MASTERFUL MILLER SHOWS THE WAY

IT WAS ANYTHING BUT SEVENTH HEAVEN FOR PAUL

Just as Cambuslang Rangers manager Paul McColl thought things could not get any worse…they did… and then some… leaving him scrabbling for positives to take ( there weren’t any Paul!) from his side’s woeful showing away to Petershill on Saturday.

The Camby’s relegation at the end of last season sparked a virtual exodus from the Somervell Park dressing rooms and attempting a rebuild with limited funds has proven a near to impossible ask for the seasoned gaffer whose resorting to raids on the amateur ,juvenile and under-age ranks has achieved nothing more than bodies to fill the jerseys

A lowly 13^th place in the First Division standings on the back of a solitary victory arising out of their opening 7 league matches has ensued along with the prospect of a season ahead battling a back-to-back relegation fate so when Paul had no choice other than to put out a severely weakened line-up for the 2023/24 Scottish Junior Cup first round tie against their WoSFL First Division counterparts, he must have known full well the Camby would probably be up against it for the most part.

Indeed, but never in the sleepless Friday night he probably endured could the Wee Gers team boss have anticipated his latest patched up playing crew imploding in the manner they did?

The 7-0 thrashing that followed (one that could easily have been double figures) didn’t prevent him stoically emerging afterwards to try and give rhyme or reason to the horror scoreline.

“I’m not in the habit of making excuses but the suspensions, injuries and holiday arrangements which conspired together to leave us minus seven regular starters was simply too much of a handicap.” he insisted.

“In saying that, we were miles off it out there and some of our guys should go up the road now, shut the door and stay in all night reflecting on whether they want to play at this level or not.

“Losing 7-0 is bad enough but losing 7-0 without so much as a single player being yellow carded is the real embarrassment and I’ve just told them that in there along with a few more home truths.

”Petershill’s second goal arriving after we‘d missed a penalty kick and had two efforts cleared off the line should have made us even more determined to bounce back but instead we felt sorry for ourselves and looked to more or less accept it wasn’t going to be our day.”

Paul seethed as he went on , “ I warned the guys beforehand not to give away free kicks in and around the penalty box because of the threat posed by Darren Miller but I’d have been as well talking to myself because he was given ample opportunities to show his dead ball qualities and we can count ourselves lucky he only scored a hat trick.

“ What was served up out there is not good enough and we need to change things”

The comprehensive outcome made for a different story for Peasy boss Stevie McNeil who must have delighted in the hunger for goals shown by his players, particularly the always busy and ball demanding Miller whose Man of the Match display was him at his effective best .

The goalscoring spree got underway after just 11 minutes play when a prolonged bout of pressure from the home team ended when Blair Pringle ,only signed last week, let fly from all of 25 yards and his shot beat Camby keeper Gary Black all ends up.

The visitors responded , firstly with a netbound Josh Moore effort averted by Peasy full back Lorenzo Giovanniazzi’s goal line clearance before Miller popping up under his own crossbar to keep out an Anthony Dempsey header at a Cambuslang corner kick was followed by a penalty kick award after Craig McGregor accidentally handled the ball in attempting to prevent Wee Gers striker Jordan Shelvey speeding past him .

Shelvey took the kick himself and was denied by KP McAllister diving low to his left to make a parrying save however an even bigger kick in the teeth occurred as the home team broke upfield and won a free kick some 22 yards out that Miller adroitly sidefooted beyond Black for 2-0 .

The 31 year old midfielder’s self-belief and awareness were evident again just minutes later when he took possession near the halfway line and effortlessly despatched the ball all of 40 yards and into the net for his team’s third score of the afternoon.

There was to be no let-up in his seemingly one man demolition of Cambuslang’s cup dreams as just after the half hour mark he once more demonstrated guile and subtletly in abundance with a curling free kick goal from all of 25 yards .

And if that cameo wasn’t enough ,his more creative side came to the fore approaching half time when a piercing 30 yard pass forward picked out the run of team mate Ryan Thomson who waltzed around Black to stroke the ball home for 5-0.

The crossbar came to Cambuslang’s aid in preventing further additions to this halfway scoreline as firstly Derek Hepburn crashed a 25 yarder against the woodwork which also foiled a downward Dom Morgan header that bounced up off the ground .

Not unsurprisingly, Petershill came back out with their foot no longer on the gas however second gear or not, they went 6-0 in front when a Pringle driven cross was headed home by Hepburn and somewhat fittingly that man Miller figured when they applied the coup de grace with a seventh goal…his corner kick met by substitute Jamie Adam whose header allowed Morgan to turn the ball home from point blank range.

DARREN WAS THE STAR OF THE SPRINGBURN SHOW

The treble scoring ace laughed in admitting , “ I jokingly said to the guys before kick-off that I would score a hat trick today but never did I expect it to happen.

“ It was a decent performance and one we were overdue after not being ourselves over the past couple of weeks but what today shows again is that there’s no in-between and we are either really good or really bad.”

Asked how he felt when his long range effort found the net for his second and Petershill’s third goal saw him reply,

“ I’m not a dribbler and striking the ball cleanly is one of my main strengths along with free kicks so I’m forever looking where goalkeepers are positioned and today it paid off . “

Petershill’s reward for their rather handsome victory is a home tie against Premier Division outfit St Cadocs whose own passage into the Second Round was secured by Dom Slattery and Neil McLaughlin goals earning a 2-1 triumph over Blantyre Vics for whom Scott Jarvie netted.

In other 1^st round match-ups, Kamil Krol and Danny Burns were the marksmen as Gartcairn twice came from a goal behind to force a 2-2 draw against top flight rivals Rob Roy and take the contest to a penalty kicks shoot-out won 5-4 by the Cairn.

St Rochs were another comeback king after they recovered from Garngad visitors Bathgate Thistle getting their noses in front through Glenn Thompson to run out 3-1 winners thanks to Jordan Thomson (2) and Eddie Ferns counters that have secured an early October date with Shotts Bon Accord ,4-1 winners away to Fraserburgh United.

Larkhall Thistle caused an upset from overcoming higher league Thorniewood United 3-0 with a Taylor Scott double strike and a McAuley Kennedy score as did Glasgow United for whom David Goodwillie bagged a brace of goals as a ten man United prevailed 3-1 against a nine-man Vale of Clyde .

And vastly experienced shotstopper Chris Calder emerged as Ashfield’s hero as they advanced to a second round clash at home to Largs Thistle following a 4-2 penalty kick shoot-out win over Kilbirnie Ladeside.

Jon Scullion had given the Ayrshiremen a 1-0 first half lead they had looked like holding until a late Greg Burns equalizer set up a spot-kick conclusion where Calder grabbed the limelight with two marvelous saves.

THE REIGNING HOLDERS WITH THEIR TROPHY PRIZE

By far and away the plum tie of the Second Round draw(made on Friday) is reigning holders Cumnock hosting the visit of arch rivals and record 13 times silverware winners Auchinleck Talbot in what is a repeat of their Fourth Round clash of last season , won on penalty kicks by the Nock.

Beaten finalists last time out, Rutherglen Glencairn have a tasty fixture against Troon as have Johnstone Burgh in taking on Dundee North End however hard not to think top flight WoSFL sides Darvel, Beith, Pollok, Hurlford United, Arthurlie, Gartcairn and Benburb appear to have very winnable games standing between them and a place in the last 16.The full Second Round draw is as follows, Rutherglen Glencairn v Troon, Forfar Utd v Arthurlie, Lochee Utd v Maybole, Aberdeen East End v East Kilbride Thistle, Ashfield v Largs Thistle ,Petershill v St Cadocs,Finnart v Dyce, Cumnock v Auchinleck Talbot, Hurlford Utd v Tayport, Arbroath Vics v Benburb, Culter v Craigmark, Johnstone Burgh v Dundee North End, Colony Park v Rothie Rovers, Ardeer Thistle v Larkhall Thistle, Carnoustie Panmure v Letham F.C., Pollok v Dalry Thistle, Ardrossan Winton Rovers v Dundee Downfield, Lochee Harp v Irvine Meadow, Banks O’ Dee v Montrose Roselea, Vale of Leven v Carluke Rovers, Greenock v Glenafton, Broughty Athletic v Bellshill Athletic, Shotts Bon Accord v St Rochs, Bridge of Don Thistle v Irvine Vics, Caledonian Locomotives v Glasgow Utd, Camelon v Stonehaven, Dundee Violet v Deveronside, Hall Russell Utd v Lesmahagow, Hermes v Beith,Kello Rovers v Gartcairn, St Anthonys v FC Stoneywood Parkvale, Rossvale v Darvel.(Ties to be played 7^th October 2023 .Kick Offs 2.30PM)

WEEKEND RESULTS:Scottish Gas Cup Preliminary Round Two.Carluke Rovers 2 Dalbeattie Star 3(a.e.t), Beith 5 Bonnyton Thistle 1, Cumnock 1 Girvan 0, Easthouses Lily MWFC 1 Threave Rovers 3,Fort William v Clydebank. Glenafton 0 Darvel 3,Irvine Meadow 1 Dunipace 2, Kilwinning Rangers 4 Glasgow University0, Penicuik Athletic 4 Rutherglen Glencairn 2, Pollok 2 Benburb 2(Pollokwin 3-0 pens),Wigtown & Bladnoch 0 Auchinleck Talbot 12.Clydebuilt Homes Scottish Junior Cup.First Round).Coupar Angus 1 Rothie Rovers 3, New Elgin 1 Banks O’Dee 4,West Calder Utd 1 Montrose Roselea 3, Petershill 7 Cambuslang Rangers 0, Islavale 2 Greenock 2 (Greenock win 7-6 pens) , Banchory St Ternans 0 Maybole 8, Muirkirk 3 East Kilbride Thistle 3(EK win 10-9 pens), Fraserburgh Utd 1 Shotts Bon Accord 4, Pumpherston 0 Finnart 2, Whitehills 2 Caledonian Locomotive 7, Cruden Bay 1 Stoneywood Parkvale 6, Cumbernauld Utd 0 Dundee North End 4, Dufftown 0 Lochee Harp 3, Blairgowrie 0 Troon 3, Largs Thistle 5 Lugar Boswell 0, Wishaw 1 Rossvale 2, Kilsyth Rangers 0 Arthurlie 4, Newmains Utd 0 Dyce 6, Vale of Clyde 1 Glasgow United 3, Glentanar 2 Deveronside 2 (Deveronside win 4-3 Pens), Dalry Thistle 3 Royal Albert 1, Maud 1 Dundee Violet 4, Hurlford Utd 3 Sunnybank 2, Irvine Vics 7 Forfar West End 0, Stoneyburn 1 Aberdeen East End (East End win 5-3 pens), Longside 1 Colony Park 2, Johnstone Burgh 3 Dundee East Craigie 0, Brechin Vics 0 Bellshill Athletic 2, Lossiemouth 0 Hall Russell Utd 0 (Hall Russell win 4-3pens), Ellon Utd 1 Dundee Downfield 3, Saltcoats Vics 2 Forfar Utd 4, Gartcairn 2 Rob Roy 2 (Gartcairn win 5-4 pens), Bridge of Don Thistle 0 Maryhill 0 (Bridge of Don win 4-3 pens), Yoker Athletic 0 Broughty Athletic 3, Forres Thistle 1 Letham FC 5,St Cadocs 2 Blantyre Vics 1, Buchanhaven Hearts 0 Ardeer Thistle 0 (Ardeer win 5-4 pens) ,Lanark Utd 1 Craigmark 3, Stonehaven 1 Kirrie Thistle 0, Burghead Thistle 1 Lesmahagow 3, Arbroath Vics 4 Dundee St James 2, Hermes 3 Armadale Thistle 1, Kilbirnie Ladeside 1 Ashfield 1(Ashfield win 4-2 pens), Vale of Leven 2 Newmachar Utd 1, Larkhall Thistle 3 Thorniewood Utd 0, Nairn St Ninian 0 Ardrossan Winton Rovers 4, Scone Thistle 1 Kello Rovers1(Kello win 4-2 pens), St Rochs 3 Bathgate Thistle 1. PDM HUWS GRAYFourth Division. Campbeltown Pupils 3 Knightswood 2.

Regards

Jim O’Donnell