A big thank you to Keelan Sim and Peter Scott our latest PFTJ signings for 2011/12 keeping up the great start to this PFTJ team. We are now in the 5th season of PFTJ and this could be prove to be best one yet – so thanks to all.
Check out PFTJ 2011/12 Roll of Honour here
Remember if you wish your photo with your PFTJ team-mate in http://www.glenaftonfc.com and/or in our matchday programme then contact the club office on match day.
Sat 20 Aug Loch Park, New Cumnock
GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 2 (0)
WHITLETTS VICTORIA 2 (0)
Both sides could reflect on this match and reach the same conclusion, albeit for different reasons, that the outcome was two points dropped rather than one gained as goals and match winning chances fluctuated from end to end in a lively second half.
Glenafton dominated the first half in terms of possession but struggled to convert this into clear-cut chances particularly from the numerous corners won where the resultant kicks seldom caused consternation in the visitors’ ranks. The best chance came as early as the 4th minute when a close range header from Kris Mitchell was just off target; he later tested keeper Steven Douglas with a fierce shot from inside the box. Lewis Sloan was proving a handful and on 20 minutes his well struck half-volley from 10 yards out deflected off a defender and the ball looped over the bar with the keeper rooted to his line. Sadly, 15 minutes later the young midfielder appeared to pull a hamstring and was replaced by Jim Wilson.
The visitors had their moments and although not winning anything close to the corner count of their hosts, the few they did win were certainly delivered with greater potency. Midway through the half for example striker Gareth Armstrong in his corner-defending role outjumped the Vics defender in his corner-attacking role to head clear but the loose ball was drilled goalward by Graham Longair, only to be cleared again by Craig Menzies. Five minutes from the interval Whitletts caught the Glens on the break and Ally Semple did well to narrow the angle and smother a shot from substitute Richie Hanvey. Perhaps, however, of greater concern to the Glens was a knock sustained by Robbie Henderson minutes later. H/T Glens 0 Whitletts 0
Paul McKenzie celebrates the opener
The new half was only three minutes old when Henderson retired to be replaced by Richie McKillen and the back four reshuffled accordingly. However the home despondency was diluted two minutes later when Andy Bell played Paul McKenzie into the box and having shielded the dropping ball from his marker the menacing midfielder met it full on the drop and smacked it beyond the diving Douglas into the keeper’s far post. This signalled a period of intense siege-like pressure on the Whitletts’ goal as the Glens got behind their rearguard time and again, chiefly through McKillen on the left and McKenzie on the right. Keeper Douglas was kept busy most notably diving low to his near post to save a Cameron McKinnel header and turning a Craig Potter shot from 15 yards out around the post. However he was caught in no man’s land when a Wilson cut-back picked out Mitchell on the 18 yard line but his missile-like shot cannoned off the post.
Jim Wilson celebrates the equaliser
On 23 minute the siege was broken, the Vics lowered the draw-bridge, turned defence into attack and Richie Hanvey broke into the box, fending off McKinnell and Potter to beat the advancing Semple from a narrow angle to level the scores. Douglas pulled off a great save from an Armstrong strike as the stunned hosts attempted to regain the upper hand, but the Vics were up for the fight and struck again, some four minutes after their first. A corner kick was headed clear by Andy Bell at the near post and the ball gathered by Marc Cameron who exhibited considerable composure to fire home through a ruck of closely packed bodies. Celebrations were short-lived when three minutes later Elliot Duffy scythed down McKenzie 25 yards from goal. At last a set piece of quality from the home side when Jim Wilson powerfully headed home McKenzie’s vicious free kick. With 5 minutes to go Wilson’s perseverance down the left flank took him beyond defenders to the dead ball line and then he doubled back to feed the run of Potter who was tripped as he entered the Whitletts’ box. Kris Mitchell, one of the successful penalty kick takers in the mid-week shoot out against Girvan, struck the spot kick with conviction and power but Douglas was his match getting two strong hands to the ball. Seconds later a Mitchell header appeared to strike a raised Vics’ hand but half-hearted appeals for another penalty were waved away. In the dying seconds the visitors broke up field and Marc Cameron almost snatched his brace and all three points for his team but his shot from an acute angle rolled inches wide of Semple’s far post. F/T Glens 2 Whitletts 2
Glenafton: Semple; Menzie, McKinnell, Henderson (McKillen), McEwan; Bell, Mitchell, Potter, McKenzie; Sloan (Wilson), Armstrong
Saturday 20th Aug Loch Park, New Cumnock
Super League 1st Division KO 2:00pm
GLENAFTON ATHLETIC v WHITLETTS VICTORIA
Both sides will try to put the disappointment of being knocked out of the Ardagh Cup at the quarter-final stage and focus on the league campaign now in its second week. While the Glens recorded a 3-2 win at Renfrew last week the Vics shared the points and six goals at Dam Park. Games between these two sides are alway tight and the corresponding fixture at Loch Park last season ended in a 1-1 draw with Adam Coakley, now with Rob Roy, scoring for the home side. In the return match, late in the season, a late goal from Gareth Armstrong was enough to secure the three points for the Glens and push them ahead of the Vics in the race for the play-off place. Gareth Campbell, who sustained a broken nose against Girvan, begins a 3 match suspension.
Darren McMahon for Vics v Glens
Darren McMahon joined Lugar Boswell Thistle in July 2005 from Bonnyton U19s. He later had a short spell at Stranraer before returning to Rosebank. In Feb 2010 Darren signed for the Glens and made 6 appearances for the club that season. His last league match for the Glens was as a substitute in a 3-1 home win over Whitletts and he signed for the Ayr club in the close season.
Whitletts Victoria were formed in 1944 and joined the Western League which comprised only 11 teams during the ‘last’ of the war-time seasons. The Glens rejoined the league the following season and the two clubs first met at New Cumnock in a league match at Connel Park in October, 1945.
Glenafton: Stevenson; Graham and Newman; Hunter, Goodwin and Begg; Turnbull, White, Newman, Kane and Grozier.
Bobby White, on the eve of returning to his unit, playing at I/R gave a demonstration how to keep the ball moving, his passes were typically Army method. However, the attendance at the match was affected by the final of the single-handed Ayrshire Quoiting Championship being played at neighbouring Craigbank – unfortunately W.Walker of Muirkirk beat local favourite William Allan.
Whitletts first trip to Loch Park, back in November 1960, ended in 10-0 drubbing by a strong Glens team that went on to win the league.
Wed 17 Aug, Loch Park, New Cumnock
GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 1 (1)
GIRVAN 1 (1)
Girvan win 4-3 penalties
Glenafton made two changes from the eleven that started at Renfrew on Saturday, Cameron Menzies coming in from captain Robbie Henderson and Stuart Currie for Andy Bell. The home side exploded out the traps and a one two between Craig McEwan and Gareth Campbell ended with Southy’s low drive being tipped wide of the post by keeper Darren Johnston. From the resultant corner kick a powerful Paul McKenzie snapshot was blocked in the box by Iain Fulton and soon after a Kris Mitchell whistled past Johnson’s other post. On 4 minutes Girvan broke upfield and a header to the near post caught the home side napping allowing Stevie O’Donnell to score from close range. The home side struggled to respond to this early set back and there play lacked rhythm and purpose. Gareth Armstrong did test Johnson with a half-volley from the edge of the box but the bulk of the action was at the other end with striker John Bradford proving a handful for the Afton back line. Semple punched the ball from the head of Fulton and then dived to stop a Stuart Peacock effort as the visitors looked to extend their lead.
Gareth Armstrong fires home the equaliser
On 26 minutes the Glens conjured up a kind of magic to claw their way back into the match with a Gareth Armstrong free kick from 25 yards beating the ball and flashing into the top corner of the net. The game now much more evenly balanced in terms of chances created. A Bradford lob from the edge of the box forced Semple to tip the ball over bar while at the other end Campbell beat the offside trap but was caught in the box by the chasing pack and Johnson recovered the loose ball. The keeper was a spectator a minute before the break when a Lewis Sloan cut back from the six yard box was met by Campbell but the striker’s well struck shot from 12 yards rattled the post. H/T Glens 1 Girvan 1
Gareth Armstrong and Iain Fulton
Two minutes after the restart Campbell, who was red-carded on Saturday for challenging with a raised arm, was caught in the face by a flying arm but no card and indeed no foul awarded and soon after still suffering from the blow he was replaced by Jim Wilson. The game once again settled into a state of equlibrium with end-to-end play but little in the way of clear cut chances until the 64th minute when Wilson and Sloan left the Seasiders defence in their wake and homed in on Johnson’s goal. Wilson took the ball to the edge of the box at which point Sloan peeled off to the right awaiting the pass for the tap in but instead his partner attempted to round the keeper only to be foiled by the single-minded Johnson. The visitors went straight up the park and Semple did well to pluck a Sean McKenna effort out the air and normal service was resumed as each side took in turn to seek out the winner, but it remained elusive. F/T Glens 1 Girvan 1
Penalty shoot-out: The home side were first up and after three penalty kicks each the score stood 3-1 in favour of the visitors, Kris Mitchell scoring for the Glens sandwiched between misses from McKenzie and Menzies. Sloan then scored and Semple saved to ensure Armstrong needed to take his kick, which he duly converted to make it 3-3, but the Seasiders slotted home their last of five to win 4-3.
Glenafton: Semple; Currie (McKillen), McKinnell, Menzies, McEwan; McKenzie, Mitchell, Potter, Sloan; Armstrong, Campbell (Wilson).
Other Quarter-Fianl scores: Whitletts 1 Auchinleck 3, Largs 2 Hurlford 0, Irvine Meadow 4 Ardrossan 4 (Meadow wint 3-1 pens). Girvan will travel to meet Auchinleck and Largs Thistle will host Irvine Meadow in the semi-finals. Good luck to all the clubs.
Wed 17 Aug Loch Park , New Cumnock KO 6:30pm
GLENAFTON ATHLETIC v GIRVAN
Section Winners
As Section 4 winners Glenafton host Section 3 runners-up Girvan in the quarter-final of the Ardagh Glass Sectional League Cup tomorrow at Loch Park. Both sides won four out of their fives matches in their respective groups and while the Glens drew their other match (away at Cumnock), Girvan lost 3-1 at Whitletts – the Ayr side going on to top the section with a 100% record. Girvan returned to Dam Park on league business last Saturday and returned with a share of the spoils in a six-goal thriller. Summer signing Sean McKenna scored all of the Seasiders’ goals taking his tally to 5 since his move from Bellshill Athletic. Glens supporters need no reminding of his goal threat having bagged 4 for Bellshill in last season’s Scottish Junior Cup win at Loch Park. High scoring Girvan have no shortage of hit-men with former Arthurlie striker John Bradford making the close-season move to Hamilton Park from Barrhead.
The former Glenafton contingent in the Girvan ranks have moved to pastures new, striker Steven Shankland now at Kello Rovers and midfielder Tony Murphy at Troon.
Tomorrow’s game is a 6:30 kick off and will go to a penalty shoot-out if all square after ninety minutes. The winners will travel to face the winners of Whitletts via Auchinleck. In the other quarter-finals Largs Thistle host Hurlford United and Ardrossan Winton Rovers are away to Irvine Meadow XI.
The club would like to thank Glenafton Ladies Committee, Jim Cameron, Neil Reid and Ian Young for signing up to the PFTJ Team of 2011/11 …. see their PFTJ team mates here
Existing members of the ‘Glenafton Athletic 200 club’ are invited to an open meeting tomorrow Monday 15th August at 6:30pm in the Hunter Suite, Loch Park to consider ways of taking the ‘200 club’ forward.
Saturday 13th August Western Park, Renfrew
Renfrew Juniors 2 (2)
Glenafton Athletic 3 (2)
The league campaign kicked off at Renfrew today in explosive fashion with the title favourites Glenafton giving some credence to that unwanted tag after having gone two ahead midway through the first half despite being reduced to 10 men and Renfrew winning a spot kick. However by the break the sides were all square and the visitors had been playing with 9 men for the last twenty minutes. ‘Could the 9 men hang in there and secure a point?’ was the topic of terracing talk for the travelling fans, well aware of their team’s woeful record at Western Park.Unexpectedly and now unforgettably the Glens regained the lead within a minute of the restart and delivered an exceptional backs-to-the-wall stand-off that was more than worthy of the three points.
Chris Zok and Chris Cameron kicked off for the Frew determined no doubt to get one over on their old side. However, the visitors were equally determined and in 4 minutes Paul McKenzie danced down the right wing, cut inside and drilled the ball low and hard from the edge of the box only for it to be deflected inches wide, off the heel of defender Alan Prentice. A minute later Taz had his dancing shoes on again but this time he waltzed his way to the dead ball line where he left Anton Heffron like a neglected wall flower before firing the ball across the face of the Frew goalmouth where defender Richie Chang’s attempt to block it from the incoming Lewis Sloan ended up in the back of his own net.
The home side soon settled and recovered well from the early set back and created a chance or two before Scott Upton spurned a great opportunity on 14 minutes to draw the sides level. With the Glens’ defence appealing for offside the midfielder burst into the box but rather than square to the unmarked Zok he elected to try to beat keeper Ally Semple from a narrow angle, and although he did the ball went wide of the keeper’s far post. Three minutes later Willie Sawyers too found himself deep in the visitors’ penalty area but his run was halted by a nudge from Craig McEwan and a spot kick awarded. Although the big forward still had defender Craig Potter to contend with before being through on Semple’s goal, McEwan’s offence was deemed worthy of a red card. Sawyers stepped up to take the kick and Semple dived to his right to save it and then spring to his feet to prepare to block James Crowhurst attempt to fire home the rebound but the man in blue miscued badly and the ball went well wide. The 10 men soaked up Frew pressure and on 22 minutes hit their hosts with an exquisite sucker punch. Gareth Armstrong beat Heffron on the 18 yard line and his header sent the ball skywards. Its ascent doubtless catching the eye of air-traffic control at nearby Glasgow Airport (or Abbotsinch in old money); its descent on the other hand completely deceived keeper Kevin Bell and the ball dropped behind his outstretched arm and touched down safely in the back of the net.
The sky, however, was about to fall in on Glenafton. Three minutes later Renfrew reduced the deficit when the ball pinballed about the Glens box and Anton Smith’s attempt at goal found his namesake Anton Heffron who poked the ball home from a few yards out. A minute later Gareth Campbell was shown a straight red card for leading with a raised arm as he challenged for the ball on the half way line. The Glens reshuffled and attacking midfielder Lewis Sloan was sacrificed for defender Steven Greenlees. Attack of course was still a sound form of defence and defender Cammy McKinnell’s header from a corner kick just sailed over the bar. Sawyers had a copycat effort at the other ended which signalled the start of sustained pressure from the Frew, enjoying the new-found spaces in the 11 v 9 contest. Six minutes before the break Cameron sent a needle-threading pass through the heart of the Glens defence and Willie Sawyers saw off two defenders to strike the equaliser home. H/T Renfrew 2 Glenafton 2
Despite winning the £3 second prize at the half-time draw the mood was still very much a gloomy one as the nine Afton men trooped down the steps onto Western Park. But within 10 seconds of the restart Chris Cameron uncharacteristically clattered Andy Bell. The resultant free-kick into the box saw Cammy McKinnell outjump Smith to power his header goalward and although keeper Bell appeared to have it covered the ball escaped his grasp and trundled over the line. The visitors were visibly re-energised the goal itself worth a thousand half-time oranges and a signalled a call to arms for the next 44 and a bit minutes! Of course the expected Renfrew onslaught did materialise but this was ably repelled through a combination of stout defending, magnificent midfield possession (Andy Bell and Kris Mitchell both strong contenders for man of the match) and a clever use of substitutes with the fresh legs of Craig Menzies coming on for McKenzie and then later Jim Wilson for Armstrong; Taz and Bo having run themselves into the ground.
Renfrew will also rue a series of missed chances. Minutes after the Glens had regained the lead Upton dwelled too long in front of goal allowing Robbie Henderson and Steven Greenlees to block his shot from six yards. On 57 minutes Semple blocked a point-blank effort from Zok then Sawyers failed to connect with a great free kick from Cameron. Ten minutes later Prentice fired one well over the bar from close range and then substitute David Adams hit the bar with a header from even closer range.
Bell and Mitchell ensured it wasn’t all one way traffic as they turned the tide of wave after wave attack with lung bursting runs upfield to feed lone striker Jim Wilson who held up the ball brilliantly to give the defence much-needed respite. In time added on Renfrew substitute Ross Currie was red-carded for a lunge at Andy Bell. The final whistle, like Cammy’s goal released a new-found energy in the team as they rightly celebrated a well deserved win. F/T Renfrew 2 Glenafton 3
Glenafton: Semple; Potter, McKinnell, Henderson, McEwan; McKenzie (Menzies), Mitchell, Bell, Sloan (Greenlees); Armstrong (Wilson), Campbell
Other Scores: Ardrossan 3 Lanark 2, Dalry 1 East Kilbride 3, Hurlford 1 Cumbernauld 0, Kilsyth 0 Shotts 1, Thorniewood 1 Rutherglen 3, Whitletts 3 Girvan 3
The two Gareths
Glenafton travel to Western Park to face Renfrew on Saturday in the opening game of the league campaign. The ‘Frew were one of two teams (Clydebank the other) that enjoyed a league double over the Glens last season with 2-0 win at Western Park and a 1-0 victory at Loch Park. Nevertheless the New Cumnock side look back fondly on Renfrew, their victory at Girvan in the last league game of the season not saved them from relegation it allowed the Glens to snatch the play-off place from the Seasiders. The Frew have had mixed fortunes in the Sectional League Cup matches starting with a 4-0 loss at home to Port Glasgow followed by victories at Western Park over Greenock (5-0) and Johnstone Burgh before drawing away at Vale of Leven. Glenafton hope to have both Gareth Armstrong and Gareth Campbell will be available for selection after picking up injuries in the 4-1 tanking of Talbot at God’s Little Acre last weekend.
Chris Cameron (left) and Chris Zok (right) played in the same Glens team that went on to lose the play-off at the end of Season 2008-09 and were relegated to the Super 1st Division. . Midfielder Cameron made 23 appearances wtih 7 of these from the bench and moved on to Frew the following season. Striker Zok made 31 appearances (with 7 from the bench too) and scored 10 goals. He finished 2nd top goalscorer to Craig Feroz (21 goals) and both players teamed up together at Kirkintilloch last season. Coincidentally there ‘replacements’ at the Rabs are fellow former Afton Lads – David Gormley and Adam Coakley.
Promoted sides Ardrossan Winton Rovers and Thorniewood United host relegated sides Lanark United and Rutherglen Glencairn respectively. While fellow promotees Dalry Thistle and Kilsyth Rangers host East Kilbride Thistle and Shotts Bon Accord. Ardagh Cup Quarter-Finalists Whitletts Victoria and Girvan meet at Dam Park, the Ayr side having topped their section with a 100% record, which included a 3-1 home win over Girvan. In the remaining fixture Hurlford United face Cumbernauld United at Blair Park in the knowledge that only a point, in favour of the visitors, separated the two sides in the league last season.
Quarter Finals Wed 17th August
A: Whitletts Victoria v Auchinleck Talbot
B: Glenafton Athletic v Girvan
C: Largs Thistle v Hurlford United
D: Irvine Meadow v Ardrossan Winton Rovers
Semi-Finals Wed 24th August
Winner A v Winner B
Winner C v Winner D
Glenafton Athletic 