McGachie 10. Adam Nelson (14. Andrew Kidd) 11. Wayne McIntosh. Subs:  117. Jordan Orru, Paterek.

• More photos here
• Celebration photos here

• ETHX SCOTTISH JUNIOR CUP
• Semi-final 1st leg
• Loch Park, New Cumnock
• Saturday 15th April 2017

• GLENAFTON ATHLETIC  1 (0)
  • Dan Orsi
• Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic 0 (0)

Glenafton played host to Bonnyrigg Rose in the Scottish Junior Cup semi-final 1^st leg some 54 years after the sides last met in the competition which was also at the semi-final stage. It took three games to separate the teams with the Glens progressing to their first final after an extra time winner in a 2^nd replay and like then today’s match proved to be close encounter with the home side taking a 1-0 lead into the second leg at New Dundas Park next Saturday.

The Glens had to make a late change to their starting line-up after top goalscorer Chris Dallas, who had picked up a knee-knock against Beith last week, required treatment in the pre-match warm-up before being deemed unfit to play and his place taken by Joe Andrew.

After club captains Craig Menzies and Jonathan Stewart exchanged club pennants the Glens kicked-off against a cold and strong gusting wind. The visitors fashioned the first attempt a goal after Lewis Turner and Alan Horne combined well wide on the right before the latter broke into the box and fired for goal only for the ball to be blocked by David Gray. It was the Glens midfielder that set up the home side’s opening chance with a free kick floated to the back post where Kyle McAusland beat Dean Hoskins to the ball only for his header to sneak inches wide of target.

On 7 minutes Turner’s attempt to gather a one-two with Wayne McIntosh inside the Glens box was intercepted by Menzies’ timely tackle and the grounded midfielder appeals for a penalty waved away.

Ally Park and Dan Orsi keep an eye on Adam Nelson

The home side enjoyed a good spell of pressure from a series of set pieces none of which tested Bonnyrigg keeper Michael Andrews. A wind-assisted Gray free kick from 35 yards out sailed over the bar. Soon after his corner-kick to the near post was cleared at the expense of throw-in which resulted in the midfielder gathering the ball on the edge of the box before thundering a shot screaming wide of the post. Back-to-back corner-kicks quickly followed, the first cleared at the near post and the second picked up at the back post by McAusland before the defender, from a tight angle, lashed a shot that screamed over the finger-tips of the keepers’ hands and over the bar. On 20 minutes a fine run by John Carter ended with Rose conceding yet another free kick on the fringes of the penalty box before Gray’s free-kick curled wide of target.

Joe Andrew and Darren McGill line up for a corner-kick

The visitors created the best chance of the game thus far on 25 minutes.  Ruaridh Donaldson blocked a McAusland clearance, recovered the loose ball before tearing down the left-wing and whipped a perfectly weighted pass into box to be met by Kieran McGachie who struck the ball sweetly from six yards only for Brian McGarrity to pull off a superb reflex save and the alert keeper then  win the race to pounce on the loose ball.

Back came Glenafton through another Gray free-kick that deflected off the defensive wall and dipped just over the bar. The resulting corner-kick was cleared by McGachie at the near post and the follow-up corner came to nothing.

At the other end McAusland and Ryan McChesney took turns to repel Rose attacks with powerful clearing headers. The visitors continued to press and the referee played a good advantage after a late tackle by Gray at the half-way line to allow the Rose attack to progress and the ball finally falling for McGachie but again the striker was foiled by the onrushing McGarrity. Ally Park then beat Hoskins to the jump as a free-kick was floated to the back post.

Lewis Turner & Kyle McCausland with Kieran McGachie and Craig Menzies looking on

Darren McGill, Andrew and Carter combined well to move the ball from the left hand side their own half to the Rose box where a series of three timely tackles on Andrew (twice) and Carter prevented the home side from engineering a shot at goal. Carter then picked out Andrew on the right and the striker took a touch or two before advancing to the corner of the penalty box and lashing a shot that whizzed past Andrews at full stretch and just wide of the post.

In the closing action of the half another Glens corner-kick was cleared without difficulty and at the other end McGarrity bravely clutched a cross from the feet of McIntosh.

HT Glenafton 0 Bonnyrigg 0  

The visitors now with the wind at their back won an early corner-kick that was confidently and comfortably clutched out the air by McGarrity.

in safe hands with Brian McGarrity

Glenafton were coping well playing against the wind and pressed with some fine passing play. On 58 minutes a Glens attack deep into the box was headed clear and although the ball was picked up by Adam Nelson a loose pass was snapped up by Dan Orsi. The midfielder instantly forged forward before striking a sweet shot from 20 yards out that squeezed through the gap between two defenders (one with his eye on the overlapping decoy Ally Park) and beyond the outstretched arm of Andrews into the left-hand corner of the net.

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A minute later McAusland’s long through ball was gathered by Carter who pushed forward where after nutmegging Edward Moyes on the outskirts of the box both players chased down the loose ball in the box where Moyes tackle brought down Carter and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. The Rose defender’s claims that he fairly won the ball were waved away and the luckless Moyes was shown a red card for his robust protests. Although McGill’s spot kick sent Andrews the wrong way his spot kick thundered off the base of post and the ball fell for McAusland who from 20 yards thundered a shot that warmed the hands of the now upright keeper.

Darren McGill’s spot kick batters off the post

Glenafton took full advantage of their numerical advantage and enjoyed the majority of the attacking play that followed whilst handling Rose’s less frequent breaks comfortably with Craig Menzies sweeping them up in some style.

Craig Menzies in control

On 63 minutes Carter came close to doubling the Glens lead after running onto to a clever through ball from Orsi and holding off two defenders in the box before turning and firing a low shot that slipped past the wrong-footed keeper and inches wide of the post.

Joe Andrew chases down the ball as Kerr Young closes in

Both sides made substitutions with Rose bringing on Jonathan Brown and Andrew Kidd for Wayne McIntosh and Adam Nelson while Glenafton replaced Darren McGill and Dan Orsi with Conor Lynass and Ryan Borris.

Bonnyrigg finished with a flurry beginning with a long throw into a crowded box where Turner snapped up McGachie’s knock on only for his looping shot to drop safely into the hands of McGarrity. A corner-kick cleared by the Glens defence and eventually picked up by Jonathan Stewart but the full back’s shot from distance was well of target. Stewart, with a strong claim for Rose’s man-of-the-match, then had a near post header saved by McGarrity and in the last action of the game the ball from another corner-kick didn’t bounce kindly for him and his fresh-air shot was promptly followed by the final whistle.

FT Glenafton 1 Bonnyrigg 0

Dan Orsi with his man-of-the-match award

Congratulations to goal scorer Dan Orsi who was selected as man-of-the-match after the game.

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC: 1. Brian McGarrity 2. Kyle McAusland 3. Cameron Marlow 4. Craig Menzies 5. Ryan McChesney 6. Ally Park. 7. Dan Orsi (14. Ryan Borris) 8. David Gray 9. Joe Andrew 10. John Carter 11. Darren McGill (15. Conor Lynass) Subs not used:  16. Chris Meikle 17. Blair Lochhead (gk)

BONNYRIGG ROSE ATHLETIC:  1. Michael Andrews 2. Alan Horne 3. Dean Hoskins 4. Jonathan Stewart 5. Edward Moyes 6. Kerr Young 7. Wayne McIntosh (12. Brown) 8. Lewis Turner 9. Kieran McGachie 10. Adam Nelson (14. Andrew Kidd) 11. Ruaridh Donaldson Subs not used 15. Scott Gray 16. Sean Jamieson 17. Jordan Orru

More photos here