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.”

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.”

10 man Peasy hold Pollok in Glasgow Derby.

Pollok gaffer Murdie Mackinnon admitted his side’s second half performance wasn’t good enough as they drew a blank against rivals Petershill on Saturday afternoon at Newlandsfield in a 0-0 draw.

He said “The second half performance wasn’t up to standard, we controlled the game relatively well but in the final third we lacked that final bit of quality needed and that’s something that we need to work on.

We will regroup speak to each other about individual criticisms and then we will go and work on areas that need work on. Playing here in front of your home fans, you want to go and put on a show and score goals.

I said to the players before the game ‘this is a derby you’re playing in’ its the fixture on the calendar that most fans will look out for and we definitely didn’t play as if we were in one today.

We need to make Newlandsfield a hard place to come again, which i know we can do and i know that we can do the business here most weeks. It’s just a matter of going out and doing it now.

Credit to Petershill though. They came here with a game plan and they stuck with it with they way things have been going for them, they were a great unit and they fully deserved their point. I said to the boys that the first goal was vital as it meant they would have to come out of their shape and it would’ve opened the game up for us.”

Pollok’s best chance of the first half came through Danny McKenzie’s link up with the returning Stef McCluskey who’s shot from the left hand side of the area was scrambled clear by Graham Girvan on the goal line.

Girvan was later sent off in the secone hale for foul and abusive language towards whistler Calum Scott as Pollok searched for that crucial first goal.

Petershill’s best chances came on the counter attack. Luke Crerand saw his effort from 12 yards out smothered by Jordan Longmuir then hacked away by Danny Mckenzie.

Pollok’s late search for the winner found Stef McCluskey on the right hand side, one on one with his man he managed to find a bit of space on the wing but his near post cross wasn’t matched by any attackers.

PHOTO CREDIT : Ross MacDonald @RossMixdonald

Murdie Gets First Win

Murdo McKinnon got the first win of his Pollok FC tenure on Saturday afternoon with a fine 3-1 victory over 10 man Cumnock at Townhead Park in a Scottish Cup 3rd round replay.

Pollok started the game the brighter of the two sides having the first chance of the game five minutes in through David Gormley.

Grant Evans played a neat forward pass into the feat of debutant Josh Watt, who slid the ball into the path of Bryan Young on the right hand side of the area, who knocked it into Gormley’s direction, who fired the ball across the goal and out for a goal kick.

Cumnock nearly made Pollok pay for their missed chances five minutes later. Jordan Longmuir left Carmichael’s deep cross from the left hand side, which allowed Reid to run in at the back stick, who dinked the ball back across goal only for Anson to head high and wide of the empty goal.

Pollok took the lead in emphatic fashion 20 minutes in. Bryan Young’s corner from the left hand side was met by the powerful David Gormley. Who beat his man in the aur six yards out and head beyond the reach of Ally Semple into the net.

60 seconds later Danny Mackenzie’s ball over the top was met by the impressive Josh Watt who instinctively lobbed the ball over Ally Semple after he caught him off his line to give the away side a two goal cushion.

Cumnock found themselves only a goal behind nine minutes later. Pollok switched off from the throw in on the right hand side, in which Reid’s ball from halfway found Scott Anson 18 yards out. Both Pollok defenders allowed him to turn and lift the ball over Longmuir into the top left hand corner.

Two minutes later Anson turned hero to sinner, after he was judged to have handled the ball in the penalty area following Danny Boyle’s header. David Gormley stepped up but Ally Semple pulled off a fantastic save to his right hand side parrying the ball behind for a corner.

With 10 minutes of the first half remaining Cumnock found themselves reduced to 10 men. Shaun Fraser timed his tackle perfectly on Faulds to set Pollok on the counter attack and in a moment of madness Faulds proceeded to kick out in Fraser’s face/chest area, leaving the ref no option but to give him his marching orders.

Ross Brash completed the scoring with just under half an hour remaining. Grant Evans picked the ball up in his own half. Giving some fans a flashback of Maradona in ’86 he fantastically dribbled through four ‘nock defenders before playing a neat through ball to Brash into the right hand side of the penalty area, who proceeded to fire the ball across goal into the bottom left corner from 15 yards out to send Pollok through to the 4th round of the Scottish Cup.

Cumnock : Semple, Murray, Crawford, Lundie, Faulds, Wood, Reid, Burns, Anson, Carmichael, Degnan.

Subs : Muir, Brotherson, Montgomerie, Johnson.

Pollok : Longmuir, Evans, Mackenzie, Gallacher, Boyle, McGregor, Watt, Brash, Gormley, Fraser, Young.

Subs : McNeil, McWilliams, S McCann, Coutts, Johnson.