McBookie Premiership

GLENAFTNO ATHLETIC 3

KILBIRNIE LADESIDE 2

by Bobby Guthrie

HOSTS Glens and Kilbirnie served up an entertaining match in difficult conditions in the relentless rain and the gusting wind which often would change direction at will ……much like the score-line.

The visitors opened the scoring on 16 minutes from a corner kick that was headed on at the near post to skid across the wet surface to the back post for Reece Williamson to hook home from the six-yard line.

Glens drew level in 23 minutes with a sublime goal. Darren McLean wide on the right picked out Chris Dallas on the outskirts of the box and although he was tightly marked he cutely flicked the ball with outside of his boot over his head before breaking into the box to meet the ball on its descent and crack an unstoppable shot past the keeper.

The visitors regained the lead with an equally impressive strike on the half hour after Jon Scullion curled a lethal left-foot shot beyond Brian McGarrity at full stretch. The Glens keeper later produced a great double save as the Blasties pushed to extend their lead while another flashed inches wide.

The visitors picked up from where they left off as Jon Scullion tested Brian McGarrity with another screamer of a shot before the keeper blocked a point-blank shot from corner-kick that followed. Glens immediately broke upfield and Mick McCann’s shot from the right struck the outstretched arm of Williamson. Up stepped Dallas to send the goalie the wrong way from the penalty spot and square the game in 47 minutes.

The hosts were now doing all the pressing and took the lead in 59 minutes.

A super run own the right by Orsi saw him slip past a number of defenders to get to the bye-line and after turning the defender one way and then the other clipped an inch perfect ball into the box for Dallas to get between keeper and two defenders on the line to nod the ball home from two yards.

It was now the visiting goalie who had to perform heroics and keep his side in the game as the Glens pressed while visitors attacking play had lost its earlier sparkle. Nevertheless a late revival ensured for a tense finish for the hosts and McGarrity was called into action before Ally Park and Kyle McAusaland combined to make fantastic blocks as substitute Joel Kasubandi looked certain to score from four yards.

The home side held on for the points as the five minutes of added-time finally drew to a conclusion.