Buffs beaten at Lok

Frustrated Buffs boss Chris Strain insisted his side had improved however the refereeing performance of whistler Chris Gentles let his side down in Saturday’s 3-0 away defeat to Pollok at a packed Newlandsfield.

After a fairly quiet first half Buffs captain Craig Pettigrew volleyed wide after Scott Johnson’s punch fell to him at the edge of the penalty area on the stroke of half time.

Five minutes into the second half Bryan Boylan missed a guilt edged opportunity to give his side the lead, Carlo Monti gathered the ball out on the left hand side, took it by his man and whipped in a cross for Boylan to stretch for, Boylan connected with the ball 5 yards out only to see his shot flash the wrong side of the right hand post.

10 minutes later Boylan again wasted a golden opportunity to put the away side one up. After being played through by Garry Flemming, one on one with the keeper he fired towards the bottom left hand corner, only for the ball to ricochet off of the post allowing Tony Coutts to scramble the ball to safety.

With 66 minutes played Pollok made Kilwinning pay for their missed chances, Ryan McGregor’s powerful run from deep couldn’t be stopped as he beat three men laid the ball for Shaun Fraser, how dropped his shoulder and struck a powerful shot from 20 yards, beating Rangers loanee Nicky Hogarth as it snuck in off the right hand post via a deflection.

Pollok doubled their advantage six minutes later after whistler Chris Gentles gave an indirect free kick on the right hand side of the penalty area after some confusion, leaving gaffer Chris Strain. Substitute Stefan McCluskey laid the ball off for Adam Forde who struck a ferocious shot into the top right corner leaving Hogarth with no chance.

Pollok made it three without reply in the 90th minute. Stefan McCluskey stole the ball off of Sam McCloskey, leaving Stuart McCann to play the ball back into his path, driving into the right side of the area, he struck the ball across Hogarth and into the bottom corner, sealing the three points.

After the game, Buffs manager Chris Strain added; “We clearly aren’t getting the breaks at the minute, I thought we were the better side today up until that first goal which even took a deflection as it went in. 

“We had plenty of chances to go one up, Bryan Boylan had a chance at the start of the second half that is a goal nine times out of ten, and then later on instead of going in off the inside of the post its went off the outside and back into play and we’ve not got our noses in front and then we’ve compounded that by conceding the second goal in the way we did so soon after.

“It was definitely a much much better performance than recent weeks, there’s been a lot more desire and togetherness from the boys today. People will have a look at that scoreline and think it was a comfortable result for Pollok and it was far from it, but we need to dust ourselves down and get on with it and get ourselves over the line.”

“It’s a difficult defeat for us to take, it’s really frustrating, especially when the ref has gifted them an opportunity to go two goals up like that. Its so difficult for us to gain our composure again after that because we’re fighting for everything. It’s so hard to try and be positive when you feel the worlds against you and thats what that second goal felt like, it took the game away from us.”

The post man delivers… AGAIN

Gordon Pope was delighted as his second half spot kick was enough to earn Auchinleck a well fought victory over Cumnock at Townhead Park on Saturday in a hotly contested derby match on Saturday afternoon.

In a lively start, Talbot had the first chance of the match through Graham Wilson, who could only head the ball over from 6 yards out from his brother Stephen’s zinging cross shot.

Cumnock went up the pitch and nearly found the lead themselves three minutes later, after working hard to chase down the ball over the top, Robert Patterson stole the ball from Neil MacPherson on the byline, he managed to create a small angle to shoot and force Andy Leishman into good save from 8 yards out.

Alistair Millar’s free kick from the right hand side of the area just after the half hour had Leishman left rooted to the spot as it fizzed round the post, inches away from the Top Left hand corner.

Graham Wilson was lucky to escape a red card at the end of the first half after elbowing Ray Montgomerie in an arial challenge, bursting his nose in the process, only to walk away with a yellow card.

The only goal of the game was scored with 25 minutes of the second half remaining. Cumnock captain James Lundie was adjudged to have fouled the returning Keir Samson after planting his forearm into the strikers back in an arial duel at the edge of the box.

This left whistler Ross Hardie having no hesitation in pointing to the spot giving Pope the chance to give the away side the lead. He stepped up and confidently slotted the ball beyond Ally Semple into the bottom left corner as he wheeled away in celebration.

Talbot nearly doubled their lead 10 minutes later, Stephen Wilson volleyed over from 12 yards after meeting Mark Shankland’s diagonal through ball from the left hand side.

With seven minutes to go, Richard Murray met Paul Burns’ corner at the near post, his flick on was easily held by Leishman to prevent it from nestling in the bottom left corner.

In the closing stages with Cumnock piling the pressure, Talbot broke and sent Jamie Glasgow running through on goal, he took on his man down the outside, brought the ball into his right foot and was unlucky to curl it the wrong side of the back post from a tight angle.

After the game Talbot manager Tommy Sloan was delighted his side were going back up the road with three points. He said; “ It’s always good to win these matches, especially with the result meaning that we stayed within touching distance of Hurlford at the top of the league, we’re only five points off with five games in hand.”

“I thought we could’ve been better in the first half as we didn’t show much quality on the ball and didn’t create much chances, we were quite poor, so im glad they came out and improved in the second half. We’ve played some nice stuff and listen we’ll take that penalty, it might’ve been soft but we’ll take it, I thought we had the slight edge over Cumnock who were really up for the game today and made it difficult for us.”

“I was saying to the boys before the game its a really exciting time for the club just now, we’re still in all the competitions, we’ve got a Scottish Cup Semi Final game coming up, but we’ll take it a game at a time. We’ve got Craigmark next week and then Cambuslang before Lochee in the semis of the Scottish, but in all honesty it was good to make another inroad for winning the league hopefully.

Goalscorer Gordon Pope added “ All that mattered today was getting the three points, Hurlford were off so it gave us a really good chance to catch up on them and put ourselves in a strong position going forward. This was a real season defining win for us today, last season we would’ve probably either drew or lost games like this which can only mean good things going forward as it shows the character we’ve got in us to go and get that 1-0 result.

“In fairness it was an even game for the most part, Cumnock made it tough for us it was just your typical derby match and we’re all buzzing we could just get the points and keep looking up the league.”

Johnstone heroics halts Murdie’s Pollok.

Pollok manager Murdie MacKinnon was left frustrated and fired a warning to his side as they were again held to a draw by Troon for the third time this season in a 0-0 draw at Newlandsfield after some Scott Johnstone heroics.

Pollok started the game the brighter of the two sides, with their first chance coming within the first ten minutes after some early pressure, Stefan McCluskey was played in by Jamie Henry with a fine ball over the top, he cut in on to his right foot but dragged his shot wide.

Half way through the first period Ryan Stevenson tested Jordan Longmuir from 20 yards, after reacting first to the second ball, he found himself with time to compose himself before striking the ball from the right hand side of the area, which Longmuir comfortably saved.

Jack Sherrie was next to try his luck, he marauded down the left hand side, dropping his shoulder to get past Gary McCann, as he drove towards the box he cut in and hit a fierce shot high and wide of the right hand corner.

Dean Keenan tried his luck just after the hour mark after the ball fell to him outside the area, his shot destined for the bottom right corner was easily saved by Longmuir in the Pollok net.

With 13 minutes to go, Scott Johnstone produced arguably the save of the season. Stefan McCluskey beat his man on the left hand side and managed to get a cross in,

Shaun Fraser met the ball at the edge of the box on the half volley, hitting the ball into the ground which was destined for the top left corner, however Johnstone adjusted himself mid dive to reach the ball and tip it over the bar after a Dean Keenan deflection, with leaving the home side dumbfounded.

After full time MacKinnon added: “It was a really scrappy game today but first half i was far from happy, we lacked tempo and energy, we were wasteful in possession, I’m far from happy with our contribution to the game, looking across the board it just wasn’t good enough and we should’ve been better. I set up with an attacking formation to go and be in there faces and to win at home and we’ve not got the win.

“Their goalie has made a worldie of a save but thats his job so I can’t focus just on that,

“We’ve got a big squad here, theres competition for places and when players are going on and not giving a decent performance then they’re not going to keep they’re place, i’m not here to keep them happy they’re here to keep me happy it’s ad simple as that.”

Pollok ease past Cumnock

Pollok boss Murdie MacKinnon was delighted with his sides dominant but professional performance over Cumnock in a 2-0 win over the Ayrshire side at Newlandsfield on Saturday.

The first chance of the game fell to Grant Evans within the first five minutes who headed over an out swinging corner from 6 yards out.

Pollok took the lead six minutes before half time. Gary McCann beat the offside trap to meet Ryan McGregors through ball on the right hand side, when up against Ally Semple he squared it to Stef McCluskey who finished into an empty net from 12 yards out.

Cumnock nearly equalised just after the hour mark when Steven Degnan was found free at the back post from a corner, however he could only shoot into the side netting.

With 20 minutes to go Cumnock’s day went from bad to worse. Stopper Ally Semple was sent off by whistler Matthew MacDermid after Stuart McCann was sent through bearing down on goal. After hesitating Semple charged out only to miss the ball and take out the striker at the edge of the area, leaving the ref no option to but to give him his marching orders.

With just over 10 minutes to go, skipper James Lundie’s header which was destined for the top right corner was fantastically parried away by Jordan Longmuir.

With eight minutes remaining, Pollok made the game theirs when Adam Forde completed a lovely move to make it 2-0. 

Longmuir’s punt was only half dealt with by Gregory Ferry, his header ricocheted off Gary McCann’s back which landed at his brothers feet. He lifted it over Alan Murdoch down the right hand side for McCann to square it across goal for Forde to tap in from eight yards to wrap the game up.

A delighted Murdie MacKinnon spoke to GMS after full time, he said;

“I thought first half we were excellent we controlled the game well, I’d brought in some players who hadn’t featured as much to give some other players a rest and they performed fantastically. I thought Jordan Morton coming in for his debut was fantastic and he got on the front foot particularly well so I’m delighted for him.

“I thought the goal we scored was a really nice footballing move. Ryan McGregor plays the ball through and Gary McCann does what he does best in beating the offside line, he’s showed his maturity and squared too Stefan who’s finished off a great move for us.

“Second half i knew Cumnock would come out quickly so the message was to contain them, after last week I’d told the boys to not start slowly like we did last week. After the sending off I thought the boys did brilliantly, Cumnock went to a back three and Gary McCann had acres of space infront of him and we explored that option to get us our second goal which was another great footballing move.”

Maxi’s delight as Rob Roy cruise to Ladeside win

Stewart Maxwell was beaming as his Rob Roy side gave him the perfect gift to celebrate his 300th game with the club with a 4-0 victory over Kilbirnie Ladeside on Saturday.

Ladeside had the best chance to break the deadlock in the first half. With captain David Anderson heading over Kyle Rafferty’s in-swinging corner at the near post 17 minutes in.

Five minutes before the break, centre half Reon Juskowiak saw his shot from the edge of a crowded penalty box saved by William Muir in the Roy net.

Five minutes into the second half Rob Roy found themselves 1-0 up after Juskowiak was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box after battling with William Sawyers.

Leaving the referee no choice but to point to the spot and give Juskowiak his marching orders. Lee Gallacher stepped up and slotted the ball into the bottom right corner sending Wilton the wrong way.

In an immediate reaction. Forward James Finlay was slipped through by David Ramsay down the left, his right footed shot from 18 yards was easily saved by Muir.

With eight minutes to go, substitute Connor Hughes lost his marker at the back post to head home Lee Gallacher’s cross from the right hand side and double Rob Roy’s lead.

Two minutes later Lee Gallacher netted his second of the game after Connor Hughes latched on to the knock on down the right hand side, he passed it into the path of Gallacher 12 yards out who met it with a thumping drive into the bottom right hand corner to make it 3-0 to the hosts.

With a minute of normal time remaining Lee Gallacher unlocked the Ladeside defence down the right again with a great reverse pass into the box for Connor Hughes to latch onto and finish from a tight angle through the legs of Joe Wilton to round up the scoring.

Speaking to GMS at full time Maxwell said;

“It’s always great to win, obviously with this week being the week i reach 300 games for the club, but winning was the main thing today and to make sure we could enjoy it too. It was a special moment for me to reach such a significant milestone for the club so it made it that wee bit extra special.

“I thought we played fantastic today for most of the game, the penalty was obviously the turning point and changed the game but I thought we passed the ball about really well and moved them about though we could’ve added a bit more.

“Lee Gallacher was fantastic, I’ve challenged him to kick on and he has, I’ve given him the captain’s armband a few times this season too and he’s stepped up and lead by example which has been important for us and he’s started to add goals to his game too.

Jordan Currie Mclean was outstanding today, he had to move further back and play at full back but still had a big impact today and they couldn’t deal with him and his energy down the right hand side.”

“Hopefully we can just keep going, I’ve been here a long time now. I’ve got a great affiliation with the club and we have a great mutual respect for eachother. We’ve got the new park coming up as well it’s a really positive time for everyone in and around the club.”