A MONTI SPECIAL CLINCHED IT

DIDN’T HE DO WELL ?

Darvel are going to have to do it the hard way if pretensions held of a second successive Premier Division title win are to be taken seriously.

That much was painfully obvious on Saturday after a 2-0 defeat inflicted by current table toppers Beith did a lot more than extend the gap between the First and Second in the table clubs to a not inconsiderable 7 points.

The Mick Kennedy bubble has not burst …far from it actually …but one can easily envisage a lot more blanks being fired until playmaker Ian McShane & Co find a way to unlock teams setting out their stall to deliberately frustrate and sit in against them.

Hurlford United did so to great effect last Wednesday night but nonetheless Bellsdale Park followers and neutrals alike will not have expected the normally attack-minded Beith to brazenly replicate this tactical approach which didn’t so much as evoke the slightest hint of an apology from gaffer Chris Strain in his summations afterwards.

Said the Mighty team boss “I watched Hurlford doing a number on Darvel in midweek just through staying very compact and difficult to break down.

“It was going against the grain to ask our guys to do something similar but I knew they would be willing to put in the hard work and endeavor needed to keep our shape

“Yes there were times when we sustained a lot of pressure but our discipline was brilliant and we particularly made a great fist of defending our box so much so that our goalkeeper Owen Stott had few saves of any note to make

“I did feel we could have used the ball better when in possession but it’s hard to be critical after beating a team of Darvel’s quality and I’m just delighted to be where we are in the table regardless of how we got there.”

To say his Beith players delivered on Strain’s game plan would be an understatement proportionate to Vladimar claiming his invasion of Ukraine was nothing other than a “special military operation”.

That’s because opponents Darvel gave every indication of being in the mood right from the first whistle when they roared out of the traps to totally dominate possession and territory, despite shooting up the notorious Bellsdale slope, and a number of near things had abounded around Stott’s goal before the best of them, a crisply struck Scott Ferguson shot possibly took a layer of paint from the top of crossbar as it sizzled it’s way over.

Beith were doing well just to offer dogged resistance in the early stages but as so often happens in these circumstances, they duly took the lead through their first attempt (or should that be second ) on the visiting goal with just nine minutes on the clock.

The impressive Andy Monk, operating in a supporting role behind lone striker Josh Fowler, was allowed to drift in from wide left to unleash a shot that was met with a defensive block however the rebound fell kindly into his path and the 21 year old demonstrated wonderful composure and no little skill to slot a low shot into the far corner of the net for 1-0.

Monk’s strike along with Beith skipper Paul Frize pulling a shot wide in 26 minutes were the sum total of the home team’s attempts on goal during the opening 45 minutes as Darvel stayed on the ascendancy and dictated play through wave after wave of clever inter-passing movements…but crucially without making any real headway where it matters most…in and around the penalty box.

On the stroke of half time, they did come within inches of an equalizer when a far flung Ross Meechan cross found one time Hibs signing Ross Caldwell in space less than six yards out and his attempted header… if truth be told it was more of his shoulder… looked net bound until Beith defensive lynchpin Danny O’Neil threw himself sideways to deflect the ball onto the face of Stott’s crossbar and away to safety.

The second half proved to be a near carbon copy of the first with Darvel , after initially peppering the home team’s goal with crosses from either wing yet again without finding any takers, coming unstuck as the victim of a sucker punch nearing the hour mark.

Actually, to call Beith’s second goal of the afternoon as anything other than a strike of sublime beauty would be doing it and the goalscorer Carlo Monti a total disservice after he took possession all of 35 yards from goal and spun into space to audaciously let fly with a swerving effort that flew high into the rigging despite the best and ultimately futile saving attempt of visiting goalkeeper Chris Truesdale.

Both teams were not long in ringing the changes in the wake of this second score , Darvel with an array of attacking substitutes to try and save the day while Strain’s removal of Josh Fowler to put on the established Nikky Docherty in his stead was a sign of the defensive solidity he craved over the closing stages.

Darvel kept probing and pushing to no avail and their devil-may-care approach which had almost led to a third goal being conceded but for a wasteful Monk finish culminated in the red card dismissal of Meechan whose finding himself further upfield than where he was comfortable ended with a somewhat over-zealous challenge on Callum Watt that incurred the wrath of whistler Alistair Grieve..

Winning gaffer Strain was cautious to a fault in his response to being asked afterwards if the title was now Beith’s to lose? by saying,

“No! definitely not. Look there are still going to be a few bumps in this league and it’s how we as individuals and as a team react to them that will be the telling factor.

“A lot of tough away games are coming up which we will have to negotiate so 7 points can very quickly be eroded and anyway it’s not just between Darvel and ourselves because Auchinleck and maybe even Clydebank will be there or thereabouts to make it a three or four horse race.”

The disappointment over his side’s defeat was there for all to see on Darvel manager Mick Kennedy coming off the pitch.

“Today was systematic of how we have played since our Scottish Cup defeat by Falkirk – loads of possession , not taking chances coming our way, and losing sloppy goals , albeit Carlo’s goal out there was in the special category if I say so myself.

He added, “ Beith’s first goal on the other hand should never have been conceded not least because it gave them a lead to defend which they did as if their lives depended upon it and we’re coming up against this more and more as opponents become aware of our strengths.

“It’s Strainy’s prerogative to put 9 men behind the ball and though we didn’t play all that badly, the onus was on us to find ways to open his team up which , we didn’t do today and paid the price” .

MICHAEL KENNEDY IN HAPPIER TIMES

Newly up into third top spot in the standings are the Stewart Maxwell steered Pollok after second half counters from Chris Duff , Adam Forde and Jay Nelson brought a welcome 3-0 victory over Cumnock however Glasgow’s other top flight representatives, relegation threatened Petershill fared rather poorly by comparison in going down 4-0 away to Largs Thistle for whom Lawrie McMaster , David Ramsay and Scott Lewis(2) were on target.

Elsewhere in the basement stakes, Rob Roy gave themselves a fighting chance of avoiding the trapdoor thanks to a brace of goals from Youngster Alan Woodhouse earning a precious 2-1 win over Hurlford United whose consolation score was netted by Alex Bell.

Arthurlie remain deep in the mire following a 2-1 defeat at home to Troon who were 2-0 to the good through David Syme and Ben Black before Michael McNeil put a better complexion on the scoreline for the Barrhead outfit.

And still propping up everyone else at the foot of the table are Cambuslang Rangers who briefly led at Somervell Park through a Grant Brennan first half goal against Irvine Meadow only for the Ayrshiremen to take the spoils thanks to econd half strikes by brothers Isaac and Louis Kerr…the latter named’s winning goal arriving in 89 minutes. .

First Division frontrunners Kilbirnie Ladeside’s hopes of extending their lead atop the standings went horribly wrong at New Tinto Park where Benburb ran out 6-3 winners thanks in no small measure to a 4 goal display from Lewis McTaggart.

In the South Challenge Cup, Auchinleck Kilwinning Rangers and Neilston all advanced to the 4^th Round on penalty kick shoot-out triumphs , Clydebank pair Lee Gallagher and Hamish McKinlay were on the mark in a 2-0 besting of Cumbernauld United while a Ryan Bennett hat trick, Evan Galasso double and Brian McQueen score earned St Rochs a handsome 6-2 triumph over BSC Glasgow.

WEEKEND RESULTS:P.D.M Buildbase Premier Division. Cambuslang Rangers 1 Irvine Meadow 2, Arthurlie 1 Troon 2, Largs Thistle 4 Petershill 0, Beith 2 Darvel 0, Pollok 3 Cumnock 0, Rob Roy 2 Hurlford Utd 1. PDM Buildbase First Division. Blantyre Vics 2 Thorniewood Utd 2, Benburb 6 Kilbirnie Ladeside 3, Johnstone Burgh 2 Whitletts Vics 1.PDM Buildbase Second Division. Maybole 2 Greenock 0, Muirkirk 3 Maryhill 2, Renfrew 2 Ardeer Thistle 1, Glasgow Utd 3 Ashfield 3, Wishaw2 St Anthonys 2, Yoker Athletic 6 Glasgow Perthshire 1, Kilsyth Rangers 2GlasgowUniversity 2. PDM Buildbase Third Division. Ardrossan Winton Rovers 3 Lesmahagow 1. Carluke Rovers 4 East Kilbride Thistle 4, Vale of Clyde 3 Kello Rovers 0, Dalry Thistle 0 Bellshill Athletic 1, Port Glasgow 0 Larkhall Thistle 2, Saltcoats Vics 1 Finnart 3, Lanark Utd 4 Girvan 2, Lugar Boswell 1 Irvine Vics 3.PDM Buildbase Fourth Division. Harmony Row 2 St Peters 5, Kilsyth Athletic 2 Thorn Athletic 2, Glenvale 6 Campbeltown Pupils 0, Eglinton 1 Threave Rovers 6, Rossvale Academy 0 West Park Utd 3. West of Scotland Cup 3^rd Round.St Rochs 6 BSC Glasgow 2, Kilwinning Rangers 3 St Cadocs 3 (Kilwinning win 4-3 pens) ,Rutherglen Glencairn 2 Craigmark 3, Shotts Bon Accord 1 Gartcairn 2, Auchinleck Talbot 0 Glenafton 0 (Talbot win 3-0 pens), Neilston 1 Rossvale 1(Neilston win 12-11 pens), Clydebank 2 Cumbernauld Utd 0, Forth Wanderers 0 Drumchapel Utd 1.

Regards

Jim O’Donnell