Tag: Gasworks Park

Larkhall Thistle 0 St Anthony’s 2 – 1st September 2018

On: By: ian

Gasworks Park, Larkhall
Larkhall Thistle v St Anthony’s
Friendly

 

Today’s game was a friendly arranged due to Girvan having cup commitments. St Anthony’s were the bottom placed team in the West and Central Leagues so players and supporters alike were looking for a positive result.

 

The first half finished without a goal and without Larkhall having created a chance of note. The Ants whilst not exactly dominating the game did create several chances and could have taken the lead on a couple of occasions.

 

Half time: Larkhall Thistle 0 St Anthony’s 0

 

The visitors had the ball in the net early in the second half but the striker had made his run too early and was rightly ruled offside but Thistle were creating a couple of decent chances and were on top in the early part of the half.

 

Larkhall made a couple of substitutions on the hour mark but the Ants took the lead with 15 minutes left through a scrambled goal from a corner.

 

Six minutes later it was 2-0 from the penalty spot after the referee had awarded the spot kick for handball, sub keeper Ryan Cooper’s first touch of the ball was to pick it out of the net.

 

Again it was late goals that cost Thistle the game, pointing to a lack of fitness or concentration over the full 90 minutes or both. Again also the passing was well short of what is required and has to be improved.

 

Full time: Larkhall Thistle 0 St Anthony’s 2

 

Larkhall Thistle 1 Irvine Victoria 6 – 4th August 2018

On: By: ian

Gasworks Park, Larkhall
Larkhall Thistle v Irvine Victoria
McBookie.com West Region Championship

 

Thistle began their league campaign against Irvine Victoria, a team who found themselves in the same situation of having no players, manager or money going forward into the new season.

 

The first half showed a marked improvement in the young Jags team as they saw out the half on level terms with the sides creating a couple of chances each.

 

Half time: Larkhall Thistle 0 Irvine Victoria 0

 

The second half started with Vics doing most of the pressing and they got the breakthrough when the ball broke from a corner and was steered in for the opener. However the game turned on a couple of wild tackles from Ross Adams in a five minute spell resulting in Thistle being reduced to ten men.

 

Having just about held their own and stayed in the game at 11 v 11, the extra man proved too much and the Jags collapsed with Irvine tearing the defence apart almost at will. Vics scored again straight after the sending off with a free kick that took a horrible bobble when the keeper looked to have it covered but three more goals in a five minute spell tied it up. Thistle pulled one back from the penalty spot but lost the six almost straight from the restart.

 

With Irvine Victoria as one of the teams potentially competing at the foot of the table for survival, this is a benchmark of the improvement that will be needed to stay in the league.

Full time: Larkhall Thistle 1 Irvine Victoria 6

 

Larkhall Thistle:
Cooper; Gibb, Kidd, Holmes, J. Adams, R. Adams, Riddoch, Broaton, Bartloz, M. Cuthbertson, Torrance
Subs: Munn, Airth, S. Cuthbertson, Campbell, McMurray

Scorer: Bartloz

Rutherglen Glencairn 9 Larkhall Thistle 0 – 28th July 2018

On: By: ian

New Southcroft Park, Rutherglen
Rutherglen Glencairn v Larkhall Thistle
Sectional League Cup

 

Thistle’s first competitive game under the new management provided a look at what might be expected in the coming season and the early signs are it’s going to be an uphill struggle. Glencairn were four up inside 18 minutes and the signs were that it was only going to get worse but to their credit the young Thistle team steadied the ship and saw out the rest of the half on more or less even terms, albeit with the keeper pulling off a couple of very good saves.

 

Half time: Rutherglen Glencairn 4 Larkhall Thistle 0

 

Two early second half goals for Glencairn took any sting out what was left of Thistle’s recovery ambitions and for the rest of the game it was damage limitation, three further goals could have been more but for more excellent work from the keeper.

 

Fair to say that the project still needs a bit of work.

 

Full time: Rutherglen Glencairn 9 Larkhall Thistle 0

Larkhall Thistle 0 Troon 7 – 27th May 2018

On: By: ian

Gasworks Park, Larkhall
Larkhall Thistle v Troon
McBookie.com Super First Division

 

Thistle’s last game of the season was also the last game for the management team of Dunky Sinclair, Tam McLaughlin and Jamie Sandilands. In marked contrast to last season’s epic encounter with St Roch’s there was nothing to play for today for the Jags although Troon were still chasing a promotion place via the playoffs.

 

Thistle got off to a good start attacking the old club end and nearly took the lead after just five minutes, Gary McStay rolled the ball from a corner to Billy Robb and his first-time shot brought out a great save from the Troon keeper. Mark Canning had featured prominently in the opening stages and sent a good effort wide of the post three minutes later.

 

 

It looked like the old stagers of Canning, McKeever and Gary McStay might have a final fling, they were all playing well but after 16 minutes it all turned sour as Troon took the lead with their first real attacking move of the game. Good play down the right then a ball into the box that the No.10 slid in unchallenged to meet and send high into the net.

 

Three more quickfire goals before the break put the game beyond doubt. Declan Doyle was outmanouevered on the left and the cross left an easy tap in from two yards for the second. The third came from the same position but the Troon No.11 in fairness did brillianly to twist and turn and get his cross in that left a free header right in front of goal.

 

The fourth came down the right, again a shot in that Johnny Duncan could only block and the follow up was slammed into the roof of the net.

 

Half time: Larkhall Thistle 0 Troon 4

 

Dunky made his final throw of the dice as manager with a triple half time substitution; Johnny McStay, Ryan Innes and Josh Payne for McKeever, Robb and Doyle but any thoughts that Thistle could get back into the game disappeared as early as the second minute of the half when Troon got their fifth from an unchallenged shot inside the box.

 

The only time Thistle threatened the visitors goal came 10 minutes into the second half, Gary McStay did well down the right wing, beating the left back and getting a cross in to Johnny McStay who hit a good volley just past the post.

 

Troon made it 6-0 with 20 minutes still left to go and thoughts of double figures must have crossed minds of players and supporters of both sides. As it was they settled for just one more three minutes from time to complete what was the most embarrassing result in many people’s memory.

 

Good luck to Sinky, Tam and Jamie and thanks for all your efforts, nobody will forget the double header with St Roch’s last season. Good luck also to those players who played their last games today and again thanks for all the good work.

 

Full time: Larkhall Thistle 0 Troon 7

 

Larkhall Thistle:
Duncan; Doyle (Payne 45), Brown, Mushett, Reynolds; McKeever, Canning (Innes 45), Jack, Robb (J McStay 45), Reid; G McStay. Subs: Clarke, Kelly

 

Scorers:

 

Booked: Robb

 

Rossvale 4 Larkhall Thistle 0 – 12th May 2018

On: By: ian

Huntershill Village Hub, Bishopbriggs
Rossvale v Larkhall Thistle
Central League Cup

 

Thistle made their first visit to the new Rossvale park at Huntershill Village Hub, a council run facility where health and safety is the top priority. For some bizarre reason supporters are confined to one half of one side of the park but in fairness to the council everybody went home safely.

 

 

With only 11 fit first team players the Jags were up against it from the start but Matty Clarke had a chance to put them up after just four minutes when he was sent clear by David Reid but he wanted too much time and his shot across the keeper was saved.

 

Rossvale came back right away with a move down the left, the cross was met in the middle but the finish was blazed high over the bar. Jags keeper Stewart Thomson went down off the ball and it was obvious right away he was going to have to go off and be replaced by Johnny Duncan.

 

Rossvale settled down quickly and had the upper hand for the rest of the game as Thistle limped out tamely from the last competition of the season in what is probably the final season for the Central League Cup.

 

Rossvale had a couple of decent efforts before the first goal came for them after 28 minutes but it came from a corner for Thistle that was cleared over the top, leaving Niall Reynolds with no chance of catching the flying winger who crossed for the striker to take a touch and settle himself before slotting in.

 

Larkhall hit back right away, Gary McStay setting Graham Gracie up for a good shot that might have brought an equalser but was straight at the keeper. Reynolds kept Thistle in the game with a goal-line clearance a minute later but the reprieve was not to last for long. The Rossvale captain and best player easily stepped past Clarke before taking the ball on and hitting a shot that Duncan might have expected to do better with albeit it might have taken a bit of a deflection.

 

Even at half time it looked obvious that the game was done and there was going to be no way back.

 

Half time: Rossvale 2 Larkhall Thistle 0

 

After a quiet opening 15 minutes Thistle might have given themselves a chance with what turned out to be their last real attempt of the game. Gracie took a quick throw on the right to McStay who rolled the ball inside to Jack, he played it out to the left to Reid and his shot brought out a good save down low.

 

Things went from bad to worse as Gary McStay was booked then shown a second yellow for backchat, poor stuff when the backs were against the wall on a hot day and Gracie did his best to join him with a senseless barge into a Rossvale player’s back that he was lucky just to be booked for.

 

It was the end of any resistance from Thistle with the only question now was how many. The answer was another two that were both shambolic from a defensive point of view, the fourth coming five minutes from time when Thistle were down to nine men after Josh Payne had also been sent off.

 

A real low today after last week’s great effort at Irvine, hopefully the final three games will give the team a chance to get a few more league points on the board.

 

Finally congratulations to our neighbours Royal Albert who were confirmed as the Second Division champions today.

 

Full time: Rossvale 4 Larkhall Thistle 0

 

Larkhall Thistle:
Thonson (Duncan 11); Doyle (Cuthbertson 57), Brown, Reynolds; Kelly; Payne, Clarke, Jack, Reid; Gracie, G McStay

 

Sent off: G McStay, Payne

 

 

Larkhall Thistle 3 Kello Rovers 0 – 28th April 2018

On: By: ian

Gasworks Park, Larkhall
Larkhall Thistle v Kello Rovers
McBookie.com Super First Division

 

Thistle made several changes from the midweek loss to Petershill; Duncan, Doyle, McKeever, Innes and Clarke all dropped out to be replaced by Thomson, Mushett, Payne, Canning and Gary McStay.

 

The Jags got off to a shaky start with Kello having most of the early play and chances, in the seventh minute Josh Payne had to rescue the defence with a clearance off the line that set the tone for an excellent game from the youngster.

 

Kello had a claim for a penalty after 15 minutes with the suspicion of a shirt being pulled followed by the ball striking an arm from close range but the referee waved play on, however he appeared to use the totting up method of two half penalties making a whole one when he awarded a spot kick two minutes later for a challenge from Hugh Kelly. Stewart Thomson in the home goal kept up the Jags excellent recent record of keeping penalties out with a diving save to his left.

 

 

Johnny McStay had done well to rob a Kello defender and get his shot away and although not his best effort he made up for it in the 20th minute when he again took the ball off a dithering defender and took it forward, keeping his head well to slot past the keeper.

 

Five minutes later David Reid nearly made it two with a fierce drive from 25 yards and at this point Thistle were in control of the game and passing the ball confidently. Kello replied with a shot from range of their own that Thomson saved well but that was about it from them in the first half in an attacking sense.

 

Reid doubled the lead ten minutes from half time after Brian Jack’s flick header set him away, he took the ball wide past the last defender and looked to have taken a touch too many but in doing so created the perfect angle to draw the keeper and slot it past him into the opposite corner.

 

Half time: Larkhall Thistle 2 Kello Rovers 0

 

Two minutes into the second half the game was over as a contest as Liam Mushett rose to meet a corner from the left and made excellent use of the back of his neck to force the ball over the line.

 

Understandably with the game won Thistle’s performance dipped a bit and Kello came back into it but without the quality in the final third to threaten a realistic comeback. Their best effort came twenty minutes from time from a simple move, a throw-in found an unmarked team-mate who took the ball first time on the volley and forced a full length save from Thomson.

 

Thistle saved their best move of the game till the 80th minute, Kelly found Gary McStay on the right side of the penalty area with an inch perfect pass, he played the ball across the area to substitute Matty Clarke on the left who rolled it into the path of Reid to take the ball in and nearly put the icing on the cake but he was denied by another good stop from the keeper.

 

Two minutes later Clarke found himself in an almost identical position and his shot brought the same result from the keeper.

 

The win move Thistle up to the dizzy heights of fifth bottom with four games left to play against Kello Rovers (away), Cumbernauld (away), Troon (home) and starting at Irvine Meadow on Saturday.

 

 

Full time: Larkhall Thistle 3 Kello Rovers 0

 

Larkhall Thistle:
Thomson; Brown, Mushett (Robb 75), Reynolds; Canning (Clarke 71); Payne, Jack, Kelly, Reid; G McStay, (McKeever 79), J McStay. Subs: Gracie, Duncan (GK)

Scorers: J McStay, Reid, Mushett

 

Largs Thistle 2 Larkhall Thistle 1 – 21st April 2018

On: By: ian

Barrfields Park, Largs
Largs Thistle v Larkhall Thistle
McBookie.com Super First Division

 

Larkhall went to their furthest flung league opponents with a depleted squad, Gary McStay, Andy Brown, Billy Robb, Hugh Kelly and Mark McKeever were all missing for various reasons. Josh Payne started the game at right back in a back three with Liam Mushett and Niall Reynolds.

 

 

Largs looked the more likely side in the early stages and came close on a couple of occasions, a good flowing move ended with a shot past the post when the Largs player looked like scoring and it was quickly followed by another effort that Thomson in the Jags goal had to look lively to save.

 

Midway through the half Thisle created their first real threat as Liam Mushett back-headed a floated free kick towards the goal and a Largs defender nearly turned the ball into his own goal trying to clear it, bringing out a great reaction save from his keeper.

 

Largs went ahead five minutes later from a corner on the right, it was played into the danger zone and not dealt with by the defence and Scott Adam found himself in space in the middle of the box to stoop and head in from close range. They were lifted by the goal and immediately went looking for a second and nearly got it as Thomson had to save well with his feet when the Largs striker was clean through.

 

Larkhall got level just before half time against the run of play, David Reid took a corner on the right and Mushett got up well to get on the end of it, heading what looked to be a certain goal but it was scrambled off the line only as far as Matty Clarke who finished easily from a couple of yards.

 

Half time: Largs Thistle 1 Larkhall Thistle 1

 

Clarke almost carried on his good work into the second half as he took a free kick that Largs keeper Cousar had to be at full stretch to fingertip round the post. Largs responded through Stevenson who left Reynolds but produced a tame shot before the same player wriggled past the defence only to lift his shot over the bar. McWaters then got clear of four Larkhall defenders to cross for Fleming arriving late in the box but his header was wide of the post.

 

Stevenson got clear on the right minutes later but Thomson dived to save from his half-volley but the writing was on the wall and Largs took the lead for the second time right on the hour mark. They won a throw on the right and played the ball right to the byeline and cut along it before sending the ball  across the goal to the back post where Adam finished again for his second.

 

 

Liam Mushett picked up an injury and although he came back onto the park after treatment it was clear he was struggling and was replaced by young Mark Cuthbertson who did an excellent job when he came on and provided probably the one bright spot of the day with his performance.

Thistle were under the cosh for most of the rest of the game with the home side producing waves of attacks but the defence held out without conceding any further goals.

 

Ten minutes from the end there was a chance to snatch a draw when Johnny McStay intercepted a poor back pass and bore down on the goal but decided to go it alone rather than cut back for Reid who was in a great position to score. His shot was saved for a corner and when the ball came back out to Jack he hit a tremendous dipping volley from 25 yards that would have been a contender for goal of the season if the keeper hadn’t saved it.

 

A familiar result in Ayrshire but Largs were the better team on the day and deserved their win that takes them now third in the league. Thistle are third bottom, a point behind Kello Rovers who they play on Saturday.

 

Full time: Largs Thistle 2 Larkhall Thistle 1

 

Larkhall Thistle:
Thomson; Payne, Mushett, Reynolds; Canning; Clarke, Jack, Innes, Reid, J McStay, Gracie. Subs: Duncan (GK), Adams

 

Scorer: Clarke

 

Booked: Innes, Reid, Payne

 

Largs Thistle:

Cousar; Fisher, McMaster, Little, Jamieson, Muir, Stevenson, Fleming, Adam, McWaters, McKie

 

 

Larkhall Thistle 1 Irvine Meadow 2 – 14th April 2018

On: By: ian

Gasworks Park, Larkhall
Larkhall Thistle v Irvine Meadow
McBookie.com Super First Division

 

Thistle made four changes from the midweek game at Rutherglen – Stewart Thomson, Brian Jack, Matty Clarke and Johnny McStay replaced Johnny Duncan, Billy Robb, Ryan Innes and Gary McStay.

 

After the 4-0 loss two weeks ago the Jags were looking to put on a better show this time and they did, although in the end the result was the same.

 

Thistle started the game promisingly with a couple of good moves down the left that lacked a good final ball but they took the lead in the 15th minute with a well-worked goal. Graham Gracie got up well to flick on a long ball into the path of Matty Clarke who took the ball past the last defender and squeezed it just inside the left hand post.

 

Irvine struck back right away with a break and as their slipper-footed striker Boyd went into the box Liam Mushett came across his path and he went down looking for and getting the penalty. Justice was done as the penalty was blasted against the bar, a big let-off for Thistle but Meadow followed it up moments later with a shot that just cleared the bar.

 

Thistle’s best effort in the remainder of the half was a half-volley from Jack from 25 yards that the keeper got down to save.

 

Half time: Larkhall Thistle 1 Irvine Meadow 0

 

Two minutes into the second half Larkhall had a great opportunity to double their lead, Gracie found a bit of space and played the ball wide to McStay, he cut inside and made good space for the shot but he blasted his effort high over the bar.

 

Thistle had started the half well and six minutes later McStay’s head flick put Reid clear but unfortunately he didn’t make the most of the chance and the keeper robbed him. It was the goal that they needed though as a minute later the visitors equalised, a long ball down the middle was flicked on to McTernan who took it wide past Brown and Thomson and rolled it in from a tight angle.

 

Irvine were on the ascendancy now and could have scored a couple of minutes later when Boyd beat Reynolds but they got what was the winning goal just five minutes after the equaliser, a corner from he right landed in the middle of the area and the defence couldn’t clear it, Miller getting there to slam it in through the crowd.

 

The Jags came back well and had a couple of decent shouts for penalties that looked more like penalties than the one given to Irvine Meadow but they came closest to equalising through Liam Mushett. The big man had won every header all day at the back but this time nearly turned scorer as he headed a Gracie free kick onto the bar.

 

There were a couple of opportunities from free kicks before the end but they were wasted and the points had gone.

 

Full time: Larkhall Thistle 1 Irvine Meadow 2

 

Larkhall Thistle:
Thomson; Brown, Mushett, Reynolds; Canning; Payne, Jack, Reid; Gracie, Clarke, J McStay (G McStay 65)

 

Subs: Robb, Doyle, Kelly, McKeever

 

Booked: Reynolds

 

Irvine Meadow: Newman; McLennan, Willet, Begley, Miller, McGuire, Carson, Spence, Boyd, McTernan, Carnwath.

 

Johnstone Burgh 1 Larkhall Thistle 5 – 7th April 2018

On: By: ian

Keanie Park, Johnstone
Johnstone Burgh v Larkhall Thistle
Central League Cup Second Round

 

Manager Dunky Sinclair made four changes from last week with Billy Robb, Ryan Innes, Josh Payne and Matty Clarke replacing Liam Mushett, Mark Canning, David Reid and Gary McStay. Johnny Duncan kept his place in goal after Stewart Thompson failed a fitness test.

 

With Johnstone second bottom of the Second Division, it was a game that Thistle were expected to win.

 

Johnstone had the first effort on goal 14 minutes into the game with a shot that went wide, Thistle’s first meaningful attack five minutes later resulted in the opening goal for the Burgh. Ryan Jack played a god ball into Matty Clarke who shot into a crowd of players on the edge of the box, Johnstone broke away downhill and scored.

 

After the goal Thistle came into the game and Josh Payne went close with a shot that went high past the right hand post then Ryan Innen was in on the keeper after a one-two with Johnny McStay but the keeper got down to turn the ball round for a corner.

 

Thistle’s pressure brought the equaliser in 31 minutes when Payne got free down the right again and shot across the goal, the keeper got a hand to it but only managed to divert it into the path of Matty Clarke who finished easily at the back post.

 

Larkhall took the lead just before half time when Clarke dribbled the ball along the byeline and cut back for McStay to slam in from 10 yards.

 

Half time: Johnstone Burgh 1 Larkhall Thistle 2

 

Johnstone came out in the second half looking to try and get level and had most of the pressure in the early stages. Payne went close for Thistle ten minutes into the half against the run of play witha shot just over the bar after he had he created space at the edge of the box following good set up play from Innes and McStay.

 

Ten minutes later Jack played a one-two with Innes and got in a shot that was pushed round for a corner, he then got a good glancing header from the corner kick but sent it just over the bar.

 

Thistle were now in control of the game again and after the double substitution of Gary McStay and Graham Gracie for Johnny McStay and Matty Clarke totally dominated the rest of the game. The third goal came with 15 minutes left, McStay and Payne combining to set up Gracie who found the far corner.

 

Six minutes later any doubt about the outcome disappeared as Gracie broke down the left and his cross was deflected into the net for an own goal. Gracie was involved again for the fifth, holding the ball up an laying it off for Reynolds to finish.

 

Thistle are one of eight teams through to the third round, East Kilbride v Clydebank was postponed and another eight teams still need to play each other in the second round.

 

Full time: Johnstone Burgh 1 Larkhall Thistle 5

 

Larkhall Thistle:
Duncan; Doyle, Brown, Robb, Reynolds; Payne, Innes, Jack (Kelly 78), McKeever; J McStay (G McStay 68), Clarke (Gracie 68) Subs: Canning, Reid

 

Scorers: Clarke, J McStay, Gracie, Reynolds, og

 

Booked: Robb, Payne, J McStay

 

Larkhall Thistle 0 Irvine Meadow 4 – 31st March 2018

On: By: ian

Gasworks Park, Larkhall
Larkhall Thistle v Irvine Meadow
West of Scotland Cup

 

With Thistle and Irvine Meadow in the same league this season, the teams found themselves in the unusual position of meeting each other for the first time at the end of March with the two league games also still left to play. The Jags went into the game on the back of two consecutive home wins for the first time this season while Irvine Meadow went into the game high on confidence after an excellent result last week, a 2-0 win against high-flying Cambuslang Rangers.

 

The Jags were still missing Graham Gracie, Ryan Innes and Craig Forbes, while Declan Doyle who came on as a sub last week kept his place at right back.

 

Thistle were first to threaten after seven minutes when David Reid broke down the left side and whipped in a cross that Johnny McStay just failed to connect with, Irvine Meadow’s first attempt came five minutes later when a cross was cushioned into the path of their number 8 who half-volleyed over the bar from 25 yards.

 

Larkhall keeper Johnny Duncan was called into his first serious action midway through the half when he got down well to save a shot from the right after Niall Reynolds had been caught out of position. Minutes later another cross from the right found the Meadow number 9 isolated in the middle of the box and Duncan did well to come out and block what would have been a certain goal. Reid burst forward in reply and kept going down the left, getting a decent shot away that cleared the far post.

 

Both teams were going for it in an open cup tie and the game flowed from side to side with not much let up throughout the first half. The referee however was coming under fire from the home contingent for a series of questionable decisions, most notably failing to book an Irvine player for grabbing Reid round the throat and throwing him down just minutes after he’d booked Doyle for a softer foul the other way and a couple of bad advantage decisions that he failed to let go.

 

Johnny McStay had possibly Thistle’s best chance of the half to take the lead with a header from six yards, in fairness to him it had taken a touch off a defender before it reached him and he got slightly underneath it. Meadow’s centre half rounded off the half with a shot again from the right that flew just over the bar.

 

Half time: Larkhall Thistle 0 Irvine Meadow 0

 

Thistle got off to a bit of a flyer in the second half with Mark KcKeever bringing out a good save after he had been put in by Brian Jack, that was followed by a Reid shot that was heading for the roof of the net but was again saved well. Another run by Reid ended when he was fouled twenty yards out and took the free kick himself, this time straight at the keeper.

 

Seventy minutes into the game the tide started to turn the way of Irvine who brought out another two good saves from Duncan in quick succession. The first half had been even with both teams making chances but neither being able to take them and the game was crying out for somebody with a bit of spark who was going to make the difference. Why Eddie McTernan only came on as a substitute was a bit of a mystery as he was by far the visitors best player on the day and single handedly changed the game.

 

Meadow took the lead with 16 minutes left just as the game looked to be heading for a stalemate. A ball in from the left was missed by Liam Mushett in the middle and the ball fell perfectly for McTernan who slotted it across Duncan into the far corner.

 

The goal signalled a collase in the home defence and a further three goals in an eight minute spell gave the game a somewhat surreal final score line. McTernan got his second with the goal of the game, cutting across the edge of the area before curling a shot into the top corner then set up the third when he took the ball wide after the Jags defence had failed to deal with a long ball, squaring across the six yard box for a back post tap in for Boyd. The scoring was completed by Carson who finished a cross from the right with a scuffed shot that squeezed just inside the post.

 

David Reid picked up a second yellow card minutes before the end.

 

It was a day to forget for Thistle but although Irvine Meadow were the better team on the day and deserved the win, it should never have been a four goal defeat on the balance of play and chances created. Hopefully some lessons to be learned ahead of the teams meeting in the league in a couple of weeks.

 

Full time: Larkhall Thistle 0 Irvine Meadow 4

 

Larkhall Thistle:
Duncan 64; Doyle (Robb 73), Brown, Mushett, Reynolds; Canning; McKeever (Payne 66) Jack, Reid; G McStay (Clarke 66), J McStay. Subs: Thomson (GK), Cuthbertson

 

Booked: Doyle, Mushett

 

Sent off: Reid

 

MoM:
The defence is clearly a problem for the Jags with Andy Brown the only one who looks able to compete with the better teams at this level and he did his best to mount a one-man resistance today with a great performance, just shading it from Johnny Duncan who had several very good saves and not much chance with the goals.