Match Report

Strathclyde Saturday Morning AFL:Division 1
26th February 2005 Barlia Sports Complex
Windlaw AFC	3
Williamson, Taylor, K McCann. Sent Off : Neeson
Blochairn Star	1
Hughes
Team: Lunny, Bonnar, Kearney, McInally, G.Wilson, Docherty, Neeson, Taylor (McCabe), McCaig, Carey (K McCann), Williamson (W Wilson). Unused Subs: S.McCann

 
Action Details

By all accounts Blochairn Star arrived in Castlemilk on Saturday very confident of another regulation victory.Why wouldn't they? After all they have had a superb run in the last two seasons,two successive league titles (1 and 2),a superb run in the West Of Scotland Cup this year where they are in the last 16 and an unbeaten run of three league games against Windlaw (including two victories one of which an 8-3 hammering). No reason to suggest anything other than three points against a Windlaw side whose form has by their own admission been very patchy over the last season and a half. Football however is unpredictable and the true spirit of Windlaw for the first time in a long time returned to overcome the odds in this game.

Shug Neeson was booked in the opening minutes of a very cagey start with both teams feeling each other out. However Windlaw gradually took control and after about 20 minutes, goal machine Scott Williamson latched onto a pass in the box and his expert lob over the keeper gave Windlaw a deserved 1-0 lead.Minutes later, Shug Neeson's second yellow and his subsequent dismissal left Windlaw wondering whether this would be a turning point in the game .It proved to be as each player in a green jersey put in that bit extra that more than accounts for the loss of a team-mate. For a short spell after, Windlaw looked slightly disjointed as Blochairn enjoyed a fair bit of possession but could still not seriously threaten the Windlaw goal. On the absolute stroke of the half time whistle, Scott Williamson was fouled around 25 yards from goal.Thomas Taylor stepped forward and curled a peach of a right foot shot high into the keeper's top right hand corner.

The expected onslought of the Windlaw goal after the break never materialised. Blochairn looked a beaten team and only their captain and target man Gerry Hughes looked threatening however he was being superbly marshalled at the back by Mr Consistency Gary Wilson. Windlaw had a great chance to make it three when pocket dynamo Martin Docherty rushed his shot into the keeper's arms in the six yard box. The third goal came courtesy of a penalty. Eck McCaig was rewarded for his tireless shift when he was clumsily upended by a Blochairn defender in the box. Up stepped substitute Kevin McCann to drill the ball low into the keeper's left hand corner. Game over !! McCann again missed a great chance to make it four when his chip over the onrushing keeper came back off the face of the crossbar. Blochairn got a late consolation courtesy of a penalty when Gary Wilson was harshly adjudged to have tripped Blochairn's Gerry Hughes who picked himself up to score from the spot.

Man of the Match: Everyone in a green strip.