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