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Greater Glasgow Premier AFL | |||
| Division 3A | ||||
| Barlia Sports Complex | ||||
| Wed 26th August 2009 | ||||
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Windlaw AFC |
3 - 1 |
Rolls Royce EK |
 |
Scorers: Johnstone(2), Hepburn |
Scorers: McTaggart |
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| Team: Lunny, McInally, Wilson, McCann, Z Dougall (Sinclair), Simpson (Baird), McCaig, Hepburn, McGeachy, Johnstone, McKenna | Team: McGeachy, McMillan, Connelly, Miller, Lawson, Innes, Deery, Kinnaird, Core, Murray, Cook | |||
| H-T: 0-1 | Referee: Kevin Murray | |||
A decent evening for football although Rolls Royce would have the benefit of a decent breeze behind them first half. Windlaw made two changes from Saturday’s win at Calderglen with Zanda Dougall coming back in to replace Calum Granger and Chris Hepburn coming in to replace the injured Thomas Taylor for the first league game of the new campaign.
The wind tended to waste the opening periods with both sides hitting too many long balls which the defences were coping with. Any first half openings would come from good crosses and from one into the visitors box Danny McKenna almost scored but couldn’t get enough on it. Set plays looked the best bet for both sides but the defending was solid at most times and the play lacked a cutting edge with the passing and control not the best.
As the game seemed set for a stalemate at the break, the visitors struck. The move began from a throw-in down their left which Windlaw didn’t deal well with and the ball was shifted out to the right wing where the midfielder had space. He angled a fine ball in between the retreating Windlaw defence and John Lunny which fizzed up and allowed James McTaggart to get in between them and glance a fine header high into Lunny’s top right hand corner from 8 yards.
Half Time: Windlaw AFC 0 - 1 Rolls Royce EK
The second period continued in a scrappy fashion with Windlaw still trying to settle and play and things were pretty even but the next goal would be vital. John Lunny then kept Windlaw in the game with a magnificent save getting the merest of touches to a ferocious angular drive with his left foot to divert it just past. Windlaw would have struggled to recover from that but instead the equaliser came on 67 minutes when Eck McCaig’s persistance at the edge of the box forced the ball through to Greg Johnstone. McGeachy half blocked his first effort diving at his feet but the rebound fell kindly for the big striker and he lashed it home from a few yards out.
The complex of the game then changed and the visitors looked more content for a point but on 74 minutes Chris Hepburn put Windlaw in front when he got the ball at the left of the box and jinked past a defender before conning McGeachy into thinking he was going to cross, he instead smashed the ball into the gap between the keeper and his right hand post for a fine goal.
By now Windlaw were knocking the ball about with confidence and it was no surprise when a third goal arrived courtesy of that man Johnstone again. As he was played in on goal in the box he hammered his shot well past McGeachy for his eleventh goal in only four competitive games to wrap up the points.
Full Time: Windlaw AFC 3-1 Rolls Royce EK
Verdict: A vital three points for Windlaw to get the league campaign off to a good start. It wasn’t until the last 25 minutes that the team began playing and the game then changed. Not a vintage performance by any means but the result was all important.
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Windlaw Star Man: Wullie Wilson takes the award for a fine performance from left back. Mentions too for Windlaw’s two subs Ian Baird and Colin Sinclair who came on and had a good settling effect on the team. |
