| Strathclyde Saturday Morning League: Division 1 | |
| 10th November 2007 Haghill Sports Centre |
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| Hogganfield Thistle | 2 |
| Windlaw | 5 |
| McCann, McKenna (4) | |
Team: Lunny, A.Dougall, Thornton (Bonner), Sinclair, Z.Dougall, McCann, McCaig, Carmichael, Baird (McGregor), McKenna (Stevenson), McGinlay |
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Unbelievably, Windlaw were competing in their first game in 4 weeks due to National Cup competitions and League blunders with the fixtures. This could have caused us to be sloppy and lacking in match fitness, but quite the opposite was to follow. Windlaw looked sharp, hungry, determined, nothing like a team who hadn’t played for weeks.
Windlaw set a high tempo from the early stages and looked well up for the match. They took control from the first whistle and went ahead through Kevin McCann. The Windlaw corner was swung dangerously into the Hogganfield box, and McCann leapt magnificently above everyone else and cannoned a brilliant header off the underside of the bar and into the net.
Windlaw were in the ascendancy and doubled their lead shortly before half-time. Allan Dougall played a neat pass through to David McGinlay and his shot was partially blocked. However it spun into the path of Danny McKenna who took a few steps before drilling it low into the net from 18 yards. This was the start of the Danny McKenna show
Windlaw could have scored another couple before half-time but had to be content with 2-0 at the break. Hogganfield weren’t offering much in attack, however that was more to do with the solid Windlaw defending as opposed to Hoggy’s impotence up front. Paul McCartney is a smashing player and one sniff at goal for him usually results in a goal, so it was crucial the defence maintained concentration, even at 2-0
Half-time Hogganfield Thistle 0 Windlaw 2
Windlaw had a shaky start to the second half and allowed Hogganfield into the game. The home side scored after a deep cross to Windlaw’s back post was looped over Lunny’s head and into the corner of the net. Windlaw claimed for a foul in the build up after Colin Carmichael was scythed down, but authoritarian ref Michael McGeechan wasn’t interested.
Windlaw restored the 2 goal advantage when Danny McKenna, who looked suspiciously offside, jinked inside the Hoggy box and crashed his shot off two posts and into the net. McKenna completed his hatrick after beating the offside trap and rounding the onrushing keeper for a tap in.
Hogganfield pulled another goal back through a long range free kick. It was either pure, unequalled genius from the Hogganfield player or the biggest slice of luck ever as it travelled over Lunny and into the net. No matter, as the home side were back in the game.
That was short lived though as the Danny McKenna show was rounded off in style. A good long range pass from Allan Dougall found the on form hitman, who beat the offside trap again. McKenna drew the keeper out of goal and drilled past him to take his tally for the day to 4!
5-2 and it was now game over. Windlaw continued to search for more goals but the scoring was over for the day.
Full-time Hogganfield Thistle 2 Windlaw 5
Verdict – A brilliant display of determination, enthusiasm and hunger defied Windlaw’s prolonged absence and we deservedly collected all 3 points from the match. The work rate was excellent and we look like a team who are serious about contesting the league championship. The unbeaten league run stretches to 8 games now, but many more hard games lie ahead, so it’s more of the same required please.
MOTM – Undoubtedly Danny McKenna! His 4 goals today come on the back of 2 goals for the afternoon side last week and he is definitely a man on form. He looks to have struck up a good partnership with David McGinlay up front, which could be frightening if the two of them maintain their current level of performance. Overall it was a very good team performance, one that we require every week until the end of the season if we are to be serious title challengers.
