Greater Glasgow Amateur Premier League
	League Division 3A
	Toryglen Regional Indoor Football Centre
	Sat 6th March 2010
	East Kilbride Rolls Royce	2 - 3	Windlaw AFC
	Scorers: McMillan (2)		Scorers: Johnstone (4)
	Team: McSporran, McMillan, Campbell, MacKenzie, Brown, Woods, McMichael, Moore, Larkin, Walker, Matthews		Team: Lunny, McInally (Baird), Carr, Dougall (Wilson) Granger (Thomas), Kerr, McCaig, McGeachy, Hepburn, Johnstone, McKenna
	H-T: 1-1		Referee: Colin Simpson

A bit of history made as Windlaw played their first ever competitive match indoors at this superb arena. Full marks to Rolls Royce for getting the game on at such a venue. Three changes were made from our last game at Garnock Valley in the Challenge Cup defeat. Tam Simpson started the first of his two game ban and Kevin McCann started the first of his four match ban while Thomas Taylor was suffering from an ankle knock picked up in the Garnock defeat that ruled him out. Colin Carmichael was also unavailable. New signing Joe Kerr came straight in at centre-half and he was partnered by Zanda Dougall who returned to the starting line-up. Calum Granger shifted into central midfield to fill the void left by Simpson’s suspension and Liam McGeachy came in to replace Thomas Taylor wide right. Another new boy Craig Thomas took his place on the subs bench. The home side had former Windlaw man Anthony Larkin playing as their central striker. The 4G playing surface was massive although the ball had a slight tendency to hold up a little when passed.

Both teams started brightly and chances came at both ends. John Lunny made a fine save when an EK player burst through two tackles into the Windlaw box, his left foot shot was finger-tipped just past the post by the big keeper who got his angles spot on. Danny McKenna then cut in from the left edge of the box and crashed a right-footed shot off the woodwork and over. Chris Hepburn then also hit the post from a well-taken free-kick as Windlaw threatened. It was however the home side who took the lead when they were awarded a free kick 20 yards out. Rather than shooting the ball was cleverly played past the left side of the defensive wall and when it was squared across the goal, McMillan had a simple task to sidefoot home. It was poor defending on Windlaw’s part and should have been defended much better. Windlaw did eventually equalise though as Greg Johnstone’s speculative 25 yard shot from the right flew over McSporran’s despairing dive into the corner of the net. His two game scoring drought promptly ended with his 35th goal of the season! Parity was preserved until the break despite both teams pushing hard for openings and some decent football being played at times.    

Half Time: East Kilbride Rolls Royce 1 - 1 Windlaw AFC

Windlaw started the second half well and took an early lead after they were awarded a free kick just outside the EK penalty area. Greg Johnstone stepped up and smashed a shot that appeared to go through part of the wall and flew low into the net past the keeper who couldn’t make up the ground. This then prompted EK’s best and most dominant period of the game. Windlaw’s defensive unit suddenly started looking very jittery and failed to clear their lines properly on a few occasions. EK were awarded a penalty when a ball into the box left their forward one on one with Joe Kerr. As he tried to round Kerr and flick the ball over him, Kerr was adjudged to have handled and the penalty was given by ref Simpson who seemed some distance away. The resultant kick was however blasted off the face of the bar and away to safety. This was to prove the pivotal moment of the game as Johnstone was then to add two more well taken finishes from the edge of the box to bring Windlaw to a comfortable 4-1 scoreline. Near the end, Windlaw seemed to tire slightly on the big pitch and with minutes remaining, a Larkin cross was met by McMillan’s looping header that found its way over Lunny into the net.

Full Time: East Kilbride Rolls Royce 2 - 4 Windlaw AFC

 

Verdict: Manager Billy Hepburn said "It was a good result after a few weeks lay-off and a good all round team performance." Next Saturday sees the team face Rannoch ‘A’ at home in the league.

Windlaw Star Man: A joint award this week. Chris Carr played superbly at left back and had a storming game and he shared the honour with Greg Johnstone who had four outstanding finishes and continues his amazing season.

 

 

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