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Greater Glasgow Amateur Premier League | |||
| League Division 3A | ||||
| King George V Pitches | ||||
| Sat 19th September 2009 | ||||
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Rannoch 'A' |
1 - 3 |
Windlaw AFC |
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Scorers: Yates (pen) |
Scorers: McKenna (3) |
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| Team: Connell, Stewart, Tyrell, Smith, Morrison, Robertson, MacPherson, Yates, Mitchell, Lang, Lester | Team: Lunny, McInally, Wilson, McCann, Devaney, Simpson, McCaig (Granger), McGeachy, Carr (Dougall), Carey (Johnstone), McKenna | |||
| H-T: 1-1 | Referee: Robert Allison | |||
Three changes from last week’s victory over Calderglen with Kevin McCann, Chris Carr and Benny Carey replacing Zanda Dougall, Thomas Taylor and Chris Hepburn who called off in the morning with flu. Top goalscorer Greg Johnstone could only make the bench having just arrived back from a long-haul flight. Weather conditions were pretty decent however the pitch sloped downhill at one end and the grass was long with the surface uneven in patches.
The game quickly developed into a midfield battle with both sides searching for supremecy. Some tough challenges were being made and it was fair to say from early in the game that Windlaw were to seldom get the benefit of many decisions. Windlaw took the lead when Danny McKenna found limited space in a tight situation and cracked in a 22 yard shot which kicked up and flew into Connell’s left hand corner. Rannoch were testing the visitors with balls over the top and it was through this route the equaliser came as a high through ball saw Mick Devaney adjudged to have fouled the Rannoch forward in the box as they contested it and ref Allison pointed to the spot. Colin Yates coolly sent John Lunny the wrong way from the spot to even up matters before the interval.
Half Time: Rannoch 'A' 1 - 1 Windlaw AFC
Chasing an important three points Windlaw began the second-half with more purpose. Again there were some meaty challenges going in but Windlaw were starting to look stronger. Greg Johnstone came on for Benny Carey who had put in a good shift. Eventually the breakthrough came on 74 minutes in rather bizarre circumstances. A Wullie Wilson free-kick from the left floated into the Rannoch box and as Connell came out to collect it the ball appeared to take a strange bounce off the uneven turf and it looped over him allowing the alert Danny McKenna the simple task of nodding into the unguarded net from only two yards out. Rannoch refused to give in though and they tried to apply pressure. It almost paid off with five minutes left as a free-kick into the Windlaw box was misjudged by the defence and Rannoch’s substitute crashed a shot off the face of Lunny’s crossbar from an acute angle. This proved to be the decisive moment in the game as seconds later Windlaw broke and a through ball to McKenna saw him beat Rannoch’s offside trap and left him clean through. As Connell attempted to come out he calmly sidefooted past him to complete a deserved but hard fought win.
Full Time: Rannoch 'A' 1 - 3 Windlaw AFC
Verdict: Windlaw Manager Billy Hepburn said of the victory ‘It was a good three points on an uneven pitch and some crazy calls by the ref but we stuck to our game plan and got the victory’
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 Windlaw Star Man: Danny McKenna has to take the award for a match winning contribution. His general play has been better but these type of performances show that he can still score goals while not at his very best. |
