Category: Match Reports – League 2018-2019

Larkhall Thistle 2 Kello Rovers 3 – 3rd November 2018

On: By: ian

Gasworks Park, Larkhall
Larkhall Thistle v Kello Rovers
McBookie.com West Region Championship

 

Today’s bottom of the league clash saw the Jags welcome Kello Rovers, the only other team in the four divisions who were yet to win a point in the league. The good news was that at least one of them would lose that unwanted tag, the bad news is that it wasn’t Thistle.

 

There were four changes to the starting eleven from last week and anybody who saw the game last week wouldn’t have had many complaints about them with Cooper restored in goals and Hunter, Campbell and Breen the all-change forward three.

 

Larkhall suffered a major dent to their hopes however when the visitors took the lead before half time with a shot across the keeper.

 

Half time: Larkhall Thistle 0 Kello Rovers 1

 

The second half was only six minutes old when the Jags fell further behind, a run down the right past Michael Brunton and a shot low into the far corner of the goal. It went from bad to worse less than 10 minutes later as Kello looked to have put the game out of sight, a defensive howler as an attempted headed clearance spun backwards towards the Jags goal and right into the path of the Kello striker who rolled it in past Cooper.

 

In a season of lows, 3-0 down at home to a team who had not previously won a point this was hopefully the low watermark.

 

Things did pick up a bit from there as Thistle took the game to Kello in an attempt to try and get back in the game and they pulled a goal back on 64 minutes with the one genuine moment of quality in the game. Craig Forbes picked up the ball just outside the box and turned inside past his marker before firing an unstoppable dipping shot up and over the keeper and into the top corner.

 

In fairness to the Jags they battled hard to try and get another goal and came close on a couple of occasions but they did make it 2-3 right at the end of scheduled time with a Hunter pop shot from distance that seemed to catch the keeper by surprise. It looked like it was going to be little more than a consolation but the referee played a further five minutes to make up for the Kello keeper’s time wasting.

 

The Jags pounded the visitors goal in the remaining time and came within a fraction from scoring when a Kello defender cleared a netbound shot off the line but they couldn’t get the final break that would have seen them get their first point.

 

Full time: Larkhall Thistle 2 Kello Rovers 3

 

Larkhall Thistle:
Cooper; Fraser, Barclay (Rowan), Boyle, Brunton, Forbes, Dick, Adams (Simpson), Hunter, Campbell (Miller), Breen. Subs Bartosz, McGraw (GK)

Arthurlie 7 Larkhall Thistle 1 – 22nd September 2018

On: By: ian

Dunterlie Park, Glasgow
Arthurlie v Larkhall Thistle
McBookie.com West Region Championship

 

With the Jags anchored at the foot of the table and without a point, maybe the last thing they would have wanted was a trip to face former manager Duncan Sinclair and his ex-Thistle players.

 

The game began with Thistle taking a shock first minute lead but Arthurlie soon took control of the game and were 3-1 up in 15 minutes. The fourth followed quickly from the penalty spot and the home side added a fifth before the interval.

 

Half time Arthurlie 5 Larkhall Thistle 1

 

Thistle came out brightly in the second half, approaching the game like it was still 0-0 and they had a right good go at it. Arthurlie however dampened the spirits again with two more goals to round off an emphatic win. The Jags though did keep going and created a couple of good chances that would have made the score more respectable.

 

Credit is due to the Jags players however for never giving the game up despite the scoreline and nobody epitomised the great positive attitude and willingness to fight more than captain Michael Brunton who put in a fantastic shift and seemed to be everywhere in the middle of the park.

 

Former Thistle players David Reid who had a great game at left back and Josh Payne who scored a couple of goals showed they will make a valuable contribution to Arthurlie this season.

 

Full time Arthurlie 7 Larkhall Thistle 1

 

Larkhall Thistle 1 Rutherglen Glencairn 6 – 15th September 2018

On: By: ian

Gasworks Park, Larkhall
Larkhall Thistle v Rutherglen Glencairn
McBookie.com West Region Championship

 

With Glencairn at the top of the league and Thistle pointless at the bottom, there wasn’t much expectation of a positive result today going into the game.

 

It all seemed to be going as planned when the visitors took the lead after seven minutes, Smith found himself unmarked at the back post for an easy finish. It looked like a rout was on the cards when Simeon doubled the lead 10 minutes later but the Jags managed to work their way into the game and had a couple of decent passages of play, they even created a chance that Mackiewicz should have put away.

 

Half time: Larkhall Thistle 0 Rutherglen Glencairn 2

 

The first fifteen minutes of the second half also remained goalless until Glens stretched their lead, again through Simeon and it was 0-4 a minute later when he completed his hat trick.

 

Thistle managed to pull a goal back through Mackiewicz before Glencairn added two late goals from Kerr and McKay.

 

Full time: Larkhall Thistle 1 Rutherglen Glencairn 6

 

Larkhall Thistle: McGraw; Fraser, Boyle, McMurray, Barclay, Hunter, Brunton, Adams, Mackiewicz, Miller, Simpson. Subs: Cuthbertson, Wells, Breen, Crawford, Alexander.

 

Rutherglen Glencairn: Whyte; Gebbie, McGregor, Donaldson, Kerr, Fraser, Leyden, Esplin, Smith, Simeon, McKay. Subs – Mitchell, Gormley, Quinn, McGuire, McLellan.

 

St Roch’s 9 Larkhall Thistle 2 – 18th August 2018

On: By: ian

James McGrory Park, Glasgow
St Roch’s v Larkhall Thistle
McBookie.com West Region Championship

 

St Roch’s pulled in a good crowd for the anticipated hammering of traditional rivals Thistle, boosted by around 10 travelling supporters.

Thistle suffered an early blow when David Breen limped off with a hamstring injury but took a shock lead in the 17th minute, Mark Cuthbertson nicking in front of the defence to finish from close range.

 

 

The excitement was short lived however as the home side replied with three quick goals in five minutes and another shortly after.

A further goal before half time from a break down the right resulting in a low cross and easy finish summed up the extent of the Jags defensive frailties.

 

Half time St Roch’s 5 Larkhall Thistle 1

 

As they had in the first half, Thistle scored the first goal in the second period after a howler from the home keeper left Bartosz with an empty goal. The home team looked flustered for the first time although the chances of a comeback were slim to say the least but it took until the final quarter of the game for them to add to their lead with a scooped shot.

 

What followed later was an unfair reflection of the play, St Roch’s were better on the day but the margin was more than the young Jags team deserved to lose by. A daft challenge gave the referee no option but to award a penalty for 7-2 but the next goal was farcical, the wide right St Roch’s player being without exaggeration 10 yards offside before cutting the ball back.

 

The last goal was a more modest 2 yards offside but still blatant and though the home fans were desperate for another, they couldn’t manage double figures.

 

Positives for Thistle were thin on the ground but scoring first in both halves and getting two goals for the first time showed there is maybe something there to work with. Speed of thought and quickness on the ball need to improve drastically if the boys are going to make the step up to junior players as well as retaining the ball and not giving it away when not under any pressure.

 

Full time St Roch’s 9 Larkhall Thistle 2

 

Larkhall Thistle:
McGraw; R Adams, D Adams,

Holmes, Beattie, Hazizi (Park 70),

Brunton, Simpson, Bartosz,

Breen not shown (Paterson 10), Cuthbertson.

Subs not shown: Airth, Munn, Cooper

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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