NOTHING FOR IT BUT TO LET THE YOUNG GUNS SHINE

MOFF ABOUT TO GIVE YOUTH A FLING ?

There’s an unquestionable quandary facing team boss Gordon Moffat as he prepares to make his team selection for Clydebank’s last game of their 2022/23 season against Rob Roy.

Should he look to set out his stall with the aim of finishing as high up the Premier Division table as possible or is there greater value to be gleaned from thinking further ahead and blooding a few potential candidates for when hostilities start all over again in July?

And not for one second am I ruling out the likelihood that both his pressing considerations might possibly be achieved given the sheer quality and strength in depth of the youngsters coming through his club’`s Academy.

Only last month, seven of their up and coming Under 20’s were on the pitch when the final whistle sounded in a 3-0 away win over the Rabs while as recently as last Sunday, the 2005 Bankies (that’s under 18’s for my generation) lifted the S.Y.F.A, Scottish Cup with an impressive 2-0 victory over Hillwood Boys .

The affable Moff admits he may be in something of a “needs must” situation in the wake of his side’s midweek 2-2 draw away to Irvine Meadow, (the Bankies led 2-0 through Nikky Little and Lee Gallagher but were pegged back by Connor O’Donnell(pen) and Kyle Faulds goals for the Medda) which added to the growing list of players he has unavailable for tomorrow’s final hurrah.

He revealed , “Injuries always seem to pile up at this stage of the season and we had a total of eight of the guys posted missing for the Medda game however now Creag Little and Danny McKenzie are both unavailable as well on top of Oisin McHugh incurring an automatic suspension for his red carding.

“It’s not ideal as our supporters are sure to be there in numbers for our last home game and will no doubt be hoping we can emulate our fourth top placing of last season by coming up trumps against Rob Roy particularly as anything less than three points opens the door for Pollok to overtake us.”

The Bankies gaffer who has already taken the first steps to strengthen his playing squad for the 2023/24 campaign by recruiting Irvine Meadow striker Callum Graham as a replacement for Australia bound Ciaran Mulcahy , openly admits to having a few transfer irons in the fire.

He admitted ,”There are deals in the offing but not too many because I am patently aware there are Academy players likely to be pushing hard for jerseys such as Ben McLernon who has shown real promise in his outings up to now and has already notched his first WoSFL goal .

“And we as a club also have to be open to the even younger talents emerging in the 2005 side where there are outstanding prospects in Ian Begg and Euan McMillan while arguably the pick of the bunch is their central midfielder Crispin McLean who has provisionally agreed to join Fleetwood Town where Scott Brown is manager.

He added, “He’s something special and I’d love to give our supporters a glimpse of him in the Rob Roy game so there’s a conversation to be had with the lad and his father.”

It’s not only at Holm Park where the stakes on offer are negligible as all 16 Premier Division clubs prepare to play their final league games.

That much became reality on Wednesday night after relegation threatened Kilwinning Rangers had their top flight preservation hopes ended virtue of a 4-2 defeat away to Troon despite a storming Buffs fightback from finding themselves 2-0 down at half time to a brace of Sam McLoskey goals .

Keiran Wood and Gavin Miller scores levelling matters in the second half had raised the hopes of the away team’s followers but Mark Miller’s red carding for a last man challenge that conceded a penalty kick netted by Dean Fulton to put Troon 3-2 ahead was a double killer blow duly accentuated by Sam Jamieson adding a final minute coup de grace for the hosts.

Watching the Portland Park action unfolding were a 30 strong Arthurlie contingent inclusive of manager Colin Reilly and most of his playing squad and there were audible whoops of delight when the final whistle ensured they and not the Chris Aitken steered Kilwinning had secured the Premier Division’s remaining safe place.

Said the Barrhead team’s gaffer, “Celebrating a team being relegated is a bit naff but I think we can be excused on this occasion.

“ I have to say Kilwinning were very unlucky not to come out on top because along with them missing a first half penalty kick ,Troon’s goalkeeper pulled off one of the best saves I’ve ever seen when the scores were tied at 2-2 and it’s on such slim margins that you win or lose.”

Asked how his team will approach tomorrow’s Dunterlie contest against Glenafton brought him to quickly retort.

“A lot more relaxed than if Kilwinning had won on Wednesday.”

He went on, “ Our target is to go out on a high by picking up all three points and there’s a bit of added motivation for Gary Smith in wanting to net his 100^th goal as an Arthurlie player.

“He’s been stuck on 99 for a few weeks now so you can be sure he’ll be knocking his team mates out of the way if we’re fortunate enough to get a penalty kick .

GARY WANTS TO GET THE TON UP

Elsewhere , the battle for runners-up spot is going right to the wire at Recreation Park where third top Darvel await the visit of one point better off Auchinleck Talbot , playing their tenth game of a hectic four week schedule.

The depleted state of his tiring side had Bot boss Tommy Sloan reverting to drastic measures for the 2-0 midweek win over Hurlford United where Bryan Boylan and Kier Samson were on the mark.

Tucke scoffed , “ We’ve had to make do with no more than a couple of substitutes in recent weeks but we were close to only having one against Hurlford because Whitey (current coach and former midfield battler Steven White) almost had a coronary when I had no choice other than to name him on the bench.”

In other games ,relegated pair Petershill and Kilwinning Rangers will make their Premier bow together through in Springburn while bottom markers Cambuslang Rangers take their leave at home to the Scottish Junior Cup finalists Cumnock playing their final match before the Broadwood Park date with Rutherglen Glencairn on Friday 2^nd June .

Newly crowned champions Beith bring the curtain down on a memorable season away to Hurlford United while Troon’s aspirations of a top six finish when hosting the visit of Irvine Meadow will be out of the question should Largs Thistle take something from their Barrfields meeting with Pollok.

Top and bottom of the table matters are anything but settled in the First Division though frontrunners Gartcairn will be assured of promotion at the very least should Michael Dunlop’s side take the spoils away to ambitious Johnstone Burgh whose bold acquisition of ex-Rangers and Scotland midfielder Graham Dorrians may be only the tip of the iceberg because it’s been rumoured (depending upon one’s sources) that ex-Celtic defender Effie Ambrose, Ian McShane (Darvel) and Del Esplin (Pollok ) are similarly bound for Keanie Park.

St Cadocs and Benburb are even more favoured to land the other promotion spots after the only other viable contender Drumchapel United slipped up again following a 2-2 Wednesday draw against Gartcairn which chalked up a seventh game without a win in their last eight outings.

WEEKEND GAMES: P.D.M.Buildbase Premier Division. Troon v Irvine Meadow, Darvel v Auchinleck Talbot , Largs Thistle v Pollok, Petershill v Kilwinning Rangers, Arthurlie v Glenafton, Hurlford Utd v Beith, Clydebank v Rob Roy, Cambuslang Rangers v Cumnock. PDM Buildbase First Division. Cumbernauld Utd v Benburb, Thorniewood Utd v St Cadocs, Whitletts Vics v Blantyre Vics, Shotts Bon Accord v Rossvale,Johnstone Burgh v Gartcairn, Neilston v Kilbirnie Ladeside, Bonnyton Thistle v Rutherglen Glencairn, St Rochs v Drumchapel Utd.PDM Buildbase Second Division. Ashfield v Ardeer,Craigmark v St Anthonys, Kilsyth Rangers v Maryhill,Wishaw v Maybole, Muirkirk v Forth Wanderers. PDM Buildbase Third Division. Newmains Utd v Carluke Rovers, Lanark Utd v Port Glasgow, Ardrossan Winton Rovers v Vale of Clyde,Saltcoats Vics v Dalry Thistle , Lugar Boswell v Vale of Leven , Royal Albert v Girvan, Finnart v Larkhall Thistle , Irvine Vics v Kello Rovers, Bellshill Athletic v East Kilbride Thistle.

Regards

Jim O’Donnell