Gasworks Park, Larkhall
Larkhall Thistle v Craigmark Burntonians
McBookie.com West Region Championship
Thistle went into their final game of the season with nothing to play for having failed to pick up the point they needed in midweek that could have seen them finish second bottom with a win today. The scheduling meant that the game was going up against the live televised Scottish Cup final but the crowd didn’t seem to be affected and looked normal for an end of season game.
The manager made a few changes from the team that lost in midweek but the absence of the youthful energy seemed to work against Larkhall as they came out looking flat from the start and lost a goal in the second minute after slack play down the right, a low cross and tap-in at the back post.
Thistle rallied well and were pushing for an equaliser when a two minute spell in the middle of the half changed the whole game. Thistle won a corner on the right and it was played out to Dick on the edge of the box, he swept a shot in and was very unlucky to see it crash off the underside of the bar. That was quickly followed up by Craig Forbes finding himself clear but his weak shot landed in the keeper’s arms.
From the counter attack Jags keeper Ryan Cooper came out to block and was caught and injured resulting in him having to go off with Aiden McMurray on as a sub, centre back Dickson taking over in goals. He’d only been between the sticks for a minute when Thistle were caught out again on the right, the Craigmark winger driving in unchallenged to score from a tight angle.
The third goal came on 33 minutes from a soft penalty award after a clumsy challenge and killed off any chance Thistle may have had to salvage something from the game. Craigmark added a fourth on the stroke of half time when their striker ran from behind the Larkhall defence to beat the offside trap and round keeper Dickson before rolling the ball into the net.
Half time: Larkhall Thistle 0 Craigmark Burntonians 4
Jags player Kris Dick had taken a bad knock in the first half and it was a surprise when the remaining two substitutes were used at half time and he was still on the park. His injury didn’t get any better and he was joined early on by left back Jack Adam who also picked up a knock in a tackle and never recovered.
The second half mirrored the first with a Craigmark goal at the start and end of it, also a penalty and fourth goal for the visitors. Thistle pulled a goal back right on the final whistle with a scuffed effort from Ben Elliott after Mark Cuthbertson had gone close with a good volley, the Jags first shot on target.
A surreal game and although Craigmark were vastly improved from Thistle’s visit to their park earlier in the season, the margin of their win was largely down to Thistle only having nine fit players on the park and an outfield player in goals.
So the season finished like last season with a seven-goal home defeat and much work to be done to prepare for the new campaign. Positives to take have been the emergence of some good young prospects who should go on to be decent junior players and the appointment of the new management team who seem to be taking the team in the right direction even allowing for today’s collapse.
Next season should be an interesting one with first ever league games against Ardrossan, trips to Greenock and Port Glasgow and renewing acquaintances with the likes of Shettleston and Maryhill. But for most the the games to look forward to will be the local derbies against Royal Albert, Bellshill, Lesmahagow, Lanark, Carluke and Wishaw.
Roll on next season and bring on the Albert and the Gow!
Full time: Larkhall Thistle 1 Craigmark Burntonians 8
Cooper (McMurray 23); Kyle (K. Wilson 45) Boyle, Dickson, Adam; Dick, Forbes, B. wilson, Cuthbertson, Bathoz, Fernie (Elliott 45)