Category: Match Reports – Sectional League Cup 2019-2020

Larkhall Thistle 2 Girvan 3 – 16th November 2019

On: By: ian

Gasworks Park, Larkhall
Larkhall Thistle v Girvan
McBookie.com West Region – League One

 

Thistle went into today’s game looking to do the double over Girvan after the opening day win in Ayrshire. There were pre-match injury doubts over David Cherry, Warren Grenfell, Graham Gracie, Michael Brunton and Scott Cowan – all potential starters but only Cowan made the starting line up.

 

Girvan gave early warning that they were capable of creating chances when Balfour hit the post from what was in fairness a sitter in the fourth minute, Thistle came right back at them and Jack Currie was in a similar position but opted to go near post instead of hitting the big gap to the keeper’s left.

 

Thistle came close again when Dom Chiedu switched the ball left to Bartoz who hit it first time but his shot went just past but it was Girvan who took the lead against the run of play in the 12th minute. The goal was a sloppy one from a defensive point of view with big striker Currie allowed time and space to pick his spot with a composed finish.

 

As was the theme of the game, Larkhall came right back at them, Dickson did well in nosebleed territory as he dribbled into the box before playing a teasing ball across the six yard area where Gallagher should have scored, the rebound fell for Cowan whose netbound drive was cleared well off the line by a defender.

 

It was wave after wave of Jags pressure and it looked inevitable that an equaliser would come but Girvan again showed the threat they possessed when Currie danced across the Larkhall defence before firing a shot just over from the edge of the box.

 

Just before half time Cowan was fouled on the edge of the box, it might have been just inside but the referee played advantage as he squared to Sean Gallagher but the midfielder playing up front passed up the chance again. Right on half time he had an even better opportunity but again it came to nothing as he side footed over the bar.

 

Half time: Larkhall Thistle 0 Girvan 1

 

Larkhall began the second half as they finished the first, on top and looking to get level. They won a corner on the left which bobbed about inside the box and as it came back out Adam Boyle got in a great header that rattled the bar with the keeper beaten.

 

However that was Girvan’s cue to wake up and for the next 20 minutes it was all one way traffic in the other direction. Girvan’s captain and playmaker Harvey forced two magnificent saves from Ryan Cooper but third time lucky as he cut inside and curled an unstoppable effort into the top corner.

 

More Girvan pressure followed and Cooper had to get out to block yet again from Harvey as the visitors threatened to run riot. As it was with Thistle in the first half though, failure to take their chances came back to bite Girvan as Thistle staged a remarkable two minute recovery.

 

The first goal was out of nothing, Thistle had been totally ineffective in attack since Boyle’s header but for once Jack Currie managed to slip his markers and get in behind. He picked out substitute Taylor Scott on his left who rolled the ball into the corner to put Thistle right back in the game.

 

A minute later it was 2-2, Taylor Scott was involved again as he played the ball left to Bartoz who drove it low into the danger area, it came back out to Mark Cuthbertson who hit a fierce drive high into the net.

 

It was anybody’s game at this stage with Girvan looking still the more likely to score and they looked certain to 10 minutes from time when Harvey was left unmarked five yards out at the back post but inexplicably fired high into the air. Dempsie then brought out another fantastic save from Cooper as he cut in from the left and looked certain to score before Harvey forced another save from point blank range.

 

Just as the game looked to be heading for a draw, Thistle were hit with the sucker punch and after Cooper had saved the initial effort with his feet, it broke perfectly for Currie to tap in from close range.

 

Chiedu was sent off for a second booking in almost the last act of the game.

 

The absences of Grenfell in the middle of the park and Gracie up front were a big loss for Thistle today, they were wasteful in attack and should have been well ahead by half time. Girvan were by far the better team in the second half and could have scored five or six so there’s no real argument about the result.

 

Great performance from Ryan Cooper today who saved Thistle from a thrashing and solid work in midfield from Mark Cuthbertson who now looks like a real first team player.

 

Full time: Larkhall Thistle 2 Girvan 3

 

Larkhall Thistle:
Cooper; Fraser, Stewart, Chiedu, Dickson (Taylor 65), Boyle, Bartoz, Cuthbertson (Wilson 80), Cowan, Gallagher, Currie

Girvan:
Sloan; Marshall, Warren, Mitchell, Wells, Balfour, McClymont, Davidson, Dempsie, Currie, Harvey

 

Larkhall Thistle 0 Bellshill Athletic 2 – 7th September 2019

On: By: ian

Gasworks Park, Larkhall
Larkhall Thistle v Bellshill Athletic
McBookie.com West Region – League One

 

Thistle went into today’s game looking to leapfrog Bellshill and keep in touch with the leaders, as it was this second successive home defeat left the Jags in the bottom half of the table while Bellshill climbed into second place.

 

Once again Larkhall got off to the worst possible start, losing a goal in just four minutes. Craig Dickson, playing at left back instead of his usual position at centre half, got nutmegged and beaten for pace and the winger whipped in a cross along the deck that Cowan could only direct into his own net as he tried to prevent a tap in for his opponent.

 

Thistle quickly got back into the game though and had the upper hand for most of the rest of the half. Taylor Scott was first to go close with a nice one-two and fierce drive that the Bellshill keeper did well to tip over the bar.

 

Jack Currie was next to try and level in the 18th minute with a shot that had to be blocked desperately on the line, the ball rebounded to Graham Gracie who hit it on the volley but his attempt went well over the bar.

 

The Bellshill keeper had a good half and produced a few decent saves as Thistle tried and failed to make the breakthrough.

 

Half time: Larkhall Thistle 0 Bellshill Athletic 1

 

The second half carried on much where the first left off with Larkhall playing reasonably well and creating chances but coming up against a packed Bellshill defence that cleared and blocked and headed away everything the Jags could throw at them.

 

After good pressure on the hour mark, Jack Currie did well to create some space with the usual three defenders round him and laid the ball back to Warren Grenfell on the edge of the box but he shot high over the bar, a familiar story by now in the game.

 

Bellshill doubled the lead three minutes later in bizarre circumstances, a corner on the right was headed straight into his own goal by Scott, the second og of the game.

 

Thistle continued to press and to try and get something back but it was Bellshill who came the closest to scoring, Aiden McMurray misplaced a pass that allowed the Bellshill forward in on goal and his attempt to squeeze the ball in at the near post was only just tipped round by Cherry.

 

As the game drew to a close Thistle had a claim for a penalty turned down for a handball in a goalmouth scramble but it would have been a harsh decision to give it. Gracie then set up McAlemby but his netbound shot was deflected over the bar and the last attempt of the game saw Currie head wide from a free kick into the box.

 

The noise levels that carried halfway up Watson Street after the game indicated that the manager wasn’t best pleased with the performance although in fairness Thistle will win games this season playing worse than that. Credit must be given to the Bellshill defence who were all excellent.

 

Full time: Larkhall Thistle 0 Bellshill Athletic 2

 

Larkhall Thistle:
Cherry; Cowan (Cuthbertson 72), McMurray, Boyle, Dickson; Gallagher, B Wilson (McAlemby 65), Grenfell, Scott (Brunton 65), Gracie, Currie

 

Larkhall Thistle 3 East Kilbride Thistle 0 – 27th July 2019

On: By: ian

Gasworks Park, Larkhall
Larkhall Thistle v East Kilbride Thistle
West Region Sectional League Cup

 

Thistle’s last competitive game two months ago was an embarrassing 8-1 home defeat to Craigmark Burntonians, today saw the start of a new dawn and the hard work over the summer paying off. Today’s Thistle were a diferent proposition from that of May, led by their returning talisman Graham Gracie.

 

The game started brightly for Larkhall and nearly produced a goal in the fifth minute when Gracie spun a ball over the last defender for Jack Currie to drill a low shot that produced a great save from the visiting keeper.

 

Thistle were well on top and their early pressure paid off with 16th minute goal, Currie did well to keep the ball in at the byeline and cut back for Bartoz who still a lot to do leaning back as he crashed it into the roof of the net.

 

The Jags increased their lead after 27th minutes when Taylor Scott lobbed the ball over his opponent on the right wing to Gracie who cut inside, beating two defenders before cutting the ball back to beat the keeper at the near post.

 

It was all Thistle and they almost increased the lead ten minutes later after great work from Barthoz – who looks a different player this season – and Gracie but a defender managed to get in the way of the Pole’s shot from Gracie’s cut-back.

 

There was a scare from East Kilbride three minutes before the break when a long ball found their striker in the clear and bearing in on goal, Adam Boyle made an almost miraculous recovery to get back and put in a perfect tackle to prevent the shot and almost certain goal.

 

Thistle had one more chance before half time when Gracie nodded the ball round the keeper but hit the post from his shot from a wide angle.

 

Half time: Larkhall Thistle 2 East Kilbride Thistle 0

 

East Kilbride came out for the second half looking like they’d had the proverbial rocket and four minutes into the half produced a great sweeping move that finished with a placed shot rolling towards the corner but somehow Boyle got back with a lunging clearance off line.

 

A minute later Dawson won the ball against a confused defender and played the ball through to Currie who slipped it past the keeper but also past the post. That was quickly followed by a near miss from Gracie who picked the ball up 20 yards out, dragged it back to beat the defender and shot narrowly over the bar.

 

The second half was a bit more closely contested although Thistle still looked the better team and looked the more likely to score and they did on 66 minutes with a free kick that Gracie placed in the bottom left corner.

 

East Kilbride didn’t give up and continued to make a game of it and produced another great move five minutes later with Jags keeper Cherry doing well to get out and smother and he repeated the act seven minutes from time with another great stop from a one on one as the EK man went clear.

 

The last action saw a good combination between Gracie and Currie – who had linked up well all day – ending with Currie in on goal but the East Kilbride keeper making a good save.

 

A very promising start with a few players missing, the attitude looks spot on and there are potentially good partnerships forming up front and at the back in front of a commanding keeper. There will be harder games ahead but this was a fine start with Currie, Gracie Cherry and Boyle all catching the eye with their performances.

 

Full time: Larkhall Thistle 3 East Kilbride Thistle 0

 

Larkhall Thistle:
Cherry, McMurray (Cowan 57), Dickson, Boyle, B Wilson, Gallagher (Cuthbertson 65), Bartoz (McAlembie 72), Scott, Gracie, Currie, Dawson