AWAY DAY BLUES?…NOT FOR CUMNOCK

JORDAN SCORED THE OPENER AGAINST HIS FORMER TEAM MATES

It’s taken as read that a share of the spoils from away games in the WoSFL Premier Division is not to be sniffed at.

So, the way in which their short road trip through to face Darvel dramatically unfolded on Saturday only makes the loud cheering and whoops of delight emanating from Cumnock’s dressing room at the final whistle all the more understandable.

The hosts , to all intents and purposes, seemingly had the points in the bag when they led 2-1 with all of 90 minutes come and gone but just as Referee Ross Clark took the first of his cursory glances at his watch, a raking diagonal ball (Jambo McKernon ?) was controlled by fellow midfielder Andy McLaughlin away to the left of Darvel’s goal and he in turn skipped past a couple of tame challenges going across the 18 yard line( nobody wanted to risk a penalty kick conceding tackle?) before wheeling to crack a well-hit shot goalwards that beat diving Darvel keeper Andy Leishman down at his left hand post.

His experienced side’s inability to see out the closing stages was clearly a source of deep frustration for Darvel gaffer Tony McInally as he summed up his thoughts in the aftermath.

It has to go down as a disappointing outcome and a hard pill to swallow because there’s no denying we put ourselves in a position to win the game but just didn’t do it” Macca reflected before adding .

“Cumnock coming up with a last gasp equalizer has bit us in the bum but it’s what can happen when a team creates as many clear-cut chances as we did today but fails to take any of them.

“ It’s cost us dear because we could and should have scored more goals to put the game to bed long before the end .”he rued.

In the game itself , Darvel started away well with Ian McShane typically dominating possession for them and one particular defence splitting pass sent the impressive Reegan Aitken running through on goal with only Nock goalkeeper Jamie Barclay to beat only for the recent Darvel signing to drag his parting shot just wide of target.

Little was being seen of Cumnock in an attacking sense due to the home team’s early intensity however his backline continuing to resist all that was been thrown at them must have pleased visiting team boss Murdie McKinnon even though he was left holding head in hands after an individual blunder by stopper Grant Dickie almost led to the game’s opening goal in 38 minutes.

In disastrously attempting to dribble out of his penalty box , the son of former Pollok and Petershill defensive stalwart Gary, lost possession to Darvel’s former Cumnock scoring ace Jordan Moore who then rounded the advancing Barclay and looked an odds-on certainty to score until the chasing back Dickie redeemed himself with a wonderful sliding tackle to send the ball out for a corner kick.

The clock continued to tick down and it appeared to all and sundry that Barclay & Co were going to make the halfway stage with goal intact however their defences were duly breached in first half added-on time when Aitken made an angular run though on the right before cleverly sending over a low driven cross that Moore, at full stretch, turned home for 1-0 .

There was a `more of the same` look when second half proceedings getting underway with Darvel midfielder Thomas Reilly wastefully blasting high over after lead-up play by Aitken was followed by a Dean Cairns shot just over Barclay’s crossbar.

A noticeable change in the scheme of things followed as Cumnock began to exert a greater share of possession without seriously posing a goal threat, yet they still contrived to level scoring matters just before the hour mark thanks to .

a typical sortie upfield by the ever willing Jarred Willet.

He advanced forward from his full back slot and exchanged passes with Tam McGaughey prior to unleashing a fierce angular drive across goal that Sam Jamieson directed into the net from point blank range.

A 1-1 scoreline stung Darvel into winning a series of corner kicks and their sustained pressure paid dividends in 67 minutes when a McShane flag kick into a crowded six yard line broke kindly for team mate Caldwell who was able to send a powerful shot into the roof of Barclay’s net while falling backwards.

Darvel’s slim advantage was almost doubled when a long ball forward was missed by Nock centreback Greg Ferry allowing the lurking Moore to get away a close range effort that a fingertip managed to deflect against his upright and away to safety.

Darvel continued to press over the closing stages and they undoubtedly looked the more likely of the teams to score despite the arrival of substitutes Jamie Conn, Callan Veitch and McKernon enabling Cumnock to give a better account of themselves.

Thinking that was that going into the closing stages sparked more than a few visiting fans into heading for their cars and buses only for McLaughlin to come up trumps with his late in the day rescue act.

Nock boss Murdie lauded, “Andy has fully earned all the plaudits going as he put in a terrific shift and was arguably one of our best players after being restored to our starting X1in the wake of his appearance as a substitute last weekend.

“He and the other guys exhibited great character, endeavor and resilience against a very good Darvel side and yes we rode our luck at times but a draw is no more than we deserved for being full of fight and hanging on in there to the very end.

Murdie continued, “We asked the players to go out and perform with more confidence in their abilities and there were definitely passages of play where we looked the part so the hope now is we can continue to further improve as individuals and as a group going forward.”

MURDIE(centre) HAPPY TO MAKE HIS POINT

Their hard-earned point moved Cumnock four places up the Premier Division table in ninth top spot, some 12 points adrift of current leaders Clydebank whose dreams of extending their lead atop the pile, came unstuck when Gordon Moffat’s side lost out 2-0 away to Benburb for whom Ryan Livingston bagged a goal in each half at Tinto Park.

And in the First Division stakes, Petershill missed out on an opportunity to lead the way after their game away to Cambuslang Rangers was abandoned ( as a result of a serious injury suffered by ex-Cumnock defender Keiran Coleman) with little more than ten minutes left on the clock and the Peasy 2-0 to the good through goals by PJ McGifff and Alex Cassells.i

Blantyre Vics moved level with Petershill and Drumchapel United in joint third top spot after a Ross Smith deflected goal direct from a corner kick earned a 1-0 victory over Whitletts Vics.

Goals from Carlo Monti, Blair Rossiter , Ciaran Diver and Ryan Monan helped Beith chalk up a 4-2 win over Arthurlie in the best of the South Challenge Cup contests while prolific Lanark United marksman Ian “Chucky” Watt bagged a hat trick in a 3-1 defeat of Maryhill and the square-go between First Division pair Johnstone Burgh and Kilbirni Ladeside went the way of the Burgh by 4-0 thanks to a brace of goals from Ally Small along with Kieran Brophy and JoJo Gillespie counters.

SHANKLAND ON THE MARK AGAIN FOR TROON

Adam Kettings netted the only goal of the game as Rob Roy knocked out Hurlford United ,Gary Fraser did likewise to help Glenafton best Dundonald Bluebell, Danny Burns(2), Ben Richford and Harry Kent netted in Shotts Bon Accord’s 4-1 win over Kirkcaldy& Dysart while a 94^th minute headed score by teenager Mason Durham enabled Rutherglen Glencairn to run out 3-2 winners over Penicuik Athletic.

Dean Fulton , Jack Sherrie and Mark Shankland did the scoring damage as Troon beat Abbey Vale 3-0 ,Auchinleck Talbot had Ewan Thomson(2), Ruairdh Lanagan and Ross Smith on the scoresheet in a 4-1 triumph over Arniston Rangers while Camelon were another East Region faller after succumbing to a 6-2 going over by Pollok on Friday night when Daz Christie , Chris Duff and Adam Forde all netted doubles for the Lok.

WEEKEND RESULTS: P.D.M HUWS GRAY Premier Division. Darvel 2 Cumnock 2, Benburb 2 Clydebank 0.P.D.M HUWS GRAYFirst Division., Blantyre Vics 1 Whitletts Vics 0, Maybole 2 Renfrew 2, Cambuslang Rangers v Petershill (Match abandoned 80 mins) .PDM HUWS GRAY Second Division. Larkhall Thistle 2 Glasgow Perthshire 0, Caledonian Locomotives 3 Glasgow University1, Bonnyton Thistle 3 Wishaw 0, Kilsyth Rangers 0 Craigmark 2, Muirkirk 1 Yoker Athletic 0. PDM HUWS GRAYThird Division. Bellshill Athletic 2 Kilsyth Athletic 0, Greenock 4 Dalry Thistle 1, Glasgow Utd 5 Ardeer Thistle 0. PDM HUWS GRAYFourth Division. Easterhouse 0 Knightswood 3, Eglinton 3 Rossvale 1, Saltcoats Vics 4 Royal Albert 2, Glenvale 3 Newmains Utd 2. SCOTTISH JUNIOR CUP.Second Round.Aberdeen East End 5 East Kilbride Thistle 0, Carnoustie Panmure 3 Letham 2, Kello Rovers 2 Gartcairn 3, Dundee Violet 3 Deveronside 0, Vale of Leven 1 Carluke Rovers 0.Finnart 2 Dyce 1. SOUTHERN CHALLENGE CUP.Third Round.Cowdenbeath 4Whitehill Welfare 2, Linlithgow Rose 4 St Peters 2, Jeanfield Swifts 1 Largs Thistle 1 (Largs win 2-1 pens), Glenafton 1 Dundonald Bluebell 0,Rutherglen Glencairn 3 Penicuik Athletic 2, Heriot Watt University 3 Tynecastle 0, Maryhill 1 Lanark Utd 3, St Anthonys 1 Dunbar Utd 2, Gretna 2008 1 St Cadocs 6,Tranent 3Lothian Thistle 1,Armadale Thistle 0 Albion Rovers 5, Beith 4 Arthurlie 2, Thornton Hibs 6 St Rochs 2, Shotts Bon Accord 4 Kirkcaldy & Dysart 1, Johnstone Burgh 4 Kilbirnie Ladeside 0, Cumbernauld Utd 5 Forth Wanderers 1, Thorn Athletic 0 Threave Rovers 3, Auchinleck Talbot 1 Arniston Rangers 4,Stoneyburn 1 Kennoway Star Hearts 3, Musselburgh Athletic 1 Berwick Rangers 0 (aet), Troon 3 Abbey Vale 0, Caledonian Braves 1 East Stirling 0, Kilwinning Rangers 4 Hawick Royal Albert 1, Thorniewood Utd 1 Stirling University 4, Broxburn Athletic 3 Lesmahagow 2, Pollok 6 Camelon 2. Lugar Boswell 5 BSC Glasgow 1, Ardrossan Winton Rovers 2 St Andrews Utd 3, Creetown 3 Ashfield 4, Hurlford Utd 0 Rob Roy1. STRATHCLYDE DEMOLITION CUP.Drumchapel Utd v Campbelltown Pupils, Port Glasgow v Neilston.