SHANKLAND LEAVES IT LATE

TROON’S TWO GOAL MARKSMAN SHANKLAND DOES FOR POLLOK

“It feels like we’ve been mugged “was Pollok gaffer Stewart Maxwell’s somewhat succinct take on his side conceding a last gasp equalizer in a 2-2 draw at home to Troon on Saturday.

With just under 20 minutes left to play, a magnificent 30 yard Adam Forde strike (scoring for the seventh game on the spin no less) looked to have secured the points for him and his Newlandsfield team mates until right at the death, a ball played into the Pollok penalty area broke kindly for visiting front man Mark Shankland allowing him to adroitly spin and hook a low shot past Lok keeper Jordan Longmuir.

Was it no more than the Ayrshiremen deserved for continuing to battle their corner and refusing to give up the ghost? Well not according to the clearly disappointed Lok team boss who reasoned.

“ We started well ,got the bonus of an early goal and I felt we were in total control for a 15-20 minute spell but then Scott Forrester gets caught on the wrong side of Shankland which he makes the most of to get Troon back on level pegging and the game has then ebbed and flowed for the remainder of the first half.

“ On the resumption however ,it’s been almost one-way traffic as their goalkeeper has pulled off two incredible saves, we’ve hit the crossbar and another effort has been cleared off the line along with Fordy’s wonder goal which looks to have won it for us.

“But Shankland has popped up to bag a second goal to earn Troon a point and looking back at the game, I can’t help but think it’s a sore one to take on the balance of the 90 minutes.”

Whether one agrees with Maxi’s typically frank assessment or not , what is undisputable is the dream start made by Pollok in getting their noses in front with only a minute(if that) on the clock after Forde cleverly dropped off to play Andy Gallagher down the left flank from where the fans favourite fired over a low driven cross that Marc McKenzie gleefully hammered home from no more than six yards range.

Home supporters in the near 550 crowd roared their approval and only some resilient Troon defending prevented their deficit becoming even greater however their very first venture upfield of any note gave warning of their attacking threat when a Ben Black cross found Shankland defying his lack of inches (not for the last time) to rise highest and flick a header wide of Longmuir’s goal.

Pollok continuing to exert the greater territorial dominance but without adding to the 1-0 scoreline was not a source of concern for their watching throng until the 22^nd minute when Forrester’s failure to cut out a ball from Troon full back Evan McLevy set Shankland through on goal to tuck a low shot beyond Longmuir for 1-1 .

Taking heart from their score, Troon carved out another opening when Shankland played Kyle Gilroy in with only Longmuir to beat however his strike partner opting to make a return pass instead of having a pop at goal allowed Pollok’s backline to clear the danger.

The Southsiders were back on the ascendancy after the interval but not making much headway in and around the Troon penalty area therefore it came as no surprise when Maxwell rung the changes around the hour mark by replacing McKenzie and an unusually subdued Gallagher with the more physically powerful pair of Hugh Kerr and Grant Anderson .

A number of near things ensued as the pressure visibly mounted on the visiting Ayrshiremen but they continued to defy all that Pollok were throwing at them until Forde conjured up a stunning goal fit to win any game.

Taking possession some thirty yards and a bit out from goal and facing in the opposite direction ,he somehow flicked the ball up and swiveled , all in one movement before unleashing an unstoppable shot high past the flailing arms of Troon keeper Marc Fisher .

The little striker might have added another goal to his season’s scoring tally but for a spectacular save by Fisher from his netbound header and the closing stages arrived with Troon sorely pressed to keep Pollok at bay and forced into playing on the break to try and save the day.

Even their most devout followers must have felt their cause looked a lost one and several were already congregating around the exit gates when Shankland came up with a 90^th minute lifeline.

DEAN DELIGHTED WITH TROON PERFORMANCE

Their smiling coach Dean Keenan showered praise on his playing charges when speaking afterwards,

“ Fordy has produced a bit of magic and our guys could have been excused for feeling sorry for themselves such has been the number of breaks that have gone against us recently.

“However they showed real character in digging deep to withstand Pollok’s pressure in the second half and Shankland’s goal was a fitting reward for their efforts.”

The former defensive cornerstone went on , “In saying Pollok had us under the cosh .let’s not forget it’s taken a truly wonder goal to breach our defences and I believe we more than matched up with a team of their quality and standing in the game.”

Two goal scoring ace Shankland , yet again proving a thorn in Pollok’s side after years of doing similar damage wearing the colours of Auchinleck Talbot , emerged to say.

“It’s a testimony to the courage of the guys in our dressing room that we stayed in the game when a lot of teams might have crumbled after conceding such an early goal.

“ Pollok in front of their own fans are always a tough obstacle but we bounced back really well from going behind twice and were well worthy of our point “

The Glasgow giants’ draw and the loss of two points was even harder to stomach after they learned of table-topping Beith ‘s 100% league record going for a burton on account of a 3-3 see-saw encounter away to St Cadocs .

The reigning champions bounced back from Bob McHugh firing the Saints in front to lead 2-1 through Ciaran Diver and Paul Frize goals prior to Neil McLaughlin restoring parity heading into half time.

Robert Scullion weighing in with a third strike for Beith looked to have earned a hard fought win but McLaughlin’s second counter of the afternoon resulted in an `honours even ` conclusion.

Clydebank took full advantage of the erstwhile leading pair slipping up to go atop the standings with a a 1-0 triumph over Arthurlie thanks to Liam McGonigle’s first half score.

Elsewhere, the other Premier Division newcomers Gartcairn had Darren Bowie and Mick McGuigan on target in chalking up a 2-0 victory over fourth top of the table Darvel while Hurlford United recovered from trailing 2-1 to Rob Roy at half time to run out 5-2 winners at Blair Park.

Auchinleck Talbot were replaced at the bottom of the top flight pile by the Irvine Meadow side they got the better off by a 2-0 scoreline at Beechwood Park where Luke Gillies and comeback signing Jamie Glasgow were on the mark and hats off too for newly installed Cumnock boss Murdie McKinnon in getting away to a winning start thanks to Mark McLennan (pen) and Greg Ferry goals earning a 2-1 triumph over Benburb whose consolation score came from a Declan McDonald penalty kick conversion .

Second bottom markers Glenafton had to settle for a share of the spoils despite leading 1-0 at the halfway mark away to Largs Thistle through a Michael Moffat header.

David Ramsay firstly levelled matters before Largs went ahead through a Will Sewell(pen) however a late Alex McWatters goal saw the game finish all-square at 2-2.

Meanwhile, newly heading up the First Division stakes are Shotts Bon Accord after five different goalscorers .Danny Burns, Paul McGeough, Adam Hunter, Ben Richford and Jack Gordon netted in the chalking up of a 5-1 success over fellow title challengers Maybole .

A point further adrift are Rutherglen Glencairn thanks to Jay McKay bagging the only goal of the game away to Kilbirnie Ladeside while Petershill are down to a share of third place after briefly going atop the standings along with the Drumchapel United side they bested 3-1 on Friday night through goals by P.J. McGiff, Connor Hughes and Alex Cassells.

WEEKEND RESULTS: P.D.M HUWS GRAY Premier Division. Largs Thistle 2 Glenafton 2, Hurlford Utd 5 Rob Roy 2, Gartcairn 2 Darvel 0, St Cadocs 3 Beith 3, Cumnock 2 Benburb 1, Pollok 2 Troon 2, Arthurlie 0 Clydebank 1, Auchinleck Talbot 2 Irvine Meadow 0.P.D.M HUWS GRAYFirst Division. Ashfield 3 Johnstone Burgh 3, Petershill 3 Drumchapel Utd 1, St Rochs 1 Neilston 1, Thorniewood Utd 1 Kilwinning Rangers 2, Blantyre Vics 2 Cambuslang Rangers 1, Shotts Bon Accord 5 Maybole 1, Kilbirnie Ladeside 0 Rutherglen Glencairn 1. PDM HUWS GRAY Second Division. Glasgow Perthshire 2 Muirkirk 2, Craigmark 2 Maryhill 2, Yoker Athletic 1 Bonnyton Thistle 1, Glasgow University 1 Larkhall Thistle 4, Forth Wanderers 1 Caledonian Locomotive 2, Cumbernauld Utd 4 Vale of Clyde 0, St Anthonys 1 Kilsyth Rangers 2, Wishaw 2 Ardrossan Winton Rovers 1. PDM HUWS GRAYThird Division. Kello Rovers 3 Vale of Leven 5, West Park Utd 3 Greenock 2, Threave Rovers 2 Irvine Vics 4, Kilsyth Athletic 4 Glasgow Utd 2, Port Glasgow 0 Lesmahagow 2, Lanark Utd 1 Finnart 1. PDM HUWS GRAYFourth Division. Royal Albert 0 BSC Glasgow 1, Eglinton 3 Saltcoats Vics 2, Campbeltown Pupils 3Lugar Boswell 5, Carluke Rovers 0 Glenvale 2, East Kilbride Thistle 0 Giffnock 3, St Peters v Rossvale, Eglinton v Saltcoats Vics, Knightswood 0 Thorn Athletic 2, Newmains Utd 7 Easterhouse 3,

Regards

Jim O’Donnell