JC enjoying early management life.

By Steffan Coutts

Fauldhouse gaffer Jon Connolly has performed at all levels and has been around the proverbial footballing block, he’s ‘a well kent face’ on social media and is affectionally known as JC to everyone who knows him and his lovable rogue character.

But his hardest challenge to date has been transforming from goalkeeper to player-manager to all out boss after taking over the Hoose reins at the tail end of the 2016-17 season as they were on the verge of relegation to the East Premier League.

JC transformed from shot-stopper to manager in less than six months

Fast forward a year and the 37-year-old former stopper has risen to all challenges and defied the odds to secure promotion back to the East Super League after just a season away.It’s been an impressive maiden season for JC and his underdogs with the securing of promotion, and progress in the three major cup competitions that was cruelly ended by just the one goal in each match, which shows how fine the margin is at this level.

And now the season is over JC has had some time to reflect on the past year and how it has affected him as a person on and off the field.He told GoalmouthScramble:

“I’ve enjoyed my first full season in charge and it’s new to me and the coaching staff and what I’ve noticed is my own full-time job has taken a wee bit of a back seat.

“I used to hear gaffers saying do this and that and it’s a 24/7 job and I thought ‘aye right, no bother’, but it is and you deal with everything and everyone and it’s challenging.

“To be fair I’ve been speaking to other gaffers like Pollok FC’s Tony McInally and Mark Cameron who has been different class and when I took the job came in and helped with training and gave me pointers.

“I have some good contacts who I speak to every week and they’re at the top end of the game and very supportive and I can’t complain as every little helps.

“And looking back everything I’ve been through has taken a while to sink in because I’m quite stubborn but I’ve a new appreciation for managers as everything is 24/7 –  I’m lucky as my family is very supportive and so is my manager from my job.

“I’m looking to do my badges next season as well as it’s a requirement and it may help me further down the line if I want to do something else.

“We’re looking at the bigger picture as Fauldhouse are now in the top league and when you look at the bigger picture then we’re trying to strengthen for the next challenge.

“Now we’re back in the top league it’ll be a lot easier to attract better players to the club plus we’ve got quite a few players travelling some distance to get to View Park.

“We know what we need and how we get about it I mean last pre-season was a nightmare as I started with three players and we just let the rest go then brought the rest in.

“To do that and achieve promotion to the top flight in our first attempt and when you strip everything back is some achievement for the club.

“Planning for this season was done and we we’ve played on the park is that we’re a team full of energy that likes to get the ball down and knock it sharp and it’s worked.

“The club gave me a five year deal and that’s the first year of it completed and I’d say we’re a wee bit ahead of where we wanted to be and to be honest we didn’t think we would win the league but second was obtainable.

“And to finish with automatic promotion considering with what we’ve had to do by stripping everything right back including me coming out of retirement to play in goals is some achievement.”

Junior football:

“You don’t know which way the Junior game is going to go now as it’s a touchy subject but the game could do with an injection of new blood to freshen things up after the shake up.

“We looked at the situation and to be honest the travelling is not ideal to stay in the Super League but you’re going into something that’s unknown.

“So we’ll let the other teams jump and we’ll go into the Super League no problem and I actually see them leaving giving us an opportunity to do something and that’s not just staying up but making a difference.

“With what I’ve got here and what I can bring in I’m looking to progress and if you win that league next season then you’re straight into the Scottish Cup – the teams that have left need to wait years before they can even do that now.

“To be fair to us we had the chat about staying or leaving but staying gives us a chance to do something within the Junior game and try to make Fauldhouse a bigger club and a bigger name in the game.”

Rossvale Move Closer to title

Yoker Athletic…1 v Rossvale…2

By Steffan Coutts

Rossvale stand on the cusp of making history after defeating Yoker but gaffer Gordon Moffat stayed relaxed and just wants promotion confirmed before the celebrations kick off.

David Leadbetter and Stephen McGladrigan put Vale two up but Rory McKinnon halved the deficit making the visitors sweat out the result.

With Forth Wanderers nicking a last minute winner against Neilston it helped Vale in the standings and he told GMS:

“We’re nearly there but we’re not there yet so we’ve said to them afore the game that it’s like a cup final and with St Roch’s not playing it was important we went out and did our job.

“It’s difficult to say just forget about everyone else and concentrate on our results and we did that until Yoker scored in which it was a composed performance until then.

“I was keen not to talk about titles until a couple of months ago as it wasn’t the right time and we’re now in a position where we win two games of football and we’re there.

“First and foremost when I came it was to get the team up and we’re nearly there but if we win the title as well then it’s a brilliant bonus.

“We were composed up until the goal went in but when there’s so much at stake it’s a natural thing to defend and drop into your box and I was saying to them there was no need for it.

“Have a wee bit of confidence and composure as a defensive unit rather than fall deep but I can understand that in injury time but not with 15 minutes to go – that was the only small negative of an otherwise good day for us.

“I’m delighted with the result as this is one the other teams were probably looking at as a tricky one as Yoker are a decent side but to come away with three points is excellent for us.”

Vale were ahead on four minutes as Gary McGrath nodded into the path of Leadbetter who outmuscled his man and fired past Liam Campbell for the opener.

Liam McGonigle was next up with a long range freekick that troubled the car park wall more than Yoker keeper Campbell.

Although moments later McGonigle was unlucky after collecting a Peter Bradley freekick and making space but fired right at the Holm Park custodian.

Next up was Matt Niven rising high above the hosts defence to head straight a McGonigle corner at Campbell for an easy collection.

Vale could have felt aggrieved after Kirk Forbes’ defence splitting pass found Jamie Hunter whose deft touch set him on a plate just as whistler Ryan Oliver blew for offside.

McGladrigan should have done better after Anton McDowell set him free but instead of rounding Campbell outside the box he forced a smart save from the keeper’s feet.

But on 55 minutes McGladrigan got lucky when McDowell sent in a cross from the right that deflected off Andrew Rankin and fell kindly for him to nudge in.

Yoker then shuffled their deck and brought on two subs that injected a bit of life into their performance and it paid off on 79 minutes.

Ryan Hynes led a charge into the Vale box and after a bit of body tennis forced a save from Jamie Donnelly, that fell to McKinnon to make no mistake from close range to halve the deficit.

Vale immediately closed ranks and lost their brio allowing Yoker to carve them up at will, and they came close to a late leveller with only the strong hands of Donnelly holding Kerr Allan’s effort from distance.

Yoker: Campbell, Rankin, Cole (B19), Henry, Allan, Bissland, Cree, Howie, Hynes, Young (B61, Maxwell 67), Haddow (McKinnon 67)

Subs not used: Gaddi, Carson, Mulholland

Rossvale: Donnelly, McDowell, Leadbetter, Niven, Bradley, McGrath, Seaton (O’Hare 68), Forbes, McGladrigan (Fernie 77), Hunter, McGonigle (B15)

Subs not used: Tough (SGK), Moffat

Ref: Ryan Oliver

GMS MoTM: Kirk Forbes (Rossvale FC)

2nd Half lok display dismantles Rabs

Pollok…4 v Rob Roy…1

By Steffan Coutts

Tony McInally lambasted his lacklustre Lok lads for their first half performance and they produced a second period that rocked Rob Roy with powerplay of three goals.

Stefan McCluskey cancelled out Gary Carroll’s penalty for both teams to go in at the break evens but McInally’s hairdryer treatment seemed to wake the hosts up.

Gary McCulloch netted an own goal then Adam Forde added to Rabs’ misery, although Michael McKinven spared more insult to injury by saving McCluskey’s penalty before Liam Rowan wrapped up the scoring and the points.

He told GMS: “I had a go at the players at half time as I didn’t think we played particularly well in the first half and we weren’t at it but we put more energy into our game and we could have won by more – we missed a penalty kick but I’ve got to be satisfied as that’s us collected another victory.

“We’re aiming to end the season as high as we can and we went from the end of September to February with one defeat in 18 then we had that bad spell but we got back on track and it shows the potential we have in the team and it showed in the second half.”

Both sides opened well but on 17 minutes whistler Connor Ashwood pointed to the spot after Kevin Watt went down in the box after a soft challenge from Bryan Wharton.

Carroll stepped up and sent the away fans into raptures with a fine spot kick that Jordan Longmuir could do nothing about.

Lok were back on level terms on 28 minutes after a Wharton long throw wasn’t cleared and it bounced to McCluskey who made no mistake with a rifled effort.

Another Wharton throw caused mayhem as McKinven punched to Ryan McGregor and he smashed home but ref Ashwood chalked it off much to the dismay of the home support.

Lok came bursting out the traps after the break with Grant Evans firing a searching ball into the Rabs backline, and despite under little pressure from Forde, McCulloch managed to nod past his own keeper to give Lok the lead for the first time in the match.

Moments later McCluskey went from scorer to provider as he cut the ball across the six years box for Forde to eventually power home for a two goal cushion.

The Rabs looked to be heading towards a nightmare as Joseph James Slattery nudged against Stuart McCann in the penalty area for a spot kick.

Despite Wharton looking to take it McCluskey stepped up but McKinven guessed correctly showing strong hands to push it away and keep the scoreline respectable.

But it was over as a contest on 81 minutes as sub Rowan played a neat one-two with Wharton to slot past McKinven.

Lok’s win was overshadowed by Rabs’ Daniel MacKenzie and Stefan Law collecting nasty injuries that held up the match for a few moments in the visitors’ fourth match of the week.

Rabs boss Stewart Maxwell, who was also on the bench for this match, said: “I didn’t think 4-1 was a fair reflection of the game and I thought we were still in it up to the own goal.

“We’ve got to learn when lose a goal to box up but we lost a quick one right after it and the heads went down and it was hard on us especially with having two players taken to hospital too.”

Pollok: Longmuir, Evans (B75), Sideserf (B45), Wharton, Gallacher, Sena (Rowan 79), G McCann, McGregor (B87, Little 89), S McCann, Forde (Brash 82), McCluskey

Subs unused: Young, Hepburn

Rabs: McKinven, McCulloch, MacKenzie (Hughes 76), O’Halloran, Boyle, Fraser, Mackie, Law (Slattery 27), Carroll, Watt, Gallacher (Johnstone 68)

Subs unused: Connell (SGK), Maxwell

Ref: Connor Ashwood

Att: 545

GMS MoTM: Ryan McGregor (Pollok FC)

‘Chee claim famous Scottish Cup Victory against Talbot

By Stefan Coutts

Junior Scottish Cup Semis L1

Auchinleck Talbot…0 v Lochee United…1

Blue Bells boss George Shields reckons their late winner at Beechwood Park may have awoken a beast and is under no illusion of the task that lies ahead for them in the second leg.

Lochee keeper Mark Fotheringham was the original hero of the day tipping over Gordon Pope’s rasper and then denying Stephen Wilson from the spot, before Connor Birse’s late show gave the team from the east a slim advantage.

He told GMS: “Any result is a positive for us and even leaving with a goalless draw we would’ve been happy with that but to snatch it at the end there is fantastic and great credit to the boys.

“We’re not taking anything for granted and Auchinleck will come to Thomson Park next week and a one goal lead is not a lot we’re not favourites and I say it all the time that the big teams are favourites.

“They’ve got a history by winning the Scottish Cup 11 times and we don’t as we’ve never won it so we’re the new boys in town and we’ve got a great chance of getting ourselves to the final.”

Talbot were unlucky not to go ahead early doors as Graham Wilson found Jamie Glasgow in space, but the wideboy could only ripple the side netting with half of Beechwood Park on their feet to no avail.

Last year’s beaten finalists tried to turn the screw with Mark Shankland whipping in a cross that Paul Lunan heading out for a corner, that quickly came back in with Dwayne Hyslop nodding over from close range.

Then it was Lochee’s turn to test Andy Leishman after Scott Webster switched flanks to Scot McComiskie and he cut back for Dougie Cameron, whose effort deflected around the Talbot box like a pinball and just evaded the keeper’s grasp to end out for a corner.

And right on halftime Pope set his sights and rifled goalwards from 30 yards with only the strong hand of Fotheringham denying him an opener by tipping over.

Lochee felt hard done by on 49 minutes when whistler David Dickinson pointed to the spot after catching Stephen McNally and Ross Harvie jostling when waiting for a corner.

McNally picked up a booking for trying to plead his innocence while Wilson steadied himself for the spot kick – but Fotheringham never read the script and guessed correctly to keep the Lochee in with a shout.

Shortly after McComiskie felt he should have been awarded a penalty after tangling with Willie Lyle but ref Dickinson told them to smarten up and get on with it.

With the match entering the final act Glasgow made a run into the box and pulled the trigger, and despite Fotheringham being down and out the ball took a wicked deflection and fell into his grasp right on the line.

The drama extended into injury time as Logan Davie played in Birse, and he took advantage of Talbot’s hesitancy to burst forward and slot past the already downed Leishman to take the lead back up to Thomson Park.

Talbot gaffer Tommy Sloan said: “We got mugged a wee bit there at the end I mean I don’t think the first half was up to much but we improved in the second half but they defended well and they caught us at the end but they’ve had one chance and they’ve scored so fair play to them.”

Auchineck: Leishman, Lyle, Pope, Harvie, McPherson, S Wilson, White, Hyslop, G Wilson (B53, McIlroy 72) Shankland, Glasgow

Subs not used: Hewitt (SGK), Pooler, McCracken, Armstrong

Lochee: Fotheringham, Webster, Kirk, Lunan, Cameron, Ritchie (Davie 84), McComiskie, Smith (B43), Deasley, McNally (B49), Lawson (Birse 77)

Subs not used: Stewart (SGK), Miller, Reid

Ref: David Dickinson

GMS MoTM: Mark Fotheringham (Lochee United)

Stef’s Travels: Beith fight back to draw at Pollok

By Stefan Coutts

Pollok…2 v Beith…2

Beith boss Johnny Millar applauded his side as they battled back from two down to salvage a point at Tony McInally’s Fortress Newlandsfield and keep their title hopes alive.

Bryan Wharton and Stuart McCann gave the hosts a two goal cushion but when they lost Grant Evans to a second yellow on 81 minutes the tide turned.

Millar opted for six up front and went for the kill with Darren Christie halving the deficit with a stunner, and deep into injury time Lok failed to clear their lines with Paul Frize bundling over the line to share the spoils.

He said: “At 2-0 down we took a gamble and threw men forward with Darren Christie scoring a screamer to get it to 2-1 then we got everyone in the box and it eventually came.

“I knew the boys would give their all but I thought we were out of time but at the end of the day we got the goal that counted so we gambled and we got away with the point.”

Both sides probed with Lok believing they had a good penalty shout on 11 minutes that whistler Stephen Graham waved away after Ryan Docherty looked to have fouled Stefan McCluskey in the box.

Lok nearly opened soon after with McCluskey providing a bit of magic from nothing to rattle the post with Beith keeper Stephen Grindlay slow to react as it rebounded away.

But the goals broke out after the break with Christie clattering McCluskey in the box and ref Graham pointing to the spot with Wharton slotting home on the hour mark.

The hosts looked to have wrapped up the game on 74 minutes as Paul Byrne switched to Stuart McCann who collected and rifled through the legs of the keeper.

It was nearly three as Gary McCann rounded Stephen Grindlay and aimed goalward only for Conner McGlinchey to clear off the line and to prove pivotal in the result.

Lok’s Evans hit the showers for an early bath, and on 86 minutes Christie turned from sinner to saint with a sublime effort from the edge of the box to throw Beith a lifeline which they took with aplomb.

And deep into injury time Lok failed to clear and Frize was the quickest to react and poke home to take a point back down to North Ayrshire.

Raging Lok gaffer Tony McInally said: “I thought we were the better team for 85 minutes but that result is a sickener and a sore one for us to take.”

Pollok: Johnson, Evans (B56, R81), Byrne, Wharton (B90), Sideserf, Sean, G McCann (Rowan 82), Young, S McCann (Little 82), Forde (B58, Hepburn 77), McCluskey

Subs not used: Brash, Gormley

Beith: Grindlay, McGlinchey, N Docherty, R Docherty, MacDonald, Martin (Bradley 66), Christie, Frize, McLean (McPherson 75), Collins, Burke (Wilson 68)

Subs not used: Reid, Milliken

Ref: Stephen Graham

Att: 581

GMS MoTM: Bryan Wharton (Pollok FC)