GLENS ARE UP FOR THEIR NEXT HURDLE

JOE MAY BE FEELING QUIETLY CONFIDENT

Just how much wellbeing Rutherglen Glencairn should derive from Saturday’s 2-0 Clydebuilt Homes Scottish Junior Cup victory over Troon has to be a subject for debate between team boss Joe Pryce and his backroom staff over the coming days ,particularly with a next round tie against another top flight opponent , Arthurlie, looming up next weekend.

It’s a conclusion arrived at if one takes a step back to reflect on the events that unfolded at the Hamish B Allan Stadium because spiritually if not actually the Ayrshiremen were on the wrong end of a drubbing even if the scoreline suggests otherwise.

Now of course it’s a given you can only beat what’s put in front of you however while there’s no denying the Glens were at their effectual best in coming up trumps , let’s not overlook the fact Dom McLaughlin & Co were up against a sorry excuse for a visiting Troon that in recent weeks has come away unbeaten from facing top flight trio Darvel, Cumnock and Pollok on the road.

Gone was the fluency, free-flowing style and responses to the promptings of Mark Shankland that served as the backdrop to these performances…replaced instead by shoddy and sometimes slapstick defending while also looking totally bereft of creativity or quality from middle to front.

Was that down to their own shortcomings? Or did the energy, drive and greater desire from the home team win the day ? Or indeed was it a mixture of both ? Regardless, the abject dejection on the faces of manager Jimmy Kirkwood and coach Dean Keenan was a telling sign of their better expectations as they trooped into the dressing rooms at the final whistle.

Former defensive stalwart Keenan re-emerged later to give his frank and forthright summations.

“ Coming here ,we ‘d thought ourselves capable of doing well even against last season’s beaten finalists so it’s hugely disappointing to go out of the Cup in the manner we did.” said Keeno.

“ Ours was a dreadful performance in what was an overall poor spectacle of a game, punctuated by a never ending stream of misplaced passes and errors of judgement all over the pitch , that was sore to watch at times.

”To be lacking guile, passion, game management and hunger is not often attributable to our players but it was today so it’s something we have to sort out quickly because it made us very easy to play against out there.

He went on , “ Of the few talking points there were, I have to give credit to the Glencairn goalkeeper (Scott Law) for a terrific diving save down to his right side in keeping out a Sam McCosker netbound shot in the second half that could have turned the tide for us if it had gone in.

“ That said , we didn’t really deserve to take anything out of the game and Rutherglen Glencairn fully deserved their victory if truth be told. “

On a perfect day for football, Troon appeared to settle the quicker of the two combatants and a Ben Black shot took an awkward bounce in front of Glens No 1 Law causing him to spill the ball and cause a flutter or two in the hearts of those in front of him before a hefty clearance upfield put an end to fears of an opening score.

This close call was followed by Shankland cleverly setting up Kyle Gilroy for a shot into the side-netting however these near things were as good as it was to get for the visitors as Glencairn, with midfield playmaker Matty Gear to the fore , began to exert a period of their own dominance as typified by a Ryan McManus shot held low down by Troon keeper Dale Burgess prior to Nathan Dunlop almost scoring a calamitous own goal when compelled to head a Sean McGuire corner kick over his own crossbar.

A 0-0 half time stalemate was looking on the cards but a 41st minute solo effort from Glens full back Roan Fitzpatrick put an end to that notion after he took possession some 30 yards out and set off goalwards ,leaving two defenders in his wake before adroitly directing a low shot beyond Burgess for 1-0 .

The second period getting underway saw the fuelled by his success Fitzpatrick continuing to surge forwards at every given opportunity and he was to be central to a moment of real controversy just short of the hour mark when a foray into the Troon penalty box saw him go down and bring whistler Andrew Craven to point to the spot for what to all intents and purposes looked the tamest of penalty kick awards.

It was in actual fact not so much tame as undeserved and Mr Craven , after being put in the know by much closer to the incident touchline assistant Scott Grier , promptly flashed a yellow card at Fitzpatrick for his blatant dive!

Law’s saving heroics then followed before the Troon dugout’s seemingly frustration with second half substitute Dean Fulton miscuing a shot wide when all alone ,eight yards out and with the goal at his mercy manifested itself with a “subbing the sub” move that saw Aaaron Boyd introduced off the bench (It might be the case Dean was injured?) but any hopes of them mounting a late onslaught went for a burton after Glencairn netted a killer second goal.

No danger was apparent when a free kick award went in their favour out on the left flank and fully thirty yards out until the quick thinking Dylan Collins played the ball infield to Sean McGuire who took no more than a couple of strides forward before his dispatching an unsavable shot high into the postage stamp beyond the outstretched hands of Burgess led to him being engulfed by wildly celebrating team mates.

“A really top quality performance against a very good Troon side whom we never at any time allowed to get into their stride and it’s not being disrespectful to say we were good value for our win “ was quiet spoken Glens gaffer Joe Pryce succinct take on his team’s triumph.

He added, “There’s a lot to be happy about our display not least the fact we probably could and should have scored more goals.”

SEAN MCGUIRE’S GOAL CLINCHED GLENCAIRN’S PASSAGE

In the other held-over Second Round ties, Arthurlie secured their next Saturday placing against the Glens with a 6-1 crushing of Forfar United which aaw Connor Bolger(2) Dylan Dykes, Mark Docherty, Lee Roulson and Lewis Magee on the nark while Hurlford United ran out 6-0 winners over fallen on leaner times Tayport in the clash of former Holy Grail winners and an Ally Small opportunist effort along with a brace of late in the day Stuart McCann goals saw Johnstone Burgh prevail by a 3-0 Keanie Park scoreline against Dundee North End.

Two goals from Will Sewell and another from David Ramsay allowed Largs Thistle to best Ashfield 3-1 with Johnny Black bagging the Possil outfit’s consolation while matters were much closer to call through at Hannah Park where Shotts Bon Accord got through on the back of a 6-5 penalty shoot-out success over St Rochs following a 0-0 regulation time conclusion.

Penalty kicks were also required in the pick of the Third Round contests that did go ahead , the El Classico contest between St Anthonys and Benburb, which saw the lower league Ants twice respond with Jack McMurray and Craig Scott levelers to the Bens going 1-0 (Lewis Lovering) and 2-1 (Aaron Black pen) in front only to come off second best (5-6)in the ensuing spot kicks.

Third Division kingpins Bellshill Athletic made it into the last 16 after Jack Currie, Kevin Fraser(pen) and a Kieron Markey header derived a 3-1 victory at home to Lesmahagow whose experienced team boss Neil Schoneville called it quits in the aftermath while near Lanarkshire neighbours Larkhall Thistle’s name is likewise in the hat after coming out on top in a stormy affair away to Finnart (they finished with eight men) thanks to Gary McMullen, Bartek Mackiewicz(2) and Mikey Stevenson scores racking up a 4-1 victory.

Hats off too for Caledonian Locomotive striker Connor McAleer who notched a hat trick which along with a solitary Tyler Wright enabled the Springburn based outfit to conjure up the biggest shock of the day through dealing a 4-1 knock-out blow to Carnoustie Panmure. Ryan Hynes, Ethan Furze(2) and Greg Ross were the marksmen in Vale of Leven’s 4-0 defeat of Montrose Roselea,

Elsewhere, Darvel recovered from going 1-0 behind to a Scott McLean free kick goal for Glenafton to win 2-1 at Loch Park on the back of David Syme and Jordan Moore strikes while record 13 times trophy holders Auchinleck Talbot had goalkeeper Aiden Glavin to thank for twice saving from twelve yards in the Bot eking out a 4-2 penalty kicks win away to Bridge of Don Thistle (after a 1-1 draw) when Talbot had come through a testing second half with only ten men after Neil Slooves saw red .

WHAT ALL THE FUSS WAS ABOUT…

Meanwhile , Clydebank are now seven points clear atop the Premier Division pile after Lee Gallagher(2) and Nikky Lowe were on target in dishing out a 3-0 beating to reigning champions Beith while Rob Roy supporters are fearing a relegation fate in the wake of a crushing 4-0 reverse against Gartcairn whose goals were netted by Kamil Krol (2), Scott Rumsby and Mark McGuigan.

And bottom markers Irvine Meadow’s plight was ever slightly improved by the carving out of a share of the spoils at home to Cumnock whose striking ace Jamie Conn scored to cancel out Isaac Kerr’s opener for the Medda .

WEEKEND RESULTS: CLYDEBUILT HOME IMPROVEMENTS Scottish Junior Cup.Bellshill Athletic 3 Lesmahagow 1,Ashfield 1 Largs Thistle 3, Glenafton 1 Darvel 2, Finnart 1 Larkhall Thistle 4, Rutherglen Glencairn 2 Troon 0, Hurlford Utd 6 Tayport 0, Bridge of Don Thistle 1 Auchinleck Talbot 1(Talbot win 4-2 pens), St Anthonys 2 Benburb 2 (Benburb win 6-5 pens),Caledonian Locomotives 4 Carnoustie Panmure 2, Forfar United 1 Arthurlie 6, Vale of Leven 4 Montrose Roselea 2, Shotts Bon Accord 0 St Rochs 0(Shotts win 6-5 pens), Culter 0 Lochee Utd 2, Johnstone Burgh 3 Dundee North End 0, Stonehaven 2 Aberdeen East End 0. INDIGO COMMS West of Scotland Cup.Second Round.Newmains Utd 1 Eglinton 2.P.D.M HUWS GRAY Premier Division. Clydebank 3 Beith 0, Irvine Meadow 1 Cumnock 1, Rob Roy 0 Gartcairn 4. P.D.M HUWS GRAYFirst Division. Blantyre Vics 0 Kilwinning Rangers 4, Kilbirnie Ladeside 3 Renfrew 0, Neilston 2 Cambuslang Rangers 2, Thorniewood Utd 1 Maybole 0.PDM HUWS GRAY Second Division. Glasgow Perthshire 0 Craigmark 0, Vale of Clyde 2 Cumbernauld Utd 2, Kilsyth Rangers 0 Ardrossan Winton Rovers 1, Muirkirk 5 Wishaw2, Glasgow University 2 Maryhill 2, Bonnyton Thistle 0 Yoker Athletic 0. PDM HUWS GRAYThird Division. Irvine Vics 1 Lanark Utd 3, West Park Utd 3 Threave Rovers 4, Greenock 1 Kello Rovers 1, Ardeer Thistle 2 Girvan 2. PDM HUWS GRAYFourth Division. Carluke Rovers 2 Giffnock SC 3, Glenvale 4 Campbeltown Pupils 1, Knightswood 3 Lugar Boswell 4, Saltcoats Vics 1 East Kilbride Thistle 10.

Regards

Jim O’Donnell