| Greater Glasgow Premier AFL: Division 3 | |
| 20th October 2007 Colquhoun Park |
|
| Rannoch | 1 |
| Maxwell | |
| Windlaw | 0 |
| Team: Lunny, McInally, Sinclair, Stuart, Montgomery, Larkin, Wilson, Paton, Carroll, Carey, McGregor | |
Windlaw had to make four enforced changes from their last week’s defeat to Garrowhill Thistle with Craig Montgomery, Colin Sinclair, Duncan McGregor and new boy Graym Carroll replacing Williamson, McKenna, Thornton and O’Neil as a combination of injury and the Old Firm game robbed the squad of a host of players. Skipper Bruce Tierney was already ruled out after a knee operation. Lack of defenders resulted into Windlaw changing to a 3-5-2 formation with Carroll joining Paton and Wilson in centre midfield and Sinclair, McInally and Stuart forming the back three. The playing surface was superb but with Windlaw only having 11 players and no substitutes, this was always going to be a day when we needed the rub of the green.
Rannoch were awarded a dubious penalty on 6 minutes when a cross from their left wing into the box reared up and was adjudged to have been handballed by McInally. Referee Granger took a very rare blow on his whistle and pointed to the spot. Lunny though, outfoxed Rannoch’s Edward Bilic and his low shot to Lunny’s right was brilliantly tipped round the post by the big keeper who has been on top form lately. Lunny then incredibly almost gave Windlaw the lead when his huge kick-out landed just inside the Rannoch box and was misjudged by keeper Mitchell who allowed it to bounce in front of him. Luckily for Rannoch, his blushes were spared as the ball bounced off the face of the crossbar and landed just behind the onrushing Carey who was ready to tap home the rebound. The ball was then scrambled away for a corner. Rannoch had another few close efforts. Firstly McInally’s attempted headed clearance rebounded off the face of his own post and cleared and then Lunny made a magnificent save when he somehow clawed out a deflected cross-cum shot from just inside his right-hand post when it appeared to be in. Rannoch eventually took the lead on 27 minutes after careless play on the Windlaw left flank left McInally trying to defend a two on one situation. The ball was squared to Rannoch’s Maxwell and he squeezed his shot past Lunny to give the home side a deserved half-time lead on the balance of play.
Half Time: Rannoch 1 Windlaw 0
The second half saw both side’s defences mainly on top. Rannoch’s impressive Robert Morrison had put the shackles on Windlaw’s prolific Benny Carey and Duncan McGregor was getting little joy out of Rannoch’s Grewer although the amount of fouls committed on McGregor brought no response from referee Granger who seemed to not want to participate in the game at all. Windlaw were denied a stonewall penalty in the first half after a push on McGregor in the box and a similar shout to Rannoch’s penalty for handball was ignored when the incident occurred in the Rannoch box. Rannoch had a few decent chances to wrap the game up but Maxwell and Junner were guilty of high and wasteful shots which ran the clock down in anycase given the length of time it takes to retrieve the ball at the open Colquhoun Park. Windlaw had a couple of decent late chances to level. Stevie Paton whose back problem had flared up and should really have been off if any subs had been present, curled a shot just past Rannoch’s right hand post on 85 minutes but it wasn’t to be Windlaw’s day and Rannoch held firm for the victory.
Full Time: Rannoch 1 Windlaw 0
Summing-Up: Windlaw’s eleven men worked very hard and deserve credit for that. A lack of continuity of squad and lack of commitment from some other quarters is making life difficult for this side. In the end today, we lacked the guile and strength required to cut Rannoch open. For them, Robert Morrison at the back was the difference between the two teams. It seems unlikely now that Windlaw can mount any serious title challenge this season and given the quality of opposition we’ve faced so far, that is disappointing and frustrating.
Star Man- John Lunny- saved a penalty, made another superb save, handled well, kicked well and hit the Rannoch crossbar. Difficult to see what else the big man could offer to the cause.
