A SMALL DOSE OF THE DOC DID THE TRICK

HE MADE TWO AND SCORED ONE

The scale of the rebuilding job confronting new Kilwinning Rangers manager Chris Aitken was laid bare for all to see in Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at the hands of Pollok.

In fairness, one would have to admit the Buffs belied their lowly league position (it’s now 2^nd bottom) for fully an hour of this Newlandsfield contest by playing with tempo, determination and considerable gusto yet come the blast of Referee Ross Clark’s whistle signaling for full time, there was an all too familiar outcome of `Nul Points`…as they like to say in Eurovision Song circles… awaiting the Ayrshire side and their supporters.

So what was the game-changer? Well as much as it sounds hard to believe, the dismissal of Lok full back Sean Burns on the hour mark has to be written up as the pivotal moment.

His cynical `take out` of Gavin Miller as the visiting midfielder appeared to be running clear through on goal and coming as it did shortly after being yellow carded for a trip on the same player left whistler Clark with no option other than to brandish a second yellow followed by a customary red.

Now, generally when your opponents lose a man, it’s incumbent upon the team with a numerical advantage to make it tell by keeping possession, spreading the ball wide, pulling the other side’s players out of position and getting into the gaps which as a rule are more easily found.

But on this occasion, it was the ten men of Pollok that carried out the tried and trusted game-plan to great effect and it’s probably on the money to say Stewart Maxwell’s troops could and should have added further goals such was their dominance over the closing half hour.

Disappointed gaffer Aitken emerged from the dressing room to say , “Overall, there was a good shape about us and we were well in the game and more than holding our own but the players have been spooked by the sending off.

“It was as if they were thinking we didn’t have to work as hard anymore because having an extra man would make the ball come to us and unfortunately that was not the case out there.

“Pollok ‘s players did put in the big effort needed which allowed them to punish us and we now have to lick our wounds and come in on Monday night ready to go again.

Tiff added, “Look, there were some positives even though what you seen today is not how we will set ourselves up nor how we will play but I don’t have a magic wand so it’s going to take hard graft and everyone buying into our ideas if improvements are to be made.”

Pollok gaffer Maxi’ said afterwards his side “missed a few really good chances first half “but not entirely sure if many terracing onlookers would concur with his take of an opening 45 minutes wherein neither goalkeeper was called upon to make a save of note thanks in no small measure to his central defenders Callum Gow and Scott Rumsby coping admirably with Kilwinning’s over- reliance on firing high balls in the direction of their bustling striker Dylan Mackin.

If Maxi had indeed delivered a few stern words to his charges during the interval then they appeared to be heeded as a harder running Pollok dominated the early exchanges however he must have received a real scare when Buffs midfielder Blair McIntyre was sent clean through on goal only to lose his nerve and take an all too early shot at goal which carried just wide of Lok keeper Josh Lumsden’s right hand post.

Burns duly picking up his first and second cautions had visiting fans roaring their approval but the Pollok boss kept his cool in replacing the previously booked Gow with Mark Sideserf in opting to boldly switch from a back four to a 3 man defence.

At the same time he substituted striker Adam Forde with Stephen Docherty whose greater pace and energetic approach immediately began to pose problems for Kilwinning’s backline .

Several near things ensued and just five minutes after his introduction from the bench, Docherty produced an inswinging cross that Stuart McCann rose to adroitly glance into the far corner of the net for 1-0 .

McCann `rolled his ankle ` in scoring and his limping away shortly afterwards saw ex-Petershill hitman Docherty thrive on the responsibility of leading the line and he firstly set up substitute Chris Duff to double Pollok’s winning margin before adding the coup de grace deep into injury time , firing home a powerful shot from an exquisite Daz Christie cutback.

The recently turned 23 year old, with two assists and a goal to his name admitted,

”Since coming here, I’ve had a really tough time of it with injuries and haven’t gelled the way I’d hoped but that felt more like my old self today even if it was only for half an hour.

“Hopefully my display will have given the gaffer food for thought because you really need to be doing something special to be one of his regular picks as the competition for places and standards of the guys is so high.

”You need to be at the top of your game at a club like Pollok and that’s how it should be.”

The look of satisfaction on Stewart Maxwell’s face was all too apparent when he summed up his thoughts.

“Thought we fully deserved to win and 3-0 is probably a good reflection of the 90 minutes,” he insisted.

“ The Doc had a bit of everything in his game today because he’s the type of player that can create something out of nothing and we needed him to produce after Sean was sent off…and thankfully he did.”

MAXI GOT THAT FIRST NEWLANDSFIELD VICTORY

Their first victory at home since Maxi took up the Newlandsfield reins , saw the Glasgow cracks move up to third top place in the standings , leapfrogging above Auchinleck Talbot who were held to a 0-0 draw away to Rob Roy though dropping two points did not do Talbot’s title hopes any harm after leading pair Beith and Darvel suffered similar slip ups .

Tabletopping Beith were 1-0 up through a Kyle McAusland own goal at Bellsdale only for yet another score by marksman Jordan Moore earning Cumnock a share of the spoils while Darvel twice surrendered leads from Allan McKenzie and Craig Moore goals against Glenafton for whom Hugh Kerr and Michael Moffat were on the mark.

Newly managerless Irvine Meadow (George Grierson tendered his resignation in midweek) had a Callum Graham penalty kick conversion to thank for a 1-0 defeat of Hurlford United while a Nikky Little brace of goals (one from the spot) enable Clydebank to run out 2-1 winners after oing behind to a David Ramsay counter for Largs Thistle .

Jordan Marshall ‘s score for Petershill being cancelled out by Arthurlie midfielder Ryan McGregor looked to have resulted in a share of the spoils through in Springburn however Jay Mackay popped up with a 93^rd minuet winner that lifted the :Peasy off the unwanted bottom spot ,, now held by Cambuslang Rangers after their game against Trron was abandoned because of a serious injury sustained by Wee Gers ace Kyle Maxwell.

Big upset in the First Division stakes had Darren Jones netting the only goal of the game to ensure Neilston got the better of league leaders Drumchapel whose hiccup allowed St Cadocs to move level on points atop the table thanks to a Gary Muir double and Ryan Thomson goal clinch a glorious 3-2 comeback win over a Benburb side that had led 2-0 at New Tinto Park through Aiden Fellowes and Declan McDonald.

WEEKEND RESULTS: P.D.M Buildbase Premier Division. Cambuslang Rangers v Troon (Match Abandoned), Petershill 2 Arthurlie 1, Largs Thistle 1 Clydebank 2, Rob Roy 0 Auchinleck Talbot 0, Beith 1 Cumnock1, Pollok 3 Kilwinning Rangers 0, Darvel 2 Glenafton 2, Hurlford Utd 0 Irvine Meadow 1.PDM Buildbase First Division. Neilston 1 Drumchapel Utd 0, Bonnyton Thistle 2 Cumbernauld Utd1, Benburb 2 St Cadocs 3, Whitletts Vics 2 Rutherglen Glencairn1, Kilbirnie Ladeside 0 Shotts Bon Accord 0St Rochs 1 Blantyre Vics 3.PDM Buildbase Second Division. Maybole 4 Muirkirk 5, Maryhill 4 Ardeer Thistle 1, Glasgow Perthshire 3 Kilsyth Rangers 2, Ashfield v Renfrew, Craigmark 5 Forth Wanderers 2,Glasgow Utd 0 St Anthonys 2, Yoker Athletic 2 Wishaw 3, Greenock 1 Glasgow University 3. PDM Buildbase Third Division. Irvine Vics 1 Bellshill Athletic 2, Kello Rovers 2 Port Glasgow 9, Vale of Leven 4 Carluke Rovers 1, Larkhall Thistle 2 Lanark Utd 1, Finnart 2 Lugar Boswell 2, Lesmahagow v Newmains Utd. PDM Buildbase Fourth Division. St Peters 2 Eglinton 1, Harmony Row 0 Kilsyth Athletic 4, Threave Rovers 7 Glenvale 3, West Park Utd 2 Thorn Athletic 1.

Regards

Jim O’Donnell