Greater Glasgow Amateur Premier League
	Division 3
	St Margaret Mary's, Castlemilk
	Sat 7th March 2009
	Windlaw	2 - 1	Giffnock Soccer Centre
	Scorers: Burns (80), Kerr (89)		Scorers: O'Donnell (33)
	Team: Lunny, McInally, Z.Dougall (Wilson), Tierney, Burns, McKenna, McCaig, Taylor, Kerr (Carmichael), Carey, Humphreys		Team: n/a
	H-T: 0-1
	Referee: Robert Cruickshank

Three changes for Windlaw with Bruce Tierney and Paul McInally replacing Kevin McCann and Colin Carmichael in defence with Paul Humphreys replacing Duncan McGregor who was unavailable through work commitments. With new boys Andy Rae and Scott McKellar also out in addition to McCann and McGregor, Windlaw had to ask Wullie Wilson to join Colin Carmichael and Allan Dougall on the bench despite him having a broken bone in his mouth such was the lack of bodies. The Maggies pitch was again very boggy in the central areas on a cold and windy afternoon. The visitors had the dangerous frontline of Cadman and O’Donnell and boasted a good record in Division 2 of five wins in six league games. Bizarrely referee Cruickshank thought it was a 2.30 kick-off and his late show meant a needless extended warm-up for both sides.

The game started fairly even with neither keeper having too much to do. Windlaw had a strong wind at their backs and Lunny’s long kick-outs were being well defended by GSC. Danny McKenna fired an opportunistic shot just over from 25 yards but it was becoming a midfield tussle in the main with some hard tackles going in. On 33 minutes though, GSC went ahead after three Windlaw players challenged for a high ball in their own half and no one won it. GSC worked the ball to Cadman at the edge of the box and after McInally partially blocked his effort, he laid it back to Hampton at the edge of the box whose low fizzing drive brought an outstanding right-handed parry away from John Lunny but it fell loose to Tony O’Donnell who scooped high into the net from close range. Worse news for Windlaw came when Zanda Dougall jarred his knee awkwardly as he slid for a ball and he had to be replaced by Wullie Wilson on 38 minutes. 

Half Time: Windlaw AFC 0 - 1 Giffnock Soccer Centre   

The second half was again a tight affair in worsening weather conditions. Often passes or crosses would get caught in the wind or skid away. The tackling remained fierce and committed though from both sides. Danny McKenna almost got the equaliser when he was played through but his right foot shot clipped the bar as Sommerville advanced. The next goal would be vital but Windlaw weren’t giving up easily and finally their resiliance reaped rewards on 80 minutes. As the visitors tried to break up their left, the attack was broke up and the ball fell for the maurading Simon Burns on the halfway line. He burst forward beating three men, one with a lovely nutmeg, and as things opened up for him as he approached the box he struck a firm right-footed drive which Sommerville got hands to but couldn’t keep out the net. It was game on now but the prospect of extra-time on the worsening pitch would have filled all the players with dread. It was perhaps this which drove Windlaw to get the winner on 89 minutes. After a long throw-in was flicked on, Paul Humphrey’s header looked set to win it but Sommerville’s outstreched arms blocked it as far as Chris Kerr who smashed it into the ground and in. Kerr summed up Windlaw’s courage as he played despite being unwell and shouldn’t have been on the pitch when he did score. Despite a few late GSC corners and six minutes of injury time, Windlaw held on for the victory.   

Full Time: Windlaw AFC 2 - 1 Giffnock Soccer Centre

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