SMITH OPENS SURVIVAL HATCH

SMITH CAME UP WITH THE GOODS WHEN NEEDED

Saturday was the second time this week (or to put it another way, four days) that Kilwinning Rangers came away with nothing to show for their efforts after conceding late goals.

Arthurlie substitute Gary Smith’s injury time winner must have felt like a dagger in the hearts of Buffs supporters watching on as their ten men…Kenny Marshall was sent packing for a second yellow card offence 20 minutes into the second half …boldly attempted to see out the closing stages in the face of near incessant pressure.

Smith’s 93^rd minute score was undoubtedly a sore one to take just as Hurlford United striker Lewis Morrison’s match-winning strike was in his side’s 5-4 victory last Wednesday night however it’s the net loss of six points which may prove to be the most painful blow of them all.

The back to back defeats have seriously hampered second bottom of the table Kilwinning’s hopes of avoiding a relegation fate not least because basement rivals Arthurlie (fourth from bottom) are fast disappearing over the horizon, having opened up an eight points gap albeit from two games more played.

His team’s valiant back to the wall performance was of scant consolation to Buffs gaffer Chris Aitken when he spoke afterwards.

“We came here to win a game of football and it wasn’t to be so obviously I’m disappointed but I came to this club to do a job and I’ll guarantee it will be done whether this season or next “he insisted.

Tiff added, “I’m also long enough in the game to know days like today exist but as I just said to the guys in there, feeling sorry gets you nowhere and we must quickly get over it and focus on picking ourselves up for our game on Tuesday night against Cambuslang Rangers.”

TIFF IS NOT FOR GIVING UP THE GHOST

The high energy and frenetic start made to the Dunterlie contest was an indication of the importance of the game to both sides but it must have caused some alarm for the home team’s gaffer Colin Reilly that the Ayrshiremen were looking the more likely to break the deadlock.

Marshall flashing a 22 yard shot wide was followed by a similar fate befalling a Keiran Wood header before a dream opportunity was presented to Jordan Stuart when played clean through on goal only to be denied by Arthurlie goalkeeper James Scott advancing off his line to block the striker’s parting shot.

It was therefore totally against the run of play when the Barrhead men got their noses in front after 19 minutes after Gary Carroll cut inside from out right to send an exquisite shot high into the far corner of the net for 1-0.

A buoyed up Arthurlie were now dominant and just after the half hour mark their pressure paid dividends when Dale Simeon was sent crashing by a rash challenge from Buffs goalkeeper Alistair McInnes to earn a penalty kick however Carroll then blotted his copybook by slamming the ball high and not very handsomely over the crossbar.

A second goal did appear to have arrived approaching half time when the impressive Lee Roulston (playing with a heavy strapping on his bonce after an ugly clash of heads with the towering Wood) headed home at a corner kick however the roars of home supporters were silenced by whistler Keiran Traynor indicating the midfield ace had firstly pushed his marker.

Arthurlie’s hopes of picking up second half proceedings where they left off suffered a setback with 56 minutes on the clock after a Chris Miller diving header from a Marshall cross was blocked by Lie No 1 Scott but only as far as the lurking Ally McColm who turned the ball home from point blank range.

Arthurlie’s response to 1-1 ;parity was to introduce hitman Smith off the bench with Andy McLaughlin making way however a greater boost to their chances of coming out on top arrived from the dismissal of Marshall for a lunging tackle that left Simeon rolling in agony.

A wonderful saving tackle by Buffs full back Dom Boland that prevented a certain score for Roulston was followed by a Smith shot saved by McInnes as the hosts went for broke and their numerical advantage looked to have paid off in 84 minutes when stopper Michael McNeil rose highest amongst a crowd of bodies at a Simeon corner kick to powerfully head home however once again Mr.Traynor , much to the consternation of the home dugout , indicated a push had occurred and disallowed the goal.

Two goals disallowed and a penalty kick missed had Arthurlie supporters feeling hard done by as the clock ticked down but deep into injury time Simeon won a race with goalkeeper McInness for a through pass and from wide on the left flank sent over a low driven cross that found Smith , getting across a close marking opponent, to cleverly divert the ball home at the front post before finding himself engulfed by wildly celebrating team mates.

“It was no less than we deserved “ said Lie boss Reilly “The guys put everything they had into the game and showed a lot of character to keep coming back from all manner of breaks going against us over the 90 minutes .”

ARTHURLIE CLOSE TO STAYING UP UNDER REILLY

Arthurlie’s three points haul became even more relevant when word coming through of rival dropzone battlers Rob Roy overcoming rank bottom markers Cambuslang Rangers 3-0 thanks to goals from Chris O’Kane , Dean Cairns and Del McNab was followed by confirmation of Petershill losing 4-0 away to Hurlford United for whom PaulMcKenzie, Lewis Morrison , Calvin Kemp and Chris McKnight were on target.

At the other end of the table, Darvel’s title challenge suffered another damaging falter in a 1-1 draw at home to a Pollok side that briefly led 1-0 through a Daz Christie penalty kick conversion before Scott Ferguson netted a first half equalizer.

This result was warmly welcomed by Premier Division leaders Beith as was the 2-1 defeat inflicted on their only other potential rivals for top spot. Auchinleck Talbot, went down 2-1 at home to Clydebank whose wing ace Lee Gallagher helped himself to a scoring brace prior to Aaron Mason making the scoreline more respectable for the Bot.

Benburb remain atop the First Division pile despite a 2-0 defeat by Whitletts Vics while Drumchapel United were another of the title hopefuls to come a cropper in going down 3-2 against Johnstone Burgh.

The McKenna Park head to head between ambitious pair St Cadocs and Gartcairn went the way of the Michael Dunlop steered Cairn thanks to Reegan Aitken and Jordan Love goals.

Meanwhile, congratulations are in order for Cumnock and Rutherglen Glencairn after a weekend which saw the WoSFL pair clinch their places in this season’s Scottish Junior Cup Final.

Cumnock through a 4-2 Meadow Park victory over Glenafton on Friday night and the Ru’Glonians by running out 8-7 penalty kicks winners earlier today against East Craigie after a 1-1 regulation time draw at Armadale Thistle’s Volunteer Park .

Counters from Findlay Frye (2 pens) ,top scorer Jordan Moore and a 75^th minute Ollie Rowe own goal had Cumnock coasting at 4-0 to the good against their Premier Division rivals before a later than late Glenafton rally derived what amounted to nothing more than consolation scores by Hugh Kerr (90mins )and Michael Moffat (92).

Matters were much closer to call in the other penultimate encounter where a 2^nd minute Stewart McConnachie score earned relative minnows East Craigie an early 1-0 lead they were to hold until barely five minutes from time when an Anthony Maguire leveller took the tie into a penalty shoot-out and the Glens made a better fist of keeping their nerve to prevail 8-7 in a nervy shoot-out.

WEEKEND RESULTS: Clydebuilt Home Improvements Scottish Junior Cup. Semi Finals. Glenafton 2 Cumnock 4, Rutherglen Glencairn 1East Craigie 1 (Glens win 8-7 pens). P.D.M.Buildbase Premier Division. Clydebank 2 Auchinleck Talbot 1, Arthurlie 2 Kilwinning Rangers 1, Hurlford Utd 4 Petershill 0, Cambuslang Rangers 0 Rob Roy 3, Darvel 1 Pollok 1..PDM Buildbase First Division. St Cadocs 1 Gartcairn 2, Thorniewood Utd 4 Neilston 2, Cumbernauld Utd 1 St Rochs 2, Johnstone Burgh 3 Drumchapel Utd 2, Shotts Bon Accord 3 Blantyre Vics 1, Whitletts Vics 2 Benburb 0.PDM Buildbase Second Division. Maryhill 3 Glasgow Utd 0, Wishaw 2 Glasgow University 0, Ardeer Thistle 1 Craigmark 1, Forth Wanderers 2 Glasgow Perthshire 2, Maybole 2 St Anthonys 1, Renfrew 3 Muirkirk 0. PDM Buildbase Third Division. Newmains Utd 0 Ardrossan Winton Rovers 2, Saltcoats Vics 1 Lanark Utd 7, Irvine Vics 5 Carluke Rovers 0, Girvan 3 Kello Rovers 1, Royal Albert 0 Vale of Leven 4, Finnart 4 Dalry Thistle 2, Larkhall Thistle 2 Lugar Boswell 0, Lesmahagow 3 East Kilbride Thistle 0, Bellshill Athletic 3 Vale of Clyde 3.PDM Buildbase Fourth Division. Harmony Row 1 Threave Rovers 2, Easterhouse 0 Thorn Athletic 2, BSC Glasgow 2 West Park Utd 3.

Regards

Jim O’Donnell