Johnstone Burgh 4 GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 1

Scorer : Miller

Graham Rix may have departed the Scottish footballing scene but today at Keanie Park it seemed that his namesake Brian Rix had taken centre stage as the match official, for this game ended in a farce of Rix proportions (take your pick what Rix). The only thing missing was the ref's shorts didn't drop to his ankles as he departed stage-left! By the time the curtain came downthe Glens had been reduced to 7 men whilst Burgh finished the game with 10. The final score-line was certainly heavily influenced by the comings and goings (mainly the goings) but few would deny that Burgh were the better team on the day and deserving of their victory.

Glorious sunshine bathed Keanie Park and soon things got even brighter for the visitors when Darren Johnstone shrugged off a couple of Burgh defenders at the corner of their penalty box and squared the ball into the box for the incoming Brian Miller to calmly volley the ball beyond the reach of the Burgh goalie. The Glens then enjoyed their best spell of the game but without creating any more clear cut chances; long range efforts from Dale Beattie, Tony Murphy and Robbie Mitchell all falling into the half-chance category.

At this stage in the game Burgh were creating few chances but one in particular should have produced the equaliser. Excellent play down the right wing saw the perfect ball being played into the box and somehow it eluded two if not three inrushing Burgh players and the chance was gone.  The Glens failed to heed this warning and another excellent passage of play by Burgh down the right wing saw a high ball played into the box this time and the Burgh forward rise unchallenged and head the ball home. It was now Burgh who were playing all the inventive football with pacey breakaways or mazey runs which were creating all sorts of panic in the Glens defence but as yet no more goals. More often than not the Glens resorted to the long punt up the park for Zander Allan and Johnstone to chase but with no joy.  

The yellow card count had started to mount and the referee had made it quite clear by his actions that he was not one for giving players from either side the benefit of the doubt or indeed for tolerating any talking back. The half closed all square but with Burgh in control. Half-time: Johnstone Burgh 1 Glenafton Athletic 1

Burgh took a deserved lead with another well worked goal, a one-two down the left flank followed by some excellent individual skill by the diminutive forward to hold off the Glens defence, finished off with a fine strike.  Matters then went from bad to worse for the Glens when they were reduced to 10 men. Liam Paterson was on the receiving end of a dreadful tackle and raised his hands in disgust to his assailant, who then needlessly fell to the ground in an embarrassing fit of play-acting.  Having been lucky not to be stretchered off the hapless Paterson was sent-off, perhaps aided by the antics of the Burgh's No. 11 which had also served to take much of the gloss off the home side's performance.  

To their credit the Glens plugged away and were handed a life-line when they were awarded a penalty with 12 minutes remaining, after Darren Johnstone had been fouled in the box. Scott Houston, who had come on for Allan only seconds beforehand, took the spot-kick but it was comfortably saved by the Burgh keeper. Two minutes later the Glens were reduced to 9 men after Dale Beattie was shown a second yellow card, after having won the ball fairly and squarely in a tackle that didn't warrant a free-kick let alone a yellow card. 90 seconds later, Burgh were reduced to 10 men after McGregor was tackled from behind on the half-way line, earning his assailant a second yellow card and his first red. His second red card quickly followed as he threw a punch at a Glens player, right in front of the referee. 

Any thoughts of the 9 equalising against 10 were dispelled two minutes later when former Glens player Paul Deeney (who had come as a late sub) crossed a great ball in from the right wing for the Burgh striker to head home and make it 3-1.  90 seconds later Burgh broke forward again and the the little striker was through one-on-one with Glens goalie Garry Matthews, the ball cannoned off the shins of the diving keeper to safety but the Burgh player's momentum carried him forward and he unavoidably  fell over the recumbent Matthews. Astonishingly (or maybe not) the keeper was shown a straight red card and Burgh awarded penalty kick. Brian Miller took over in goal for the 8-man Glens and was glad to see the spot-kick strike the post and then cleared.  Three minutes later however, Miller was picking the ball out of the net when Paul Deeney, the winning goal hero of the Glens Rockware Leage Cup team, headed home the fourth and final goal of the game. However, it was not the final card of the game for in the cliosing minute Steven McGregor was shown his second yellow card of the game and off he went for an early yet busy bath!

Final Score : Johnstone Burgh 4 Glenafton Athletic 1

Glenafton Athletic : Matthews; McAninch (Blair), Paterson, McGregor, Stewart; Mitchell (Bingham), Beattie, Murphy, Miller; Allan (Houston), Johnstone

 

 

Peter McAninch

Dale's back !

Burgh keeper saves Scott's penalty

Scott Houston - head first!

 

Former Glens player Paul Deeny makes it 4-1 for Burgh

 

I don't think you can blame the ref that much as all red cards were justified,although the number 9 should have walked too considering his antics.the game was lost when collins decided to take the right back off and play 3 at the back giving johnstone acres of space to run riot.why he done that when the defence was having a hard enough time is beyond belief.the midfield with the exception of dale beattie were non existent,all in all a very weak and sublime performance from a team who are not out of the relegation battle yet.

Hello Glens Fans: I agree the ref's not to blame for the defeat - as I said I think Burgh were the better team. More a case that some of the ref's decisions contributed to the scale of the defeat.

Liam raised his arms and therefore it is a sending off. Dale looked to me to have won the ball cleanly and I didn't think that Gary intentionally brought the Burgh player down , more the case that the Burgh player fell over him (not a dive)

Relagation battle - we could do without and another cup final would be nice

Excellent match report and very fair assessments in the comments although I'm not sure which no.9 and his antices is being referred to. Re the 'penalty' or no. 9's momentum carried him into and over your keeper who had cleared the ball prior to the collison. I ahd a great view and it was not intentional and certainly not a dive. Also, it wasn't a foul and the fact the ref gave a straight red spoke volumes for his crazed performance. Our no.11' reaction sticks in ma craw. I abhor that even if it's one of ours. We're still right in the relegation mire but I reckon the Glens are out of it. All the best.

my mistake it was the no.11 and not the no. 9 I was on about,it was a penalty there's no doubt about that.if you keep playing like that I think you'll avoid the drop but we're not out of the woods yet.all the best for the rest of the season.