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| Reports from season 2001-2002 Arthurlie 2 (Downs 57, Fulton 67pen) Arthurlie started without last seasons top scorer Bonnar
Mc Kenzie, suspension, and John Barret, family reasons, and so the strike
force consisted of Derek Rhodden and new signing Robert Downs and it
was these two who ultimately put the 'bens to the sword. Rhodden had
been a pre match injury fear but he made a mockery of that as he tore
into Benburb early on and looked the most likely to score as he linked
well with his new partner. The first chance however fell to bens striker
Stewart but stand in keeper Hutchison was glad to see his shot go just
wide after only 9 minutes. The best chance of the half fell to another
Arthurlie new boy as Mark Travers hit a shot from inside the box that
Smyth did well to parry. It was an odd looking Benburb side without
the suspended Fontana and the departed Wingate, Swift and Tinney, but
they gave as good as they got in the first 45. Just before the break
both sides had chances to score when first Brown's looping shot went
just over for Benburb then Rhodden was sent through only to see the
keeper save well. Pollok 5 Pollok took revenge for the title party Arthurlie held
at Newlandsfield last season as they put in a power packed second half
show that produced 3 goals. This was a match that had everything and
it exploded into life when Drew McWilliams hit a 30 yard rocket over
Hutchison in the visitors goal after only 5 minutes. A mere 4 minutes
later and the sides were level as Lee Martin knocked down a Gilles corner
for Derek Rhodden to pounce and he produced a clinical finish. This
score boosted Arthurlie and they took the lead on 14 minutes when a
Fulton free kick was deflected past the stranded Hanley and the keeper
watched in agony as the ball bobbled into the net. Two minutes later
and back came Pollok when a Cannie volley was brilliantly saved by Hutchison,
but amazingly Mr. Boyd, (yes him again), gave a goal kick. Mid way through
this pulsating half Rhodden hit and overhead kick that smacked of the
bar with Hanley a spectator, then Mc Williams almost scored with an
effort identical to his earlier goal. With the fans looking forward
to the half time break to get their breath back, Pollok drew level when
a great cross was met by Johnston and his header gave Hutchison no chance.
There was still time for McWilliams to hit a pile driver off the bar
and it was the visitors who were glad to hear the half time whistle. Neilston 1 (Divers) This was a must win match for the 'lie as they tried to recover from their Newlandsfield nightmare but they put in another poor show and were dumped 1-0. Frank Lynch ran the changes in defence, out went Hutchison, Clark and Allison for Cormack, O'Neil and Farrell, but in a dour first half with very few highlights it was a mistake from Cormack that gifted the 'ton their goal. He tried to throw the ball out to Farrell but somehow managed to throw it only a couple of yards and it fell to a Neilston player who crossed to the unmarked Danny Diver and he stroked it home. All Arthurlie had to show was a Fulton free kick that clipped the bar and a Gilles volley that flew just over. Half time Neilston 1 Arthurlie 0 Arthurlie 2 (Gilles, Lynn) Arthurlie controlled this match from start to finish
and if their strikers had brought their shooting boots with them it
would have been a rout. Renfrew have been very poor so far in the section
but they were handed the dream start when in the very first minute Ged
Gardner miss kicked a clearance and the ball spun up and hit his hand.
The referee had no hesitation in awarding the penalty and it was expertly
dispatched by Andy Morrison. From this moment it was all Arthurlie and
Gilles posted notice after 7 minutes when he connected with a Kenny
McQuade cross and sent a shot just wide.A minute later and the sides
were level, Kenny Gilles again found space on the edge of the box and
his right foot volley flew past Strang into the top right hand corner.
Boosted by this leveler Arthurlie were all over the visitors and Downs
went close with a powerful header from a pin point Lynn cross on 11
minutes. Renfrew's new signing from Hibernian's U21 side, Barr tested
Cormack with a header soon after but the keeper did well. A poor defensive
header from Foster after 25 minutes then presented Robert Downs with
a chance to go clear through on Strang but his low shot was saved as
the keeper narrowed the angle. The play got a bit scrappy as the half
drew to a close but with only 7 minutes remaining Arthurlie scored the
goal that proved to be the winner. Kenny McQuade found himself in space
on the right but his cross went behind Downs who decided to leave it
for the on rushing Gary Lynn and he rattled a shot low past the keeper. JOHNSTONE BURGH 1 GEORGE Walker read the riot act to his players after
Tuesday night's defeat to Arthurlie. Arthurlie 3 (Gilles 2, Lynn) Arthurlie claimed their place in the quarter finals of
the Beatons league cup with a dramatic last minute goal that left Tommy
Coyne's Shettleston shattered. This was a fiercely contested tie that
burst into life inside the first minute when Gary Lynn volleyed just
wide with he town keeper beaten. From the goal kick the visitors almost
took the lead in spectacular fashion when the unmarked Kelly hit a sweet
volley just past Hutchison's post. Arthurlie had more of the opening
15 minutes as new signing Derek McCulloch showed some nice touches and
also showed he was not afraid to go in were it hurts, they didn't manage
to get the goal their play deserved and paid the penalty when Shettleston
struck on 16 minutes. Thompson's pace blew away O'Neil and his cross
was collected by the unmarked Kelly and he shot through the keepers
legs to give his side the lead. For the rest of the half a stylish looking
Shettleston outfit gave Arthurlie the run around and almost went 2-0
up when O'Neil cleared off the line when a goal looked certain after
another swift attack just on the half hour had given Kelly a great chance.
Right on half time though, a superb Lynn free kick was headed home by
Kenny Gilles and it was Arthurlie who went off with the smiles at the
break. 'lie pay the penalty Frank Lynch must counting down the days until he gets
his strike force back to full strength after watching his makeshift
attack fail miserably to break down the Bellshill backline. Arthurlie
were given the dream start when in the first minute McGarvey controlled
a Gillies cross only to be tripped in the box and the referee had no
hesitation in pointing to the spot. Up stepped captain Fulton but his
powerful shot brought out a great save from Burns, the keeper diving
to his right to push the ball out for a corner. Bellshill went up the
park and came close to opening the scoring when a deflected shot almost
caught out Hutchison but the big keeper did well to hold the ball. The
pacy 'hill forwards were causing real problems for the visiting defence
and they contrived to miss a golden chance on 12 minutes, the first
shot was saved by the Hutchison but the rebound fell to a Bellshill
player who dribbled round the keeper and with the goal gaping he took
too much time to shoot which allowed Grant Clark to get back and boot
the ball off the line. Some old scores were being settled after last
seasons Evening times final and the match had been simmering just below
boiling point until on 20 minutes it boiled over when a bad tackle on
Arthurlie's McCulloch stopped the play. As the midfielder lay waiting
on treatment he was kicked by a Bellshill player who was shown a straight
red card and then to everyone's amazement, McCulloch was shown his second
yellow and he was off too. 3 minutes later a sweeping move by the home
side ended with the striker volleying the ball just over form 10 yards
out, the pace at which the move was executed was a real treat for everyone
except the 'lie defenders who were left chasing shadows. Right on half
time Arthurlie had a chance to sneak an undeserved lead when a McGarvey
free kick was headed just wide by Martin with Burns beaten A Dismal, disjointed disaster! Totally despondent is how the Arthurlie fans felt after
watching a display that lacked any skill, passion or organization. As
early as the fourth minute it was apparent that this was going to be
one of those days, yes another one, when Coulter swung in a cross that
found Holmes in splendid isolation inside the penalty box and he easily
nodded past Hutchison. Some false hope for the visitors when Down's
saw his net bound header cleared by Taylor a minute later. Ex 'lie star
Gauley was giving Gardner and Martin some serious trouble with his powerful
running and he almost made it 2-0 when his rasping shot was tipped over
by Hutchison. The big keeper has had a shaky start to his Arthurlie
career and he looked none to clever when he failed to come for a 'lang
corner and it smacked off a post to safety. After such a let off the
keeper must have felt it was to be his day.......how wrong he was when
just before half time a long punt was being tracked back by Terry Farrell
who had the matter well under control. The big keeper decided it was
his ball and raced from his box to clear, this put Farrell in a tight
spot as he was being pressured by 'langs Taylor, Farrell tried to nod
the ball back to his keeper but with Hutchison out of his box, (surely
out of his head? Ed), he couldn't pick it up and this allowed Taylor
to run in on goal. In desperation, Hutchison tried to rescue the situation
but he pulled down the striker and he was shown a red card and Cambuslang
were awarded a penalty. On came sub keeper Cormack for Lee Martin and
his first task was to pick the ball out of the back of the net as Maxwell
made no mistake. The defence was now in total disarray and the home
side almost made it three when a Paterson volley crashed of the bar
with Cormack a spectator. Cambuslang Arthurlie Travers makes his Mark! "I hear there's a good film on channel 4",
that was what most fans were saying during the half time break after
a truly terrible first 45 minutes in which Arthurlie struggled to break
down the home defence despite having almost all of the possession. There
were a couple of half chances for the 'lie, Gary Lynn's free kick being
held at the second attempt by the home keeper after 8 minutes and John
Barrett's neat turn and shot 12 minutes later that beat the keeper but
skelped off the post. Vale of Clyde offered nothing at all up front
and Digger Fulton, playing sweeper, must have enjoyed the rest as he
strolled through the game. It was a real surprise however when Vale
missed the chance of the half just before the break, James Davidson
found himself in space as the ball fell to him inside the six yard box
and he panicked and miss-kicked the ball wide. Arthurlie
Arthurlie are Flagging! Arthurlie's poor run of form continued as they were
held in their first home league game of the season by a Cumbernauld
side still finding it's feet at this level. Despite having the boost
of being presented with the league flag for last years endeavors, Arthurlie
never really got going in a first half that contained very few clear
cut chances for either side. Bonnar McKenzie making his first start after a lengthy
ban threatened after only 9 minutes when he was put through on Wilson
but the keeper did well to block the shot. Cumbernauld were finding
it difficult to get the ball and Arthurlie almost scored on 25 minutes
when a Kenny Gillies cross put Wilson in trouble and Mark Travers headed
just wide at the back post. Cumbernauld started to get a foothold in
the game and they took the lead on the half hour mark when Gordon kept
possession on the edge of the box and curled a great shot past Cormack.
The visitors then had a chance to kill the game 5 minutes before the
break when Ganley beat the offside trap and despite having time to pick
his spot, he shot weakly past. Right on the 45 Grant Clark had powerful
shot tipped over from a Travers cut back. A Brolly good show from Burgh Arthurlie were given a lesson on how to take chances as Johnstone Burgh came from a goal down to take all three points after a real game of two halves. The home side had no answer to Arthurlie's passing game in as one sided a first half as you will see, but they were not punished as the visiting strikers misfired again. First real chance fell to Downs after 13 minutes, who after being set up by McKenzie saw his shot parried by Donahoe and the rebound was blazed over by McCulloch. A quick passing move set up McKenzie 10 minutes later and as the striker took the ball wide of goal he was dumped by Hutchison for a penalty, he dusted himself down and stepped up and fired the ball to the keepers left. Donahoe produced a fabulous save as he dived full length to beat the ball out, his efforts should have been in vain however as Downs reacted first but somehow put the ball over the bar from 8 yards with the keeper grounded. The only half chance that Burgh produced was when McLay hit a drive over from 22 yards after some neat passing had teed him up. The spot kick sinners combined 5 minutes before the break to devastating effect when Downs picked up a Fulton pass and in one sweet movement he knocked the ball first time past Juttla and crossed for McKenzie on the penalty spot. Donahoe raced from his goal and this drove McKenzie wide but as the defenders got back to reduce his options he threaded the ball through and celebrated wildly as it nestled in the corner of the net. With Arthurlie finally making the breakthrough it looked
a matter of how many as Johnstone had been so far out of it they must
have been glad to be only one goal down, but this mood changed from
gladness to sheer joy in first half injury time when McLay peeled of
his marker and as Cormack narrowed the angle he hit a shot across the
keeper that was already net bound before Gardner's vain attempt to clear.
Johnstone Donahoe, Juttla, Brogan, Hutchison, Heaton,
Frame, Armour, McGuiness, McPhee, Brolly, McLay All we are saying, is give us a goal Arthurlie spilled another two points to one of the leagues
newly promoted teams but in truth it could have been a lot worse if
Lanark had taken one of their many first half chances. They were denied
a dream start in only 5 minutes when midfielder Leonard was tackled
eight yards out by Stephen O'Neil and as the defender went to ground
he clearly handled the ball but was fortunate that the referee did not
judge it deliberate. Two minutes later and Cormack pulled of a great
save to keep out Arnott as the visitors piled on the pressure. Frank
Lynch had rung the changes with a surprise start for Lee Martin in place
of Grant Clark and also Kenny McQuade in for the injured Terry Farrell
and this new look defence had a real let off on the half hour mark when
an error of judgment from Dave Cormack presented Knight with an open
goal, but from 18 yards out the striker curled the ball wide of the
target. Ged Gardner was involved in crunching tackle that was to cut
his match short 5 minutes before the break as he tried to stop another
Lanark raid as they tried to get something to show for their play. Arthurlie Cormack, McQuade, O'Neil, Martin, Gardner (Clark
50), Travis (Lynn 84), Rhodden, McCulloch, Downs, Fulton, McKenzie (Barrett
76) A stroll in the park for 'lie Arthurlie found the answer to their recent scoring drought
in the shape of Annbank defender Chambers when the big defender tried
to clear a dangerous Stephen O'Neil cross on the half hour mark but
only succeeded in heading past his own keeper to open the scoring. Up
to this point the home side had played well enough but had once again
struggled to find the net and missed a hatful of chances. As early as
the second minute Mark Travers blasted wide after being set up by Derek
Rhodden and there was no let up for the Annbank defence when moments
later Bonnar McKenzie had his shot blocked by Lee in the visiting goal
after a neat turn had made him some space. More chances fell to Farrell
and Downs before the 'lie went so near when McCulloch's shot skimmed
the bar on 26 minutes. After Chambers had broke the deadlock it was
a matter of how many and Arthurlie made it 2-0 when McKenzie crossed
for Derek McCulloch to nod past Lee for his first goal in an Arthurlie
shirt Not a very stern test against a very poor side but the
goals will have been a real tonic for the team and it is hoped that
they use this as a springboard for the rest of the season. Del stars in late show!! Derek McCulloch was the match winner for Arthurlie when
he rose above the home defence to head home a McKenzie corner in the
89th minute to send the traveling band of supporters home happy. A vital win for Arthurlie and even more so with they
way they got it, to see the players reaction at the final whistle was
enough to tell you how much they wanted these three points. The back
three were immense today and Grant Clark in particular never put a foot
wrong. Derek McCulloch showed all his experience and he will be a vital
player in the coming months. Bonnar McKenzie has only started 4 games
and already he is back in the groove with 4 goals so things are definitely
looking up
'lie in cup tie cracker Most of the pre match talk was about Arthurlie's lack
of defenders with three first team picks missing for various reasons
and it was the defence or lack of it from both teams that provided most
of the talking points during the game. First blood went to Cumbernauld
after only 5 minutes when Gary Lynn tripped over the ball as he attempted
to clear and this allowed Martin to run at the 'lie backline, he took
one step and fired in a spectacular shot that looped over Cormack and
into the net. Arthurlie responded with a David Fulton shot that McLaughlin
did well to tip over for a corner 10 minutes later. The keeper was again
called into action after 25 minutes when Stuart Allison got his head
to a Lynn free kick, the result was another corner. Cumbernauld were
quite happy to defend their lead but they nearly made it 2-0 5 minutes
later when Glancy skipped past O'Neil and crossed for McPhee but the
midfielders effort went over. Right on half time Arthurlie drew level
and it was another defensive mistake this time from United keeper McLaughlin,
there looked little danger as John Barratt ran on to a through ball
on the right side of the penalty box but the keeper came rushing out
and this allowed the striker to clip the ball past him and into the
empty net. On the whole both sides deserve credit for the game and despite the finish Arthurlie put in I feel they could quite easily have tumbled out of the competition so a draw was about fair. With a full strength defence and players like McGarvey returning there is real optimism for the replay and indeed the rest of the season. Arthurlie 3-5-2 Cormack, McQuade (Rhodden 61) , Farrel,
Allison, O'Neil, Lynn, McCulloch, Gillies (McGarvey 61) , McKenzie,
Fulton, Barratt (Downs 70) subs Hutchison, Travers, Graham
United end cup dream Arthurlie's season so far was encapsulated in 90 minutes
as a mixture of defensive errors and poor finishing left them on the
wrong end of a 3-0 scoreline and out of the Scottish cup for another
year. In the build up to this vital game most fans debated how the defence
would line up but were stunned to see Terry Farrell play left wing back
and Stuart Allison on the right and this set up looked far from solid
as Cumbernauld took another early lead. A high ball into the box after
only 4 minutes was not dealt with properly and it fell to John Paisley
and he hit a sweet left foot volley past Cormack. After Frank Lynch's
pleas before the game to stop giving teams a goal of a start it was
an incredible opening for his team and again left them chasing the game.
Kenny Gillies had decent shout for a penalty when he went down as he
tried to take the ball round McLaughlin, but Mr. Boyd adjudged that
he had taken a dive and he was shown a yellow card. Cumbernauld were
proving very difficult to break down with Rae picking up every second
ball and feeding McPhee who was really enjoying taking on his more experienced
midfield opponents. Arthurlie were enjoying most of the possession but
fell further behind when a long ball was left by Grant Clark and this
allowed Paisley to nick in before Cormack and square to the unmarked
Glancy and he tapped home from 2 yards. The home side were dealt a blow
when McPherson was shown a straight red card for stamping on Gillies
and this gave Arthurlie some hope for the second period. Cumbernauld came out in the second half to hold onto
their lead knowing that an early Arthurlie goal would open up this tie
and the visitors came so close when Grant Clark smacked a shot off the
bar after McLaughlin had blocked a Rhodden effort. As they became more
and more desperate Arthurlie were starting to take chances at the back
and they could have been caught out a few times but had Cormack to thank
for a couple of saves that kept the cup dream flickering. There were
at least 2 good penalty claims before Arthurlie were awarded a very
soft one for a nudge on McGarvey with 20 minutes remaining, up stepped
last weeks hero Gary Lynn but he looked on in horror as McLaughlin pulled
off a fine save to knock the heart from Arthurlie. The fans knew there
and then that we were heading for the exit and despite a couple of near
things with a McGarvey shot just missing and McKenzie going close it
was just not going to be our day. In the dying minutes Cumbernauld broke
up field and Crawford knocked the ball past Cormack who by this time
was playing sweeper and this brought wild celebrations from the home
players as they knew they had booked their place in the 3rd round. Arthurlie (formation unknown) Cormack, Allison (Gardner30),
Farrel, O'Neil, Clark (Downs 75), McCulloch, Gillies (Lynn 65), McGarvey,
McKenzie, Fulton, Rhodden subs Hutchison, Travers, Graham, , Arthurlie go down fighting!!! Arthurlie went down in an explosive match at Dunterlie
against a Maryhill side that finished the match with 9 men but had already
stormed back form a goal down to finish worthy winners. Most the post
match reporting will centre on the last 10 minutes that saw a full scale
brawl that ended up with 3 sendings off but the truth is that this was
a very entertaining match with both teams giving 100%. The sides had
exchanged a couple of chances each with the best ones falling to Maryhill
and Cormack had to produce a wonderful double save form McAllister then
Nelson as Maryhill looked to add to the home sides shocking record of
losing the first goal. The game was really open and contained lots of
good football but all that was missing was a goal and that was rectified
when a defensive lapse allowed Robert Downs to chip over Black in the
Maryhill goal and give Arthurlie the lead on the half hour. The visitors
however continued to threaten and should have drew level right on half
time when McAllister saw his shot tipped onto the post by Cormack and
the rebound fell to Nelson but he took too much time and this allowed
Ged Gardner to get back and block his shot. A couple of substitutions from Frank Lynch followed as Arthurlie tried to get back something from the game but one of the changes ended in disaster as the match ended in a very unsavory note. Arthurlie had won a free kick and as Fulton prepared to take it McLafferty got involved with John Barratt and appeared to throw a punch at the substitute, Barratt responded in kind and he felled Miller and then all hell broke loose with most players getting involved. The end result was red cards for Barratt, McLafferty and Nelson for his earlier foul that led to the free kick. With the man advantage Arthurlie pushed hard for an equalizer but it was all too little too late and despite making a couple of decent chances it was Maryhill who held on to win the points. Frank Lynch said before the match he would be happy if his players matched Maryhill in spirit as this would mean that if beaten then it would have been with by a better team, well the truth is that his players were outplayed and out fought in a crucial second half and were a clear second in this contest. Just where this leaves the manager is hard to call but I think his future at the club is less than rosy after what has been a disastrous start to such a crucial season. Arthurlie 3-5-2 Cormack, Farrel, Clark (Gillies 84),
Martin, Gardner, Travers (Barratt 76), McCulloch, McGarvey, Rhodden
(McKenzie 72), Fulton, Downs Neilston pile on the agony!!! Confidence in the Arthurlie camp must now be at an all
time low after a demolition derby defeat was dished out by local rivals
Neilston, a result that leaves them firmly rooted at the bottom. The
game had started so promising for the 'lie as only after 2 minutes Derek
Rhodden was cut down by the home keeper as he pulled the trigger and
David Fulton smashed home the resultant spot kick to put his side one
up. The challenge from the keeper would have been a straight red card
even if it had happened in the centre circle but add to this the denial
of a goal scoring opportunity and it made Mr. Winters yellow card farcical.
The home side then picked up another 2 bookings for some shocking tackles
with one so bad that it ended Martin McGarvey's afternoon as he hobbled
into the pavilion after only 22 minutes. His replacement Kenny Gillies
was then booked for his first tackle and this would prove costly later
on in the game. Not surprisingly, Neilston were now bossing the midfield
and they scored a deserved equalizer when McLaughlin headed home on
33 minutes. The game then swung the other way and Arthurlie should have
regained the lead on a couple of occasions but they had to settle for
parity at the break. Arthurlie Hutchison, Farrell, Clark (Barratt), Martin,
Gardner, Travers, McCulloch, McGarvey (Gillies 22), Downs, Fulton, Rhodden
(McKenzie70) Arthurlie draw a blank Frank Lynch reverted to a back four and while this did
the trick in terms of goals against it was again the lack of penetration
up front that meant another poor result for Arthurlie. Both sides have
struggled this season and so it was no surprise to see most of the early
play in the middle of the park with little in the way of clear cut chances.
First to threaten was Gary Lynn when after 27 minutes he chested down
a poor clearance and let go a dipping volley that was palmed over the
bar by Smith in the Lanark goal. Arthurlie kept up the pressure and
had a spell when they were camped in the Lanark half and they should
have took the lead when a Gillies free kick was bundled goal wards and
it took a goal line clearance to prevent it counting. The home side
were struggling to cope with the 'lie strikers with Bonnar McKenzie
putting on a fine show as he continually tracked back and won the second
ball, however the next chance fell to his partner Robert Downs and he
went close with a dipping shot that again was tipped over. In one of
there rare attacks the home side had a decent chance and it took a Stephen
O'Neil boot to prevent them taking the lead when Hutchison was beaten
with a long range shot. The players put in lots of effort in this game and with a bit of luck could have taken the three points that their play deserved but again missed chances cost them dearly. Plus points were a super defensive show as an unfamiliar back four gave very little away, it meant Gary Lynn was not required to track back and with all his efforts in an attacking role this system may bear some fruit, the down side was that we missed the runs of Terry Farrell down the right and it will be interesting to see if this set up continues, (lets face it Ged Gardner right back?). Bonnar was superb and the only thing missing was a goal but his general play and linking with Robert Downs was first class. Derek McCulloch had a good first half but faded in the second and big Hutch had his best game in an Arthurlie shift which will do his confidence no harm. Arthurlie 4-4-2 Hutchison, Gardner, O'Neil, Martin, Allison, Lynn, McCulloch, Gillies, McKenzie (Rhodden 80), Fulton, Downs Subs Barratt, , Green, Travers, Farrell 10 man 'hill hang on Arthurlie fought bravely on the huge expanse that is
Petershill park but ultimately they came away empty handed as 10 man
‘Hill held on to take all three points. Lynn hits four as 'lie run riot Arthurlie got back winning ways in spectacular style as they thrashed a Cambuslang side who had their dream of topping the league blown away by an amazing four goal show by Gary Lynn. It had all started so well for the visitors when after only 10 minutes Stuart Taylor found space on the edge of the box and his delightful chip sailed over Cormack and into the net to put his side one up. It took a determined Arthurlie side a mere 6 minutes to level matters when John Barratt won a free kick on the edge of the box and Gary Lynn's trusty left foot did the rest as he curled the ball round the wall and low past Wardlaw before the keeper had moved. Barratt's style of play was not to the liking of the
visiting fans but it was causing even more bother for their defence
and he again won a free kick just before the half hour and from it,
Arthurlie took the lead. Gary Lynn this time went for height on the
kick but it took a wicked deflection and Wardlaw stood helpless as the
ball looped into the net. The players got a real boost from this piece
of luck and they almost scored a third on 35 minutes when Martin McGarvey
hit a shot that went inches wide. Arthurlie 3-5-2 Cormack, O'Neil, Lynn, Martin, Allison,
Gillies, Green, McGarvey (McCulloch), Barratt (Rhodden), Fulton, Downs
(McKenzie) Big Dave saves the day Goalkeeper Dave Cormack had been an injury doubt before
this game but how thankful the Arthurlie fans were that he passed fit
as he put in a fine display to keep out a good Renfrew side that came
to Dunterlie looking for a win. Three times in the opening 20 minutes
he denied the visiting strikers as the home defence was carved open
by some swift attacking play, the only reply from Arthurlie during this
spell was a shot from Robert Downs that was beaten out by Thomson and
the rebound was ballooned over by Kenny Gillies. Arthurlie had the lions
share of possession but were finding it tough to create any real chances
for the strikers and on 30 minutes it fell to a defender to try and
break the deadlock. Lee Martin was barely over the halfway line when
he spotted Thomson off his line and his dipping shot had the keeper
scrambling back to just save it on the line. Before the game a draw would have been considered 2 points dropped but after watching a much improved Renfrew side miss a hatful of good chances it was probably more like a point gained. We were crying out for someone to use the acres of space down the left hand side and yet young Travers sat out the full 90 minutes on the bench, also it is a concern that Terry Farrell is not even getting on as a sub, we are badly missing his work rate down the right, (nuff said, ed). Derek McCulloch replaced the injured McKenzie at half time and he put in a good 45 minutes so he is now pressing for start but despite being well covered in the middle of the park it's up front were we are lacking due to John Barratt's suspension and Deeko's injury. Arthurlie 3-5-2 Cormack, O'Neil, Lynn, Martin, Allison,
Gillies, Green, McGarvey, McKenzie (McCulloch 45), Fulton, Downs Baillieston Chill out! Arthurlie were down to the bare bones due to injury and
suspension and despite a below par performance they easily dispatched
a poor Baillieston side who would have been disappointed in the less
than average crowd at the game, a biting cold wind and general apathy
towards this competition being the main factors in this. There was another
baffling team selection from Frank Lynch when Terry Farrell lined up
in the middle of a back three despite defenders Lee Martin and Grant
Clark sitting on the bench, Terry actually had a good game but he will
always be a right back and has been tried, unsuccessfully, at centre
back before. On to the game itself and it was nightmare start for Baillieston's
Devine when after only 3 minutes he got in the way of a Paul green cross
and knocked it past his own keeper for the opening goal. This was the
last thing the visitors needed but they almost drew level on 20 minutes
when Devine tried to atone for his earlier mistake from a 30 yard free
kick, his powerful shot beat Cormack but smacked off the underside of
the bar and the big keeper recovered to save. The tie was killed in
a 2 minute spell just before the break when first Bonnar McKenzie connected
with a Fulton free kick and beat Wales at his left hand post to double
the lead, then Paul Green took advantage of some slack defending to
make it three right on the half time whistle.
Arthurlie 3-5-2 Cormack ( Hutchison 45), Farrell, Lynn,
Allison (Clark 65), Gardner, Gillies, Green, McCulloch, McKenzie, Fulton
(Travers 54), Downs Bonnar delivers the nock-out blow! Pre-match hype made the visitors favorites for this tie,
but it was Arthurlie who progressed into round 4 at the expense of a
very disappointing Cumnock side who could have lost by more than the
three goals they conceded. On the half hour and against the run of play 'nock top
scorer Paul Kerr almost netted the opener when got free of his marker
and shot powerfully from 22 yards only to see Cormack save with his
legs. It was a vital save as just a mere three minutes later Arthurlie
struck, there looked little danger as McKenzie chased a seemingly lost
cause down at the left corner flag, but the little striker managed to
cross the ball to Robert Downs and his half hit shot left McConnichie
in the visiting goal helpless. Cumnock were rattled with this strike
and they conceded again 6 minutes later when Derek McCulloch latched
onto a through ball and he chipped over the keeper to double the lead,
being an ex Auchinleck player, Del must have enjoyed netting against
their great rivals, he certainly celebrated enough. Cumnock were not
totally out of the tie and they were unlucky not to get a goal back
just before half time when Paul Kerr saw his header tipped onto the
bar by Cormack and the rebound fell to Ged Gardner who hoofed it clear. Arthurlie 3-5-2 Cormack, Gardner, Lynn, Martin, Allison,
McCulloch (McGarvey 78), Graham (Travers 85), Gillies (Farrell 70),
McKenzie, Fulton, Downs Mac the knife hits a double! In a match played in artic conditions, Arthurlie moved
above Petershill in the league after giving the visitors a lesson in
how to take chances but both teams deserve credit for producing a great
match. The home side struggled to get into the game in the early stages
and had Dave Cormack to thank for an early double save from 'hills Dallas
on 7 minutes. Within 2 minutes of this let off they surged up the park
and Robert Downs capitalized on a missed header from Tinn to stroke
the ball past Chalmers with the keeper looking a bit slow to get down
to the shot. Petershill continued their dominance and really should
have leveled when Cameron hit a 22 yard shot that was parried by Cormack,
although any sort of contact from ex-lie man Ryan McDonald would have
taken it away from the keeper. Just after the half hour and Tinn tried
to atone for his earlier mistake but saw his shot knocked out by Cormack,
the equalizer did arrive a minute later though when Cormack again beat
out a shot but the rebound fell to Dallas and he slotted home. How would
Arthurlie react to being pegged back with the half time approaching?
In some style was the answer, first Ged Gardner's header was saved by
Chalmers but Bonnar McKenzie was onto it in a flash to restore the lead,
then Lee Martin hit a right foot half volley from the edge of the box
to make it 3-1. How Petershill managed to go in 3-1 down would have
had the manager tearing his hear out in frustration but as the 'lie
have found to their cost this season, the game is all about putting
the ball in the net. Arthurlie 3-5-2 Cormack, Farrell, Lynn, Allison, martin,
Gardner, Graham (McGarvey 75), McCulloch (Travers 80), McKenzie, Fulton,
Downs Robert mows down the 'hill Arthurlie won for the third year in a row at Lochburn
in front of a very healthy crowd that was no doubt boosted by so many
other games being called off due to waterlogged pitches, the call off's
were quite puzzling to the fans at this game as it was played in constant
sunshine. Maryhill responded by going straight up the park and were only thwarted by a last ditch tackle from Lee Martin, but crucially they had to commit more and more men forward in search of a goal and this allowed Arthurlie to hit them on the break, and so it was no surprise when it became 2-0 shortly after. Derek McCulloch did brilliantly on the left touchline and his deft chip sent Downs on his way, with half the Maryhill team still in the Arthurlie half, the striker passed to Bonnar McKenzie and the wee man showed great composure to slot the ball past Black and double the lead. The game still had 20 minutes to run and goal for Maryhill would make it a nervy finish but they were denied 2 wonderful saves from Dave Cormack, first he fisted away a Nelson 22 yard free kick that looked net bound as soon as it left his foot. The second save was quite simply stunning, a high ball was misjudged by Stuart Alison and it dropped to John Sherry 10 yards out, the striker killed the ball and picked his spot low into Cormack's left hand post but somehow the big man got a hand to it and knocked it away for a corner, you could see the heads go down right there and then, the game was won and all the Arthurlie fans wanted a cherry on top and it was provided by the play of young Alex Graham. He picked up the ball wide on the right, skipped over a tackle and he was away, moving inside he passed the ball wide to McKenzie who waited on the youngster arriving in the box before returning the favour, with a defender bearing down on him, would he panic and blast a shot from the edge of the box? Forget it, he went to go one way on his left foot before squaring the ball with his right, and there was Robert Downs to tap in his second and finish of a move of real quality. Arthurlie didn't have a bad player today and there were lots of positives to be taken from the game. Dave Cormack is in the form of his life at the moment and he is getting great cover from a sound defence that is benefiting from playing together week in week out. The middle of the park probably saw Derek McCulloch's best game in an Arthurlie shirt and young Alex Graham recovered from a first half that nearly saw his positional inexperience punished to put in a second half that offered real hope that he has a great future ahead. The front two of McKenzie and Downs, who was my man of the match, are starting to link up well and the work rate of the both of them means that defences never get a minutes peace.
thistle jag the 'lie
Arthurlie 3-5-2 Hutchison, Farrell, Lynn, Allison, Martin,
Gardner, Graham (Rhodden 28), McCulloch (McGarvey 80), McKenzie (Barratt
80), Fulton, Downs Subs Hutchison, Travers
Feeling 'doon' in Troon This was the latest in a long list of must win games for Arthurlie but they fell well short of what is required and Frank Lynch must think he is watching a video replay each week as once again his side failed to take chances and then were made to pay the price for defensive mistakes. A great day out at the seaside was anticipated by the large traveling support who fully expected to see their heroes move into the semi finals at the expense of the Ayrshire minnows but they didn't account for a rock hard bumpy pitch and very slack defending that killed the master plan stone dead. There was very little in the way of good football but it was Arthurlie who looked the more likely as Troon were getting caught out time after time with the long ball and the erratic bounce from the fiery surface was causing the home defence all sorts of problems. John Barratt should have opened the scoring on 20 minutes when he was through on Strain but after struggling to get the ball under control he elected to square to McKenzie instead of shooting from the six yards out and this allowed the defender to clear. Arthurlie created the only real class move of the half and it provided the opening goal when Kenny Gillies crossed from the left for Martin McGarvey who dived full length to head into the corner right on half time. Arthurlie resumed with Robert Downs in place of John Barratt and it was hoped that this would inject some pace into an attack that badly lacked it in the first 45 but all we got was the same thing as both sides continued to battle against the pitch and a referee intent on stopping the game for each and every offence. Back to the game and Arthurlie had strong appeals for a penalty on the hour when Ged Gardner bore in on goal and the defender used a hand to take the ball off him but the ref was the wrong side of play and his assistant was too busy finding out who won the Grand National to give the award. Kenny Gillies was then the victim of a brutal tackle on the left touchline that left him needing lengthy treatment but his assailant only a yellow card, this fired up the players and after a couple of late tackles we had the disgraceful scenes of the Troon backroom staff assaulting Stephen O'Neil as he tried to retrieve the ball for a throw in. O'Neil was shown a yellow card and one of the Troon coaching staff was sent to the pavilion for his part in the fracas. Stuart Allison was forced to leave the field after picking up an ankle injury and he was replaced by Alex Graham but instead of keeping the 3-5-2 that up to that point had been dealing comfortably with the rare Troon attacks, we went 4-4-2 and the defence was under constant pressure from then on in. An endless stream of high balls were pumped into the Arthurlie box as Troon grew in confidence and with poor marking and a hesitant keeper it was only a matter of time before the home side equalized. It came with 9 minutes remaining and it was a nightmare for Scott Hutchison, a high ball was lumped in from the left wing and the keeper lost it's flight as it headed for his back post, he back pedaled to try and clear but all he managed to do was tip it onto the crossbar and the rebound came down and bundled over the line by Harvey. Somehow the battered Arthurlie defence held on but the as the tie went straight to penalties, it was not a confident looking bunch who lined up to take them. Despite the very poor record from the spot this year, Arthurlie managed to get all their attempts on target but Strain the Troon goal got his hand to the one struck by Kenny Gillies and we were out. Arthurlie 3-5-2 Hutchison, Farrell, Lynn, Allison (Graham70),
O'Neil, Gardner, McGarvey, McCulloch, McKenzie, Gillies, Barratt (Downs
45)
Sad 'lie watch 'lok go top!!! Very little to spilt the both teams in a scrappy first half with Arthurlie shading the possession but Pollok looking more dangerous in attack. The game was more lively in the second 45 with Arthurlie striking a post through Rhodden before Pollok were incensed when referee Boyd denied them a penalty when he pulled play back for an injury to an Arthurlie player in the Pollok box, he had ample time to stop the play earlier, but his timing to do it just after Hutchison had felled a 'lok striker in the box was laughable. He restarted the game with a bounce up in the penalty box but Arthurlie's O'Neil handled before the ball hit the ground, Boyd spotted it, but instead of a penalty, he gave another bounce up. This fired up the visitors and they took the points with two late strikes of real quality. Arthurlie 3-5-2 Hutchison, Farrell, Travers, Allison,
O'Neil, Gardner, McGarvey, McCulloch, Rhodden, Gillies, Downs One down, five to go! Three derby defeats in seven days leave Renfrew's top
six hopes hanging by a thread. HALF TIME Renfrew 0 Arthurlie 1 More reckless tackling opened the second half with Ged Gardner yellow carded after only a matter of seconds. There were only sporadic chances amongst the crime count with Farquharson again clearing off his own line in the 51st minute. An obstruction by Jim Quigley on the hour mark meant he was next in the book. He was joined in the 72nd minute by Travers for pulling back McKeown and Martin McGarvey for delaying the resulting free kick. Renfrew's only real chance of the second half came in the 78th minute, Jim McNally through on goal but he snatched his shot over the bar. RENFREW: J.Thomson, Hammond, Clark (Morrison HT), Farquharson, Quigley, McKeown, Gilchrist (McNally 68), R.Thomson, Ross (MacKinnon 61), Malone, Prentice Arthurlie 3-5-2 Hutchison, Graham, Travers, Allison,
O'Neil, Gardner, McGarvey, Gillies (Farrell 85), Rhodden (McKenzie 70),
Fulton, Barratt (Downs 85)
True grit from the 'lie With the attraction of the champions league semi final being live on ITV about a hundred hardy souls came out to see who would triumph as the bens pushed for the title and Arthurlie the top six. As it turns out it was Arthurlie, with no margin for error, who produced the goods and won courtesy of a Frank O'Hara own goal after the defender tried to clear form Kenny Gillies early in the first half. Arthurlie had the lions share of the ball in the first half and in truth the 1-0 scoreline flattered a disappointing Benburb side who sorely missed the injured Fontana and the midfield was dominated by Arthurlie, with Gillies in particular reveling in the space. There were at least another two good chances missed by the visitors and Hutchison in the 'lie goal had little to deal with as his back line had him well protected for most of the half.We witnessed the same pattern in the second half as Arthurlie went for the killer second but Benburb always looked dangerous on the break, inevitably as the half wore on the home side came more into it and pushed hard for the equalizer. Bens boss boss Ross Findlay was left raging at his side not being awarded a penalty kick after a 75th-minute incident when striker Gary Elrick wriggled clear inside the box - only to be tugged back by Arthurlie defender Stuart 'Souness' Allison. Rubbing salt in the wound was the yellow card shown to Elrick for diving, when it appeared to all and sundry - apart from referee Andy Gault - that a foul had been committed. The final 15 minutes were agony for the 'lie supporters who had to endure wave after wave of attack but the defence held firm and special mention has to go to Ged Gardner who was an absolute rock. Arthurlie 3-5-2 Hutchison, Farrell, Travers, Allison,
O'Neil, Gardner, Graham (McCulloch 70), Gillies, Rhodden (Downs 80),
Fulton, Barratt (McKenzie 80) Barnes chip sends 'lie crashing You can add Greenock to the growing list of unfancied teams who have dumped Arthurlie out of the cup competitions this season as once again the underdogs came out on top after being given no-chance pre match. The home team failed to turn up in the first 45 minutes and were carved open time and time again by a Greenock side who were relishing the chance to play on a bigger stage and had they not missed a barrow load of chances they would have had this tie sealed up well before the half time whistle. The goal that settled the tie came in the 17th minute and although Alan Barnes will no doubt say he meant it , it looked like he tried to cross the ball and instead of swinging into the box, the ball went straight over the keepers head and dropped in at the far post from all of 25 yards. The home fans then looked on in disbelief as chance after chance was made, and missed, by the visitors, any one of which would have killed the tie. Just before the half hour, Greenock hitman Back sprung the offside and beat Hutchison but his shot slid agonizingly past the post, a minute later and Newman danced past three Arthurlie players before losing his composure and blasting into the side netting. Arthurlie did show some resistance and Rhodden should have done better than hit the keeper went sent through by Fulton, Barratt saw his effort from the rebound cleared off the line. Ged Gardner had a poor first half and his mistake set up Newman again in the 33 minute but the midfielders chip was superbly cleared off the line by Stuart Allison. One final chance fell to Greenock's Back and it was probably the easiest of them all as he again found acres of space behind the 'lie defence but he rushed his shot and went well over the bar. Half time Arthurlie 0 Greenock 1 Rhodden didn't come back out for the second half and on came defender Terry Farrell, and although it looked a strange replacement, the changed Arthurlie team started to dominate and Robert Downs went close on 52 minutes, his shot well saved by Monk in the Greenock goal. With half an hour left Bonnar McKenzie replaced John Barratt who had another lean afternoon (no pun intended), and the rest of the game was played almost exclusively in the visitors half. Martin McGarvey saw his shot tipped round the post after 65 minutes then Mark Travers didn't get enough contact on a McKenzie cross inside the six yard box 2 minutes later. The Greenock keeper was having one of those games and he had an amazing escape with 15 minutes remaining when a net bound Kenny Gillies header was deflected onto the cross bar by Lyndsay. Still it wouldn't go and with only 2 minutes remaining the whole Arthurlie backroom team were furious after the referee denied a stonewall penalty after Martin McGarvey was upended in the box following a bit of pinball in which at least three Arthurlie players had shots either saved or kicked off the line as Greenock defended as if their lives depended on it. With Greenock trying to hit on the break, Stephen O'Neil was left exposed at the back and his last man tackle saw the referee produce a red card but it came so late it had no bearing on the result. Arthurlie 3-5-2 Hutchison, O'Neil, Travers, McGarvey,
Gardner (McCulloch 75), Allison, Downs, Gillies, Barratt (McKenzie 60),
Fulton, Rhodden (Farrell 45) Greenock Monk, McIluoge, Lyndsay, Docherty, McCahill,
Power, Newman, Barnes, Dow, Back, Robertson Solid 'lie make it 4 in a row Another three points were secured by virtue of an early
Derek Rhodden strike and a soft second half penalty but in truth, Arthurlie
won this match in a canter. Half time Cumbernauld 0 Arthurlie 1 The second half was only a minute old when Rhodden should have doubled his tally when he was put through on the keeper by McGarvey, a low shot would have guaranteed a goal but he again went fro power and although he beat the keeper, his shot crashed off the bar and out to safety. With this let off, the home side almost leveled when a back flick nearly caught out Hutchison, but the big keeper did well to re adjust and he gathered the ball at the second attempt. Rhodden was seeing plenty of the ball and on 55 minutes he was set up perfectly by McKenzie but this time the keeper pulled off a marvelous save to deny him. A minute later though and Arthurlie were awarded a penalty for a trip on Rhodden, Bonnar McKenzie was first to the ball and he sent the keeper the wrong way to make it 2-0. Hutchison again denied McPhee with a great save as the home side started to push hard but any chance they had in the match disappeared when no 8 was sent off for a second booking after a harmless looking foul on McKenzie Arthurlie Hutchison, Travers, O'Neil, Allison, Gardner (McCulloch 72), McGarvey, Downs (Graham 60), Gillies (Farrell 70), Rhodden, Fulton, McKenzie Burgh end top six dream Arthurlie led through a stunning 30 yarder from Robert Downs on 20 minutes, but after being bombarded for the entire second half, they lost two late goals and with it went any hope of a top six finish. Full credit to Burgh who never gave up and despite some near misses, including a first half penalty save from Hutchison, they kept pressing and got their reward late on. All the players put in a great effort, but I must single out Robert Downs who put in a magnificent performance and capped it with a quite stunning goal. It would be unfair to blame the loss of a top six place on this game as in truth it was lost a long time ago with the defeats from Larkhall at home, Johnstone away and the drawn games with Lanark and Renfrew. Our home record in the league this season has been appalling, played 11 won 4 drawn 3 and lost 4, and this has been our downfall. In the end we gave ourselves too much to do and despite a great effort from the players in the last 5 games, it was not enough. Here's to next season, come on the 'lie Robert gives them Lok, stock and two smoking barrels Pollok raced into an early 2-0 lead after a Drew McWilliams
double, the first courtesy of a slip by Scott Hutchison and the second
after some slack defending allowed him to round the big keeper and tap
in. Arthurlie had chances to get back into the game but never took them,
Derek McCulloch was the main sinner when he miskicked from 4 yards out. |