NO CASE FOR THE POLLOK DEFENCE

CIARAN PRODUCED THE GOODS AT HIS DAD’S OLD HUNTING GROUND

More than a few times one has heard it said that what does not destroy you makes you stronger but even this `victory from the jaws of defeat` take on things was not being voiced among the Pollok supporting hordes trooping disconsolately away from Newlandsfield following Saturday’s 4-3 defeat by a ten man Beith .

Yes, some semblance of solace will have been derived from knowing their team had not actually been destroyed, nor for that matter their Premier Division title aspirations, but surely even Lok diehards must accept the numerically inferior Ayrshiremen had been threatening to do so (on both counts) when their big striker Ciaran Diver extended his team’s lead to an embarrassing 4-0 just three minutes into the second half.

At that point in proceedings, all those with a Giffnock, Thornliebank or Clarkston postcode must have feared a repeat of the opening 45 minutes’ defensive shambles (I wanted to describe it as hopelessly inept but it wasn’t that good!) however Lok gaffer Stewart Maxwell opting for a “caution to the winds` approach in tandem with Beith, understandably and visibly tiring from the energy draining efforts required in having to play all but the opening 27 minutes without midfielder Robbie Scullion, (Maxi called it later as throwing everything but the kitchen sink at them) saw this clash of top flight leading lights turned on its head.

His 55^th minute introduction of the Andy Gallagher off the bench came close to evoking a near instantaneous reward after Adam Forde smacked a snapshot against the face of the crossbar but the breakthrough was only delayed a matter of minutes before lively winger Gal skipped past experienced opponent Connor McGlinchey and cut inside before adroitly directing a low 18 yard curler though a crowded penalty box and into the far corner of the possibly unsighted Owen Stott’s net.

But the subsequent roar of approval from home fans then died in their throats at the sight of touchline official Paul Salina’s upraised flag ( it can only have been for interference?) however match whistler Connor Ashwood controversially waving away his assistant’s signal and insisting the goal should stand sparked an even louder response and acted to further incense Beith’s dugout, players, and travelling band of supporters already nursing what they felt was a legitimate grievance that Mr Ashwood had thrown Pollok an earlier lifeline via Scullion’s dismissal.

Gallagher’s goal sparked a growing conviction his was not a score to merely put a better complexion on the outcome and he and his team mates went on to set up camp in and around a sitting deep Beith ‘s penalty box over the closing A terrific Stott save to beat away a netbound Forde shot was the highlight of the many stramashes that ensued but the defensive resistance headed up by outstanding centreback pair Scott Rough and Danny O’Neil held firm until being eventually broken in 83 minutes as a corner kick led to a looping header from another Pollok substitute Hugh Kerr finding the target.

A near out on their feet Beith continued to come under pressure up to and beyond the 90^th regulation time mark and all of five added minutes had come and gone before Lok skipper Callum Gow got up highest among a pack of bodies to power home a close range header and cut his side’s deficit to a single goal.

His elation was to be fleeting in the extreme because hardly had Beith “re-centred “ the ball (Paul Frize unceremoniously booted it out of play down near Pollok’s bye line) before the final blast from Mr Ashwood ‘s whistle brought the thrills and spills to an end.

Lok boss Maxi was a veritable mixture of emotions when speaking afterwards albeit he did not hold back in lamenting his team’s “disappointing defensive display”.

He said, “ We might easily have scored 6 or 7 times when you think Fordy has hit the bar twice and Marc McKenzie has failed to score after rounding their keeper who has himself pulled off a wonder save when we were laying siege to Beith’s goal in the second half.

“ It felt like one-way traffic for the most part so I cannot fault the effort shown by the guys but all our good stuff in the forward going areas was as good as thrown in the bin by the poor goals we lost

The Lok gaffer added, “ As a manager , I should expect my players to win a game when they’ve scored three times at home and more so against a team playing for more than an hour with only ten men but we have come up short and not for the first time either .

“ Before today , I can remember us dropping points here from 3-3 and 2-2 draws with Rob Roy and Troon respectively while we also shipped a couple of goals in recent victories over Largs Thistle and Gala so we simply must put an end to conceding so many times .”

MAXI WANTS POLLOK TO TIGHTEN UP

Another Maxi concession was to say his Pollok side hadn’t made the best of starts against the reigning champions, a viewpoint reinforced by the 2-0 scoreline chalked up in Beith’s favour back when there was only 24 minutes on the clock.

Their first counter arriving when Kian Burns burst forward from his engine room beat to fire a grounder across and beyond the outstretched reach of Lok No 1 Jordan Longmuir and just three minutes later this 1-0 advantage was doubled by Conner McGlinchey expertly firing home from the spot after the impressive Blair Rossiter darted forward at pace only to be needlessly upended by a tackle from chasing back wing ace Chris Duff.

The game’s third and arguably biggest flashpoint duly arrived just short of the half hour mark when Lok marksman Forde’s coming deep to collect a pass saw him go down under a fairly innocuous Scullion challenge … a foul most definitely and a yellow card probably but never an ordering off offence even in these modern `over-protected` times yet Mr Ashwood saw fit to immediately go to his red card holding pocket and despatch the innocence protesting midfielder to the dressing rooms.

Pollok smelling blood along with Beith failing to adjust to their newly depleted state sparked a bout of pressure from the home team which told on a most unlikely source ,defensive mainstay O’ Neil , whose woefully short pass back in the direction of his goalkeeper was pounced upon by Squib (Pollok front man Marc McKenzie) who got the first part right in cleverly rounding Stott however he then tamely prodded the ball goalwards which allowed O’Neil to atone for his error by getting back to make a goal line clearance.

Shortly afterwards, Gow forcing he ball home from a set-play only to be adjudged to have fouled Stott in the process was followed by Forde hitting the bar with a headed attempt as if to underline the emerging feeling this was not going to be Pollok’s day.

Further proof (if it was needed)came just two minutes prior to the interval when the ten men managed to work a 2v1 situation out on the right side of Pollok’s backline where Carlo Monti and Rossiter easily got around the helpless Fraser Mullen who could not prevent the latter named from advancing along the byeline and almost to the near post before setting up Burns to double his tally for the day from point blank range .

The twists and turns were anything but finished there because (as mentioned earlier) only three minutes into the resumption of hostilities, Beith were to net for a fourth time through a Diver shot ,slightly aided by a deflection of Gow, which brought acclaim for the scorer from none other than his Dad and one time prolific Pollok hitman Danny who scoffed sarcastically .

“ He was terrific and deserved to get his name on the scoresheet but a Diver Scores At Newlandsfield headline is surely old hat ?”

Nowhere near as underwhelming in serving up his appraisal of Diver & Co was the clearly delighted Beith team boss Chris Strain.

“I thought we were absolutely brilliant out there today and got our game plan spot on “said the love him or hate him gaffer who went on to say, “ My only disappointment was the red card issued to Scully which seemed a bit harsh to say the least and more so because I’d have fancied us to win more convincingly if it had remained an 11 v 11 match up.

He added, “As it was going down to ten men caused the guys to try and protect their lead by sitting far deeper than we wanted in the second half allowing Pollok to dominate possession and put us under pressure with a barrage of balls played into our box and this ultimately led to them scoring twice late on from set pieces .

“What they didn’t and couldn’t do , even with an extra man , was cut us open at any point and that speaks volumes about the spirit , character, winning mentality and sheer togetherness of the group of players we have at Bellfield.

“ These are qualities you cannot coach and our club is lucky to have them in abundance!”

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT WAS STRAINY’S VERDICT

Beith’s victory was even more loudly celebrated when word came through of league leaders Clydebank having to twice come from behind to eke out a 2-2 draw against Darvel thanks to a brace of Nikky Little goals which keeps the Bankies top of the Premier Division pile but with a reduced points lead over a Beith side (5 points now) that has played four games fewer.

Previously fourth top Benburb are up to third place a point ahead of both Pollok and Darvel, following a 1-1 stalemate at home to Glenafton for whom Scott McLean netted late on to cancel out Declan McDonald’s first half opener for the Bens .

In other top flight contests , Michael Wardrope, Connor Boyd and Ross Smith (pen) were on target as Auchlinleck Talbot bested arch rivals Cumnock by a 3-1 scoreline while Rob Roy moved out of the relegation dropzone after a couple of headed goals from new signing Jordan Scott secured a 2-1 Guys Meadow comeback triumph over Troon who had led through Kyle Gilroy.

Elsewhere, Drumchapel United had Callum McKenzie , James Marks and Yousef Narbesla goals to thank for a 3-0 defeat of Blantyre Vics which maintains the Drum’s pole position in the First Division standings ahead of joint nearest challengers Rutherglen Glencairn and a Petershill side who had PJ McGiff(2), Connor Higgins and Alex Cassells on the mark in chalking up a 4-0 victory away to Maybole .

Still leading the Second Division way are the Gavin Friels steered Ardrossan Winton Rovers, now seven points to the good from overcoming St Anthonys 4-1 down at Winton Park thanks to Alex Cairn Alex Dean and a couple of Mark Curragh counters while Third Division top guns Bellshill Athletic are still 5 points ahead of the chasing pack despite suffering a surprise 4-1 going over on the road at Girvan.

In the Clydebuilt Home Improvements Scottish Junior Cup front , last season’s beaten finalists Rutherglen Glencairn exited the 2023/24 competition on a penalty kick shoot-out (3-4) reverse at home to Arthurlie that followed a 3-3 regulation time scoreline.

Allan Woodhouse had raised hopes of a Glencairn triumph with the tie’s opening goal just ten minutes in but Michael McNeil, Dylan Dykes and Lee Roulston scores had the Barrhead visitors 3-1 in front and seemingly destined for a last 16 clash away to Benburb until Dylan Collins and Mason Durham netted to earn a spot kick conclusion.

Elsewhere, Daryll Duffy bagged a 92^nd minute winner to help Largs Thistle run out 3-2 winners over Gartcairn through in Airdrie while Bob McHugh , Anton Brady and Lewis McTaggart were the names on the scoresheet to help St Cadocs get through up on Tayside at the expense of Dundee Violet but not so lucky on travels of a less onerous variety were Irvine Meadow, beaten 3-1 through in nearby Johnstone Burgh where Rhys Wallace , Dale Simeon and Graham Dorrans did the scoring damage.

WEEKEND RESULTS: CLYDEBUILT HOME IMPROVEMENTS

Scottish Junior Cup.Third Round. Gartcairn 2 Largs Thistle 3, Rutherglen Glencairn 3 Arthurlie 3 (Arthurlie win 4-3 pens), Dundee Downfield 1 Dalry Thistle 0, Hermes 0 Hurlford Utd 8, Dundee Violet 0 St Cadocs 3, Rothie Rovers 4 Shotts Bon Accord 3, Johnstone Burgh 3 Irvine Meadow 1,P.D.M HUWS GRAY Premier Division. Pollok 3 Beith 4, Troon 1 Rob Roy 2, Cumnock 1 Auchinleck Talbot3, Clydebank 2 Darvel 2, Benburb 1 Glenafton 1.P.D.M HUWS GRAYFirst Division. Drumchapel Utd 3 Blantyre Vics 0, Ashfield 5 Kilbirnie Ladeside 2, Renfrew 5 Cambuslang Rangers 0, Maybole 0 Petershill 4. PDM HUWS GRAY Second Division. Bonnyton Thistle 2 Glasgow Perthshire 4, Craigmark 0 Wishaw 0, Maryhill 2 Vale of Clyde 1, Kilsyth Rangers 3 Cumbernauld Utd 0, Ardrossan Winton Rovers 4 St Anthonys 1,Caledonian Locomotives 2 Muirkirk 2, Larkhall Thistle 1 Yoker Athletic 1. PDM HUWS GRAYThird Division. Vale of Leven 0 Kilsyth Athletic 3, Glasgow Utd 4 Irvine Vics 1,Ardeer Thistle 1 Kello Rovers 0, Lanark Utd 2 Port Glasgow 0, Lesmahagow 3 Threave Rovers 1, Finnart 0 Greenock 1, Girvan 4 Bellshill Athletic 3.PDM HUWS GRAYFourth Division. Eglinton 1 Royal Albert 2, Glenvale 4 Giffnock SC 3, Carluke Rovers 5 Campbeltown Pupils 3,East Kilbride Thistle 5 Rossvale 3, BSC Glasgow 3 Knightswood 0, Lugar Boswell 0 St Peters 3, Saltcoats Vics 4 Easterhouse 0. Strathclyde Demolition Cup.Neilston 3 Thorn Athletic 2, West Park Utd 3 Forth Wanderers 1.

Regards

Jim O’Donnell