Glenafton 2 Irvine Meadow 2

Posted on December 9, 2011 by flowgently

Friendly

Friday 9th December ,KO 8:00pm

KA Sports Pitches, Almswall Park, Kilwinning

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 2 (1) v IRVINE MEADOW 2 (1)

Glenafton were without club captain Robbie Henderson while Andy Bell, Gareth Armstrong and JP Boyle were rested due to slight injuries. John Dempster partnered Paul McKenzie up front.

The game started well with the Glens having most of the posession and it paid off with some good hold up play by Dempster and Ian Cashmore slotted the ball home. The Glens could have went further ahead as Taz broke clear but sliced the ball past the post.With 5 minutes of the half remaining Meadow capitalised on a slack clearance and former Glens player Simon Eeles fired home the equaliser.  An enforced substitution saw Bob Hay replace Richie McKillen who had picked up a shin injury. H/T Glens 1 Meadow 1

Goalscorers Ian Cashmore, Gareth Campbell & Simon Eeles

Goalscorers Ian Cashmore, Gareth Campbell & Simon Eeles

Ally Semple, who had a relatively quiet first 45, was replaced by young goalkeeper Ryan Dunsmuir – the Glens only remaining sub – at the break.  There was little to choose between the two sides but with 25 minutes to go Gareth Campbell was brought down in the box and in the freezing conditions he coolly slammed home the spot kick. Meadow made use of all of there seven substitutes but it was Simon Eeles who struck again to level the scores. With 10 minutes to go Hay was carried off and Richie McKillen was re-introduced at centre-forward and five minutes later Campbell limped off as the Glens finished with 10 men. F/T Glens 2 Meadow 2

Glenafton:  Semple (Dunsmuir 45), McEwan, McChesney, Menzies, McKillen,(Hay 35) Campbell, Murphy, Potter, Cashmore, Dempster McKenzie

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Glenafton v Irvine Meadow

Posted on December 8, 2011 by flowgently

Friendly

Friday 9th December ,KO 8:00pm

KA Sports Pitches, Almswall Park, Kilwinning

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC v IRVINE MEADOW

With no scheduled fixture this Saturday the Glens will face Premier Division champions Irvine Meadow at Almswall Park, Kilwinning. The Medda currently sit in 5th place in the league seven points behind leaders Petershill, but with four games in hand.

The First Meeting

Coincidentally when the two teams met for the first time, way back in August 1933,  Meadow were the reigning Western League Champions.   The Glens and fellow south Ayrshire teams Talbot and Kello gained entry into the Western League that season and the New Cumnock side beat Meadow 5-2 at Connel Park and drew 3-3 at Meadow Park in the league clashes. However, the clubs had already clashed in the 2nd round of the Moore Trophy and a gate of £27 at Connel Park watched the Glens mow the Meadow by 5 goals to 1 , a brace each from Montgomerie and Irvine and an own goal from the visitors.

The Last Meeting

The Glens went to the top of the league after beating Meadow 3-1 at Loch Park in October 2009, with a W4 D1 Lo record. The home side went two up within seven minutes with a 25 yard lob from Craig Feroz and a20 yard thunderbolt from Chris Zok.  Seven minutes before the break Stephen Swift rose like a lark to head home and half the deficit. Chris Zok rifled a stunning volley into with 20 minutes to go to seal the points.

Craig Feroz holds off former Glens players Chic Connolly and Stevie Farrell

By the time the two sides met in the corresponding fixture at Meadow Park, the Glens had plummeted to 8th in the league (en-route to a play-of loss to Lanark) whole while the Medda were top of the league (en-route to the title).  Goals from Chris Strain and David Hamilton gave the home side a 2-0 victory, the Glens going close through Simon Eeles, but his shot crashed off the post.

Former Afton Lad

Simon Eeles

Simon joined Glenafton from Hurlford United at the beginning of season 2007/08, signed by then manager Gordon Dalziel. His previous clubs were Stirling Albion, Largs Thistle, Stenhousemuir, Tarff Rovers, Gretna, Kilbirnie Ladeside, Linlithgow Rose, Auchinleck Talbot and Saltcoats Victoria before moving to Blair Park. Simon made 53 starts (and about half as many again substitute appearances) for the Glens over the three seasons at Loch Park and scored 12 goals. On his game an exciting player who could take on defences with relish and score the odd cracking goal or two.  Simon’s last appearance for the Glens was at the start of season 2010/11 before he moved on to a second spell at Kilbirnie Ladeside and from there to Meadow at the beginning of last season.

Simon scores at Maybole

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Glenafton v Hurlford

Posted on December 2, 2011 by flowgently

Super League 1st Division

Sat 3rd December , Loch Park, New Cumnock KO 1:45pm

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC v HURLFORD UNITED

Back to the league business after the successful Scottish Junior Cup exploits away to Hermes at the bright and sunny Bridge of Don. Tomorrow’s visit of Hurlford however is in serious doubt as rain sweeps across the country and there will be a pitch inspection at Loch Park at 9:00 am.

Ford Focus - Craig Potter

The two sides met at Blair Park earlier in the season where the Glens came out on top thanks to a first half opportunist strike from Gareth Armstrong and a last minute penalty save from Ally Semple to deny Robert McPhee from the spot. The penalty kick was awarded after Steven Greenlees tripped former Afton Lad, Aaron Schoular in the box and of course Steven has since joined him at Hurlford.

Postscript: GAME OFF – waterlogged pitch.

All other Super League 1st Division games off.

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The Sloan Danger – Away!

Posted on November 30, 2011 by flowgently

Glenafton have transferred Lewis Sloan to his home town team of Dalbeattie Star. The young midfielder became an instant hit with the Glenafton support and scored four goals in the early season Ardagh Sectional Cup matches including the opener in the 4-1 tanking of Talbot at Beechwood, where he run the Black and Gold defence ragged.  Lewis went on to make 19 appearances for Glenafton and scored seven goals, the most recent of which against Newmains United in the Scottish Junior Cup win at Loch Park.

Travelling back and forward from Dalbeattie for midweek training and Saturday matches was taking its toll and everyone at Glenafton  would like to thank Lewis and wish him all the best for the future.

Good luck, Lewis

 

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Glenafton 2 Stranraer 0

Posted on November 29, 2011 by flowgently

Friendly

Tuesday 29th November , Toryglen Regional Football Centre, Glasgow

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 2 (1) v STRANRAER 0 (0)

The Glens faced SFL side Stranraer in a closed-door friendly at Toryglen tonight.  Former Cowdenbeath, Stenhousemuir and Cumnock Juniors striker John Dempster guested for Glenafton and partnered John Paul Boyle up front. There were some familiar faces in the Stair Park starting eleven including former Afton lads John Kane and Nathan Shepherd.

Paul Murphy

The astrosturf surface lent itself to the Glens passing game with former Stranraer player Paul Murphy pulling the strings in the middle of the park for the men in red , ably assisted by Ian Cashmore who had an outstanding game in central midfield.  John Paul Boyle, who made his debut for the Glens on Saturday, his first start in a game since June, understandably felt the effects of his efforts at Hermes and was replaced midway through the half by Craig Potter

The Glens made the breakthough late in the first half, when the impressive Dempster was denied from close range by keeper David Mitchell but magical Paul McKenzie was on hand to slam the ball home. H/T Glens 1 Stranraer 0

Ryan Dunsmuir

The New Cumnock side doubled their lead soon after the restart, Cashmore’s courage winning a header in the box and the ball falling to John Dempster with his back to goal, and holding off his marker he hooked the ball over his head into the net. The Glens carved out a number of opportunties to add to their tally with fluent fast flowing football that had Stranraer players chasing shadows under the Toryglen floodlights.  Stranraer, with a large squad to choose from, enjoyed a sustained period of pressure but efforts from distance whistled past both posts and young keeper Ryan Dunsmuir pulled off two quite stunning saves. The Glens finished the stronger and thoroughly deserved their victory. F/T Glens 2 Stranraer 0

Glenafton: Dunsmuir; McEwan; McChesney, Henderson, McKillen; McKenzie, Murphy, Cashmore, Bell; Dempster, Boyle (Potter)


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Hermes 1 Glenafton 4

Posted on November 26, 2011 by flowgently

Emirates Scottish Junior Cup 3rd Round

Sat 26th November , Lochside Park, Bridge of Don KO 1:45pm

HERMES 1 (0) v GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 4 (1)

Bright sunshine at Bridge of Don beckoned the players down the wooden steps from the neat pavilion and on to the perfectly manicured pitch at Lochside Park, with gusts of wind swirling around the ground.

From Loch Park to Lochside Park

Glenafton welcomed back top goalscorer Gareth Armstrong to the starting line-up having been sidelined for two and bit games through injury to partner midweek signing John Paul Boyle from Arthurlie up front. However it was Hermes striker Mark Gairns that almost grabbed the headlines after only 90 secs following the visitors failure to clear their lines but his shot went agonisingly wide of Semple’s far post with the keeper stranded at the other one. Hermes broke forward at pace again but a passage of neat quick passing was dealt with more effectively by the Glens rearguard and Gairns could find no way through. At the other end with 7 minutes gone Armstrong, deep in the Hermes box, rose above the sandwich of Paul Cruickshank and Grant Campbell to head down to Boyle but keeper Lee Sweeney dived low to block the nippy striker’s shot at goal.  Six minutes later Boyle turned provider and his chip from the corner of the 18 yard box saw  Gareth Armstrong spring up higher than centre half Sam McKenzie and his header from 8 yards out caught Sweeney flat-footed and the ball nestle in the net unchallenged. The big keeper was alert to prevent the visitors doubling their lead on 20 minutes advancing to the edge of the box to deny Boyle who had beat the offside trap to give himself and free run in on goal.  Four minutes later the visitors stood firm to ultimately repel a flurry of Hermes’ attempts to fashion an equaliser that ended with Paul McKenzie blocking a shot from the impressive Mark Hamilton.

Bo heads home the opener

The wind strengthened and a change of direction now found it at Glenafton’s backs but they struggled to find a way of putting it their advantage. Hermes, on the other hand, handled the conditions better and yet the Lochside park side could not find a way of putting a killer touch to some fine build up play and thanks to a defence, well marshalled by the outstanding Robbie Henderson, Semple was seldom troubled. Three minutes before the break Paul McKenzie brought the game to life with a trademark run down the right leaving Hermes players behind him like a string of static training cones as he reached the by-line, however his cutback from Armstrong was clutched out of the air by the safe hands of Sweeney. H/T Hermes 0 Glenafton 1

Hermes to the ancient Greeks was ‘Messenger of the Gods’ and the boys from Bridge of Don certainly appeared to get the half-time message as they laid siege to the Glens goal in the opening minutes of the new half.  The visitors kicked-off and 15 seconds later Semple saved from Makel Madek.Two minutes later a Gairns strike from 20 yards struck the hand of Ryan McChesney but although the striker managed to curl the resultant free-kick round the Afton wall he couldn’t guide the ball beneath the bar and into Semple’s net. A minute later further Hermes’ pressure ended with Hamilton’s hands on his head as another home effort went inches wide.

Just as Glenafton had appeared to weather the storm spirits of the travelling support were deflated again with the sight of Armstrong hobbling of the pitch but unbeknownst to them his replacement Andy Bell would have a big say in the outcome of the match.Two minutes later Hermes raid on the Glens goal ended with the winning of a spot kick after Madek was impeded in the box by Paul Murphy. Craig Macklin stepped up and sent Semple the wrong way to level the cup tie with half an hour to go.

Hermes’ momentum was dealt a severe blow on 63 minutes when a Glen’s attack spearheaded by Murphy and Gareth Armstrong ended with an attempted clearance by substitute Steven Wilson looping over the head of his back pedalling keeper and into the back of the net. The wind continued to gust but most of it was taken out of the home side’s sails four minutes later. McKenzie menaced his way down the left and fired the ball across the face of the goal where Gareth Armstrong brilliantly fended off the tackle from behind bt namesake Grant Campbell and the ball ran on unimpeded to the aforementioned Andy Bell who picked his spot from six yards out to double the Glens’s advantage.

Andy Bell dings it home

With twenty minutes to go the lively Boyle once again beat the offside trap and after recovering from a stumble regained his composure to turn Grant Campbell in the box before shooting for goal but Sweeney did well to tip the ball over the bar. Ten minutes later a great ball from Murphy released Boyle wide on the left but his run ended in the box as Hermes manned up with a three-line whip between the Glens’ hit man and Sweeney’s goals.

The home side now only threatened in flashes but each time found the visitors’ defence in a determined mood not to surrender their two goal cushion. To add to their woes the Glens introduced the fresh legs of Lewis Sloan for debutant John Paul Boyle who left the field to well deserved rapturous applause from the travelling support. Two minutes later a Sloan corner on right was won in the air by Henderson and the Glens’s captain returned the ball to Sloan who quickly rolled it into the path of McKenzie who in turn launched it skyward to the back post for the unmarked Paul Murphy to stoop and bullet home a header from four yards out.

Murph makes it 4-1

A minute later Sweeney denied Bell his second as he ran from his line to rob the midfielder of the ball as he tried to round him at the penalty spot.  Soon after a Sloan cross from the by-line eluded the keeper at full stretch at his near post but Gavin Middlet0n was on hand at the back post to block Bell’s shot. F/T Hermes 1 Glenafton 4

Hermes: Sweeney, Cruickshank, Middleton, Campbell, McKenzie, K. Wilson, Macklin, Hamilton, Gairns, Madek, Courage Subs Rush, Smith, S. Wilson, Havlin, McEndrick, Robertson, Ritchie

Glenafton: Semple; McEwan, McChesney, Henderson, McKillen; Campbell, Potter, Murphy, McKenzie (Cashmore); Armstrong (Bell), Boyle (Sloan). Subs Dunsmuir (gk), Hay

more photos here

Glenafton would like to thank Hermes for the excellent hospitality shown and the good wishes extended after the match, it was greatly appreciated.

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Hermes v Glenafton

Posted on November 25, 2011 by flowgently

Emirates Scottish Junior Cup 3rd Round

Sat 26th November , Lochside Park, Bridge of Don KO 1:45pm

HERMES v GLENAFTON ATHLETIC

Scottish Junior Cup week-end and an opportunity for the Glens to put behind them the recent dip in league form that has yielded two points from the last four games.  Hopefully, top goalscorer Gareth Armstrong will be available for selection having missed the last two matches. New signing John Paul Boyle, is not cup-tied, and will be available for selection.

When Last They Met

Stephen Whalen

Hermes and the Glens were drawn together in the 1st round of the Scottish Junior Cup in 2007/08 at Bridge of Don. Goals from Willie Howie and Simon Eeles put the Glens 2-0 up just before the half hour mark. Hermes were reduced to 10 men but five minutes later, numbers were even when Chic Connolly was sent off for his reaction to a bad tackle. Stephen Whalen made it 3-0 before the break. Hermes held out until the last 10 minutes before late goals from Gavin Brown and Stephen Whalen completed the scoring.

Glens: Matthews; Connolly, McGregor, Gow, Agnew; Doyle, Howie, Beattie, Eeles; Gormley, Whalen : Subs used – Brown, Grant, McGuigan

The Glens went on to reach the Quarter-final, losing out at Thornton Hibs. Hermes were struggling in the North Premier Division at that time but today with a very impressive leauge record Pl 11 W10 D 0 L1 they sit top of that league.

Bridge of Don

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John Paul joins the Glens

Posted on November 22, 2011 by flowgently

Glenafton have signed striker John Paul Boyle from Premier Division side Arthurlie. John Paul was a member of the Kilmarnock squad in 2003-04 and was the man of the match in the Killie Youth side that defeated Rangers in the final of the Scottish Youth Cup in 2004.  He later joined Cumnock Juniors before moving to the USA to study Business at Hartwick College in New York State, and played College soccer for four years.

John Paul returned to Scotland and signed for Irvine Meadow in December 2009 and scored the winning goal in his debut against Arthurlie . John Paul played his part in Meadow’s excellent run in the Scottish Cup which ended in the 4th round by Hibernian at Easter Road. He joined Arthurlie in August 2010 and on his return to Meadow Park scored the opening goal for the Barrhead side’s 2-1 victory.

Welcome to Loch Park, John Paul.

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Glenafton 1 Cumbernauld 2

Posted on November 19, 2011 by flowgently

Super League 1st Division

Sat 19th November , Loch Park, New Cumnock KO 2pm

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 1 (1) v CUMBERNAULD UNITED 2 (2)

Glenafton suffered their first home league defeat of the season as visitors Cumbernauld left Loch Park with all three points for the second successive season.

The Glens’ top goalscorer Gareth Armstrong failed a late fitness test and the home side started with Gareth Campbell and Lewis Sloan up front, with Andy Bell wide right and Paul McKenzie on the left.

United take the lead

Cumbernauld’s all white strip absorbed much of the little light that could penetrate the dense blanket of cloud that hung over the park for all of the match. The visitors started lively and were upfield in a flash forcing an early corner that was cleared unconvincingly by the home defence allowing Danny Burns to pick up the pieces but his effort went wide. Two minutes later Burns was the instigator of a break that earned another corner for United which was won at the near post by Johny Boyle, his header flying in the postage sample of Ally Semple’s goal.

Glenafton responded well and were unfortunate not to draw level three minutes later. McKenzie, on the left, worked in his way into the box and  picked out Bell in space, who directed his header back across the goal for Lewis Sloan to beat Paul Barclay to the ball but his header crashed off the post with keeper David Buchanan left clutching the upright. On 13 minutes the home side’s luck was out when McKenzie, on the right, skinned Nico Petrucci to get to the by-line and although his cross took the advancing Buchanan out of play Campbell’s header from 1o yards was headed of the line by Ross Hayman and headed out for a corner by man mountain Craig Hill. Five minutes later, the men in red’s pressure was rewarded, McKenzie meandering past a clutch of Cumbernauld defenders in their own box rolled the ball back to Gareth Campbell who rifled it home from 16 yards out.

Celebrations as Glenafton draw level

Any thoughts on the home terracing that their favourites would build on the head of steam they had worked up and take the game by the scruff of the neck faded fastly in the gloom as Cumbernauld, like  their counterparts, responded purposefully to the loss of a goal. Burns and Johnny Boyle were proving a handful, with Kenny Jarvis having a fine game in the middle of the park for United.

The game entered an honours even phase both in terms of possession, chances created and denied penalty claims. On 26 minutes Sloan refused to be the meat in the sandwich as he burst between two white shirts on his way to the bye-line to cut the ball back but the pursuing David Marsh marshalled him and the ball over the line with a less than subtle shoulder in the back. Four minutes later another Glens claim as Campbell went down following a challenge from Hill, but the big defender appeared to have stood his ground with the forward backing in.  The home side’s goal then survived a couple of scares before the visitors had a loud shout for a penalty turned away in 35 minutes as Petrucci claimed he had been impeded by Campbell back defending a corner-kick. Ten minutes later however the official finally pointed to the spot following the coming together of Barclay and Craig McEwan during a 50-50 challenge on Glenafton’s by-line, James Steele converting the penalty in injury time. H/T Glens 1 Cumbernauld 2

With the goal advantage the visitors took every opportunity to exploit the space vacated by Glenafton as they pushed forward to find an equaliser. White shirts flashed down both flanks stretching the home side but the final ball seldom culminated in Semple being tested. The keeper now more often than not the instigator of Glenafton attacks with long clearances up the park.  On 53 minutes his counterpart Buchanan did well to block a Paul Murphy effort at the back post, who had sneaked in behind the United defence to get on the end of a Sloan cross. Six minutes later the keeper pulled off a stunning save from a Campbell volley, thundered from  just inside the box. Another lightning break up down the left by United had Semple scurrying across his line and what seemed like seconds later the keeper foiled another break and prevented the visitors from doubling their lead.

The frantic period of end-to-end play came to an on 65 minutes when substitute Kris Mitchell released Sloan tight on the right flank and his cross from almost the corner flag picked out McKenzie at the back post and although the diminutive midfielder outjumped Paddy McCabe, his header crashed off the bar and both players crashed to the ground clutching their heads.  The magic sponges were duly applied but sadly the game quickly deteriorated into a tousy tussle, littered with free kicks, a number of them won it has to be said with players going to ground at the slightest opportunity. The visitors were rightly content with their goal advantage while Glenafton were unable to come up with a game plan to salvage something from the game.

Three minutes from a time a glimmer of hope for Glenafton when McKenzie fed substitute Ian Cashmore’s run into the box but his cross was inches too strong for the incoming Campbell. F/T Glens 1 Cumbernauld 2

Glenafton: Semple; McEwan, Henderson, McChesney (Cashmore), McKillen (Hay); Bell (Mitchell), Potter, Murphy, McKenzie; Campbell & Sloan Subs not use Dunsmuir (gk) Menzies

Cumbernauld: Buchanan Hayman Pettruci Marsh Hill Jarvis McCabe Barclay Burns Steele J Boyle Subs Boreland O’Halleron McNally Thompson Gibson Hanlon Dearie

The Glens slip to third in the league behind Kilsyth and Shotts having taking two points from their last four games.

Other scores:  Ardrossan 0 Shotts 7; East Kilbride 0 Hurlford 1; Renfrew 2 Kilsyth 2, Rutherglen 0 Girvan 0; Thorniewood 0 Lanark 0; Whitletts 4 Dalry 1.

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Glenafton v Cumbernauld

Posted on November 18, 2011 by flowgently

Super League 1st Division

Sat 19th November , Loch Park, New Cumnock KO 2pm

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC v CUMBERNAULD UNITED

Bo at Guy's Meadow

Glenafton welcome back top goalscorer Gareth Armstrong who  missed last week’s draw at Lanark due to a hamstring injury picked up during the defeat at Girvan. Bo has scored 14 goals in 16 starts this season and opened the scoring in the 3-0 friendly win over Kello last night.

Paul Murphy, after a loan spell from Stranraer, has now signed for the club and its good to welcome Paul to Loch Park on a more permanent basis.

This week’s visitors Cumbernauld United may have struggled in the league so far but came within a whisker of claiming the scalp of the mighty Beith in the Emirates Scottish Junior Cup 2nd Round. In an extraordinary game at Bellsdale the visitors were 2-0 down within 10 minutes  and yet with six minutes to go they led the Premier side 5-3, with goals from Danny Burns, Johnny Boyle, Kenny Jarvis, Jim Steele and Gary Gibson. But Beith hit back with two goals to force the replay. The First Division side more than held their own at Guy’s Meadow but deep into injury time Kenny McLean went down in the box , picked himself up and slotted home the spot-kick to secure their passage into the next round.

Glenafton and Cumbernauld have only met once in the Scottish Junior Cup, back in 1967/68 with United winning 5-2 in the 3rd round at Loch Park.

Last Season’s Encounters

Jim Wilson at Guy's Meadow

The two sides met for the first time on league business last season. Indeed the opening game of the season saw the Glens travel to Guy’s Meadow to face newly promoted Cumbernauld. A hat-trick from Jim Wilson help secure a 3-1 win and the three points for the visitors. In the corresponding fixture at Loch Park, Cumbernauld played with some style and thoroughly deserved their 1-0 win to end the Glens 5 game winning streak in the league – without conceding a goal.

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