Stagecoach West of Scotland League Central District First Division
Gasworks Park, Larkhall
Larkhall Thistle v Port Glasgow

Larkhall Thistle went in to their final league game of the season knowing that a win would see them promoted to the Super League First Division – if county rivals Lesmahagow failed to win their home game against Dunipace which was taking place at the same time. The Gow had been on a good end of season run and were favourites to complete the task knowing that a win would guarantee them the final promotion slot, so all Thistle could do was win the game and hope for a slip-up at Craighead.

The Jags got off to the best of starts and any early nerves were blown away in the fifth minute. Mark Canning won the ball on the right side of midfield and played it forward to Graham Gracie who flicked it past the onrushing keeper and into the empty net to put the home side one up.

Ten minutes later it was 2-0, The Port Glasgow defence allowed Gracie too much space on the left of midfield and although there looked to be nothing on, the Jags top scorer swung a fierce dipping shot over the keeper and into the far corner of the net from 20 yards out. Gracie almost completed his hat-trick just two minutes later but his header from a Brian Jack cross was well saved by Port keeper Tucker.

The lead was extended after 24 minutes though when Scott Nicholl took a corner on the right and it pinged back and forth before falling for Alan Fleming who drilled it low into the middle of the goals from 10 yards.

Port Glasgow were looking like a team who had played four games in eight days and were relegated already and it took until the 28th minute before they mounted their first real attack of the game but they should have scored with a free header from a corner on the right.

Thistle rounded off the first half scoring with a fourth, three minutes from the interval. Canning again won the ball and drove on before slipping the ball through to Gracie who coolly slipped it past the keeper from 10 yards. The final drama of the half came in injury time when Jags goalkeeper Davie McEwan was forced to handle a careless back-pass six yards out and was booked for the offence. McEwan himself led the charge from the resultant indirect free kick and produced a fine diving save.

Half Time: Larkhall Thistle 4 Port Glasgow 0

Thistle’s last game before this had been against Port Glasgow in the reverse league fixture and although it was almost a month ago, both teams seemed to remember the script. Once again, as at Parklea, Port came out for the second half four goals down but determined to salvage some pride from the game. And like last time they hit back early in the half with a goal in the 51st minute, slack defending allowing Devlin a free header from a free kick swung into the box.

The Jags restored their four-goal advantage six minutes later though when JP Grant latched on to a loose ball and headed over Tucker into the net from 12 yards out. Mark McKeever, playing his last game before retiring, nearly rounded off the day in the 65th minute when he made a good run down the left wing and dinked a shot over the keeper but just over the bar. The Jags were searching for a sixth and came close again when Gracie chested a through ball right into the path of Canning who took it in his stride and ran in but blasted his shot over the bar.

McKay pulled another goal back for the visitors in 71 minutes with a low drive from the edge of the box that gave McEwan no chance. Thistle replied ten minutes later when substitute Scott McLachlan – who replaced Brian Jack – nicked in and stole the ball from a weary looking Port defender before making for the by-line and cutting the ball back for Gracie. The striker’s shot though for once was weak and easily saved.

The final chance of the game fell to Port Glasgow seven minutes from time and again it was a corner that led to another free header which was cleared off the line by Scott Nicholl.

Thistle won their game then as they had to do but meanwhile a few miles south on the M74 Lesmahagow had turned round a 0-1 half-time deficit to run out 4-1 winners and scupper the Jags promotion hopes. Like last season Thistle had beaten Port Glasgow in the last game to stay in the league, this time however it was for the wrong reason.

So the Jags wrapped up their season with a win that summed up the campaign. Five goals scored made it a round 100 for the season in all competitions and 80 in the league – by far the best. However the two goals conceded told another story, a poor defensive record was what cost promotion in the end.

Full Time: Larkhall Thistle 5 Port Glasgow 2
Thistle Scorers: Gracie 3, Fleming, Grant

Larkhall Thistle Team:
McEwan; Brown, Kelly, Fleming, Nicholl, McKeever, Canning, Grant, Jack; McGeachie, Gracie. Subs: Russell, McLachlan, Moss

Port Glasgow:
Tucker; Casement, McDonald, Coyle, McGuire; Jamieson, Brown, Haggerty, Frizzell, Devlin, McKay. Subs: Smith, Beattie, Boyland

Best for Thistle on the day was Gracie with a good performance too from Canning, and a special mention and thanks for his years of service to the club to Mark McKeever, all the best for the future Mark.

Larkhall Thistle kept up their promotion push with the win they needed today at the new Parklea sports complex and with Lesmahagow losing it turned out to be a very good day for the Jags. The situation at the top of the league is now more clear-cut, St Anthony’s have finished their programme and are on 49 points and only Thistle and Lesmahagow can overtake them. If Thistle win their last game – also against Port Glasgow – they will finish on 50 points, Lesmahagow need to win their remaining four games to reach 52 points so if the Gow drop any points and we win our last game then we will be promoted.

It’s all ifs and buts and the only thing Thistle can do is concentrate on winning the last game, whenever that is scheduled. There will need to be a bit of an improvement from today’s second half performance though because if Port Glasgow carry on where they left off today they could cause an upset.

The Jags started looking determined to get the job done and the points tied up and were four goals up in a devastating 11 minute spell before Port knew what had hit them. Ross McGeachie had served an early warning of what was to come, after only six minutes Mark McKeever took the ball on the right wing after a well worked move and put in a great cross for McGeachie to see his header fly past the left post. Port Glasgow’s only real threatening move of the early stages came a couple of minutes later when a high ball over the top caught out the Thistle defence and as the Port striker raced clear with Hugh Kelly, the Jags man fell over and took him down as well inside the box but the home side’s loud penalty claims were waved aside.

JP Grant opened the scoring for Thistle after 13 minutes, a free kick on the right of the goal was swung in by Scott Nicholl and his header flew into the top left hand corner of the net.

Two minutes later the Jags doubled their lead, a long ball out of defence was flicked on by McGeachie for Graham Gracie to run on to, the big striker sprinted past the defence from 40 yards and took the ball in on the keeper before slotting it low into the net. The home side were claiming offside but he had clearly started his run from between two Port Glasgow defenders.

Three minutes later it was 3-0 and still only 18 minutes played. Grant looked to have lost the ball in midfield but did well to recover and collect it before playing it out wide to the right, McKeever took on the defender but the ball went out and again the home side were up in arms as they felt it was their throw. Canning managed to get the ball across into the box and McGeachie found a yard of space to get his head to it and score.

Thistle were enjoying themselves now and Dean Richardson set off on a great run after 24 minutes, playing a neat one-two before bursting into the box and to be honest running into the back of a home defender. This time the Port Glasgow players and fans were entitled to their protests as the referee awarded a penalty which was converted by the reliable Grant who kept up his excellent scoring record from the spot this season.

Port Glasgow had a couple of chances just after the fourth goal, the first through a long ball which found a Port striker and as he was bearing down on goal only a fantastic last gasp tackle from Richardson kept the clean sheet intact. Richardson was forced into another similar challenge ony two minutes later and again won the ball cleanly to avert any danger.

Thistle looked content to see out the rest of the first half with their four goal lead and the only other time they came close was ten minutes from the interval when a good interchange between Richardson, Grant and Mark Canning set up Richardson for a shot which went just over the bar.

Half Time: Port Glasgow 0 Larkhall Thistle 4

The second half began with news that Lesmahagow were two goals down and whether or not that had an effect on the performance, it was low-key to say the least. It was a half that was best forgotten for the Jags as they lost a goal and were under pressure throughout, and could have lost even more on another day.

Port Glasgow got on the scoresheet after 61 minutes and it was a goal their play had deserved. A ball down the right wing wasn’t closed down and from the cross a straightforward header in the middle gave keeper McEwan no chance.

Thistle hit back quickly and Ross McGeachie reacted first to take a quick free kick which he played to Canning, the midfielder looked up and hit a long shot from 25 yards just over the bar.

Port Glasgow pushed again looking to close the gap further but in the 70th minute Jags manager Dunky Sinclair knew that the game was won, bringing on Brian Jack for Mark Canning. Andy Brown, who had been out with a hamstring injury, also got a run out in place of Mark Russell.

Richardson got involved in the opposition half again three minutes later when he played another one-two and went down in the box in a carbon-copy of the first half penalty incident. This time however there was no penalty claim and the referee didn’t see it as a foul.

Thistle were under the cosh again 11 minutes from time when Port Glasgow won a series of corners that were defended a bit desperately, eventually the ball was scrambled clear and broke out to Jack in the middle of the park but his scooped pass out wide under no real pressure went out of the park and the move broke down.

Larkhall made a final substitution bringing on Stuart McFarlane for Scott Nicholl nine minutes from the end and were lucky to escape again two minutes later when Kelly made a desperate last gasp tackle with the Port Glasgow striker through on goal. The Jags had one more attempt at goal left with three minutes to go when McKeever set up Gracie for a run into the box and low left foot shot but the keeper saved comfortably.

So a bit of an anti-climax in the end as far as the actual game went but a great result that keeps Thistle firmly in the hunt for the other promotion spot, Port Glasgow can escape relegation mathematically but look to have too much to do, Dunipace only need three points from their remaining six games to send them down.

Full Time: Port Glasgow 1 Larkhall Thistle 4

Thistle Scorers: Gracie, Grant 2, McGeachie

Larkhall Thistle Team:
McEwan; Russell, Fleming, Kelly, Richardson; McKeever, Canning, Grant, Nicholl; McGeachie, Gracie. Subs McFarlane, Weir, Jack, Brown, Moss

Best for Thistle on the day was Dean Richardson, but Ross McGeachie also put in a great performance topped with a well-taken goal

Stagecoach West of Scotland League Central District First Division
Gasworks Park, Larkhall
Larkhall Thistle v East Kilbride Thistle

Larkhall Thistle went into this game knowing only a win would be good enough to maintain their push for promotion and having won the corresponding fixture at the Show Park by 8-0, were strong favourites to do so even though they were missing three of the regular back four in Dean Richardson, Alan Fleming and Andy Brown. Fellow promotion chasers Lesmahagow and Lanark were playing each other so at least one of them was going to drop points.

The game started quietly with Thistle looking a bit nervous and it was the ninth minute before the first chance was created. Jordan Marshall and Graham Gracie worked the ball between them before laying it back for Mark Canning to volley from the edge of the box, his effort going narrowly past the right post. The visitors showed that they intended to make a game of it and as they grew in confidence they managed their first real attempt at goal when striker Scott hit a dipping shot past the post after picking up a loose ball from a free kick.

Thistle then replied with a couple of half chances, first Joe Doyle – who looked like he has never been away – made a 30 yard run but hit his shot tamely straight at East Kilbride keeper Wilson then Graham Gracie and Ross McKeever combined to set up Mark McKeever but the keeper managed to block his shot with his feet.

Hugh Kelly picked up the game’s first booking after 21 minutes when he left the referee with no option after fouling an opponent who was racing into the clear on the halfway line but five minutes later Thistle were in front. Mark Canning picked up the ball halfway inside the East Kilbride half and poked a ball through the middle into the path of Gracie who looked up and picked his spot with a lob past the advancing keeper into the middle of the goal.

Thistle were pressing for a second and after a couple of attempts the incident that was to confirm the home win came in the 38th minute. McKeever picked up the ball on the edge of the box and hit a hard drive that caught an East Kilbride defender on the arm, the referee decided somewhat harshly that it was a penalty and JP Grant made no mistake from the spot.

Having gone two up some of the Jags players might have thought that the job was done but were to get a sharp reminder that East Kilbride weren’t going down without a fight just four minutes later, when Boyle picked up an excellent through ball and lobbed high into the net past Davie McEwan.

Fortunately for Thistle they heeded the warning and restored their two goal advantage four minutes later through a magnificent solo effort from Gracie. He picked up the ball just outside the left edge of the box and weaved his way past the whole East Kilbride defence before crashing the ball high into the roof of the net.

Half Time: Larkhall Thistle 3 East Kilbride Thistle 1

The second half started with a complete chance of attitude from Thistle as they looked for the early goal to make sure the points were safe. Gracie nearly got the goal after only two minutes when he crashed a fierce shot from the edge of the box, unfortunately for him Wilson was well placed to make the save. Next to threaten the visitors goal was McKeever who struck his shot wide after being played in by a great ball from the outside of Jordan Marshall’s boot. Marshall was becoming increasingly influential and his hard work and range of passing was what had been missing in the right midfield role.

Larkhall were pressing hard without any real cutting edge up front and although they had nearly all the pressure the goals weren’t coming with JP Grant in particular frustrated at not getting his name on the scoresheet.

Thistle did add one more goal to their tally in the 71st minute and it came from the best move of the match. A long ball from McEwan was headed on by Grant and Gracie took a great touch to bring it down and control it in one move, passing it square to Canning 20 yards out in front of the goal. The midfielder looked up and spotted Marshall on the right and played a perfect ball into his path for the youngster to run on and place the ball low into the left corner of the goal.

The Jags made a couple of late substitutions, bringing on first Sandy Strang in place of McKeever then Jack for Marshall and saw the game out safely although there was a late chance for East Kilbride. McEwan had to dive full length to tip past a 20 yard effort for a corner and from the resultant kick the visitors should have scored with a free header from 8 yards.

Although the result was what was required, other games didn’t go in Thistle’s favour on the night and nothing was gained. St Anthony’s came back to beat Dunipace, Shettleston won and Lesmahagow beat Lanark in the derby. The Ants have now played all their games and we can overtake them on points with back to back wins against Port Glasgow, the other contenders being Lesmahagow who would top us if they won all their five games and Shettleston who would now need us to slip up.

Full Time: Larkhall Thistle 4 East Kilbride Thistle 1

Thistle Scorers: Gracie 2, Grant, Marshall

Larkhall Thistle Team:
McEwan; Russell, Doyle, Kelly, Nicholl; Marshall, Canning, Grant, McKeever; McGeachie, Gracie. Subs , Jack, Strang, Bulloch, Moss

Booked: Kelly

Best for Thistle on the day were youngsters Marshall and Nicholl, with Doyle and Kelly doing a good job of controlling the defence.

East Kilbride Thistle:
Wilson; McMillan, Sloan, McAnenie, Borg; Stuart, Kelsell, Johnstone, Scott, Jeffrey, Boyle Subs: Findlay, Clark, Meek, Winter, Kennedy

Stagecoach West of Scotland League Central District First Division
Gasworks Park, Larkhall
Larkhall Thistle v Bellshill Athletic

Thistle went into this match with a poor league record this season against local rivals from Lanarkshire and unfortunately kept the bad run going by only just scraping a draw. Yet again the game was played like a cup tie from the start with Bellshill just as desperate to win as Thistle even though they had nothing to play for and were already safe.

 

Thistle were forced into making changes with two of the regular back four missing through suspension so they started with Scott Nicholl at left back and Joe Doyle at centre half alongside Andy Brown, Mark Russell returning to right back. Ross McGeachie dropped to the bench to allow JP Grant to play as supporting striker and accommodate Jack in the midfield.

Bellshill made the early running and had most of the possession in the opening exchanges but it was Thistle who came closest to scoring in the ninth minute. Graham Gracie made his first telling contribution with a run down the left and was fouled, JP Grant took the resulting free kick and was unlucky to see it cannon back off the left post.

Shortly after that Nicholl was booked for needlessly kicking the ball away and from then on he walked a tightrope with the referee showing leniency on more than one occasion, his inexperience showing through.

Fifteen minutes into the game the Jags had their best chance of the first half when Gracie again did well to win a free kick. Joe Doyle swung the ball in and it fell perfectly for Russell 10 yards out but the keeper dived well to smother his shot. Thistle’s pressure looked like resulting in a goal but it was Bellshill who took the lead after 21 minutes against the run of play. They won a couple of corners and the second one fizzed into the middle of the goal, Nicholl swung his boot to try and clear but it spun off him and past Davie McEwan. The Jags were facing a strong wind and the ball seemed to have moved in the air, deceiving the keeper.

Bellshill passed up a couple of chances to go into the half-time break ahead, firstly a soft looking free kick from 28 yards which beat the wall and goalkeeper but sailed just over the bar, then an even better opportunity when a ball floated to the back post forced McEwan into a point blank save from 6 yards.

Half Time: Larkhall Thistle 0 Bellshill Athletic 1

The second half started with Larkhall on the offensive but again it was Bellshill who created the best scoring opportunity three minutes into the half when striker Miller wriggled past two defenders and got a shot away but it went just over the bar. The visitors bench made some half-hearted appeals for a penalty but the referee got this one right.

JP Grant picked up a booking after 57 minutes – even although it was him who was fouled – for swinging a leg at his opponent and was possibly slightly fortunate to stay on the park. Two minutes later Mark McKeever followed him into the book for a tackle.

Ross McGeachie replaced the anonymous Brian Jack and immediately made an impact, winning header after header and getting some very dangerous flick-ons and it was big Ross who was on the end of Thistle’s next chance when he got his head to a Joe Doyle free kick from the half way line but sent it just past the post. The Jags were pushing hard for the equaliser but the visitors were looking dangerous on the break and Davie McEwan had to be at his best in the 75th minute when he pulled off a point blank save to keep them in the game.

Thistle made another change to push for the equaliser and replaced Mark Russell with Sandy Strang, switching to three up front.

If Thistle were to get the breakthrough it always looked likely to come from a set piece and in 79 minutes they drew level from a free kick. Joe Doyle swung the ball in from the right and when it landed in the middle of the six yard area JP Grant reacted first and poked it home.

The joy at drawing level was short-lived however as two minutes later Bellshill regained the lead with a free header in the middle of the goal from a cross from the left. Gracie was booked shortly after in an extremely harsh incident when he swore at a team mate.

It was attack on all fronts now for Thistle but their attempts looked like falling short while at the same time Bellshill always looked capable of scoring on the break and McEwan saved the day on a couple more occasions. The goal did eventually come two minutes into added time and it was the simplest of moves. Gracie took a long throw on the right hand touchline and McGeachie rose highest to flick the ball up and over the keeper into the far corner of the goal.

Bellshill were now starting to regret the time wasting tactics as the Jags pressed again and looked for the winner but time got the better of them and the game ended in a draw that didn’t really satisfy either team.

Full Time: Larkhall Thistle 2 Bellshill Athletic 2

Thistle Scorers: Grant, McGeachie

Larkhall Thistle Team:
McEwan; Brown, Doyle, Nicholl, Russell; Jack, Canning, Kelly, McKeever; Grant, Gracie. Subs: McGeachie, McInall, Strang, Bulloch, Moss

Booked: Nicholl, Grant, McKeever, Gracie

Bellshill:
Donnelly, Brady, McDowell, Dolan, Wilson, Morris, Woods, Redpath, Miller, Selkirk, Holmes. Subs: Connolly, Love, Steele, MacDonald, Calder

Best for Thistle on the day was McEwan with another string of great saves but young Scott Nicholl also had a very good game and showed his versatility by filling in at full back

Stagecoach West of Scotland League Central District First Division
Gasworks Park, Larkhall
Larkhall Thistle v Benburb

Thistle kept their outside chance of going up alive with two late goals to take all three points against promotion rivals Benburb. The game was played at a cracking pace throughout and with the loser almost guaranteed to be out of the race it was more like a vital cup tie than an end of season league match.

After a couple of early half chances for both teams it was Larkhall who took the lead in the 9th minute when Ross McGeachie knocked a high ball down to Canning, the midfielder hit a fierce shot that the keeper could only parry out to Graham Gracie who tapped in from close range.

Benburb then had a somewhat hopeful claim for a penalty turned down when the ball appeared to strike Dean Richardson’s arm before Gracie picked up a pass from Brian Jack in 15 minutes and cut across the face of the goal, unfortunately he saw his shot saved by keeper Thomson. The Jags next attempt came seven minutes later from a corner on the left taken by Mark McKeever, the ball dropped to Dean Richardson on the edge of the box and his dipping shot just cleared the bar.

Benburb then took control of the game for the rest of the first half, reducing Thistle to balls over the top and quick breaks as well as some excellent defensive work, particularly from keeper Davie McEwan who made three outstanding saves to take the Jags into the interval ahead.

Half Time: Larkhall Thistle 1 Benburb 0

The second half began with Thistle putting the ball into the net after only five minutes when Gracie swept a low ball in from a Richardson pass but the referee chalked the goal off for offside. The Jags did go two up however in the 56th minute and it came from a long ball from Davie McEwan that appeared to be going out of play on the right hand touch line. Jack however did well to stretch and keep it in then send it up the line to Gracie who cut inside and fired a low shot into the bottom corner.

Three minutes later Thistle again had the ball in the net and disallowed, once more for an offside decision. Alan Fleming then got booked for a tackle in the 69th minute and it was the start of a disastrous two minute spell for the Jags, from the resultant free kick the ball was worked wide and crossed in for a free header from six yards that gave McEwan no chance. The Bens smelled blood and it was no real surprise when they got their equaliser a minute later, McKeever stretched to keep the ball in play but only managed to help it on to a Benburb player. He played it down the left side again and with no defender in evidence the Bens man strolled into the box and played a low, hard ball across the face of the goal for a tap in at the back post for McGurgan, sending the Bens contingent wild.

Immediatetly after the goal, stand in right back Jack was taken off and replaced by young Jordan Marshall who steadied the defence from the moment he came on and looked confident and assured. Thistle might have had their heads down after losing the two goals, but showed the fighting qualities that they have done all season and started playing better than they had all game.

A period of strong Thistle pressure followed and they almost scored, first through Canning who blasted high when clean through, then McGeachie who had his header from two yards saved and finally McKeever who inexplicably cleared the fence at the Gaswork end from two yards when he looked certain to score.

The game looked like it might play out as a draw that didn’t really help either side much but a hectic last five minutes changed that. First Benburb had McGurgan sent off for a second yellow after a foul on McKeever. Keeper McEwan took the free kick and Graham Gracie scooped the loose ball over his shoulder into the net but the referee ruled that there was contact on the keeper and disallowed a Thistle goal for the third time.

The Jags rallied again though and took the lead on the 90th minute from a long kick out from McEwan that was headed on by McGeachie and slotted in by Fleming for his second goal of the season. The excitement had hardly died down when Gracie put the game beyond doubt with his third of the night, taking a ball over the top from Mark Canning and lobbing the keeper into the empty net.

The result moves Thistle up to third place above Lanark with the same number of games played, and the draw for St Anthony’s means that the Jags can now overtake them if they win their two games in hand.

Full Time: Larkhall Thistle 4 Benburb 2

Thistle Scorers: Gracie 3, Fleming

Larkhall Thistle Team:
McEwan; Jack, Brown, Fleming, Richardson; McKeever, Canning, Grant, Nicholl; McGeachie, Gracie. Subs: Russell, Weir, Marshall ,Moss, McLachlan

Booked: Fleming, Canning

Benburb:
Thomson; Cameron, Sinclair, C Jackson, McInnes, Davies, Hendrie, Lovering, S Jackson, Waddell, McGurgan

Best for Thistle on the day were McEwan and Gracie although it was a fine team performance all round and every player can be pleased with their night’s work.

Stagecoach West of Scotland League Central District First Division
Gasworks Park, Larkhall
Larkhall Thistle v Dunipace

A good win for Thistle amid a swirling wind put the Larkhall side six points behind second place St Anthony’s with two games in hand and continued their outside chance of promotion. The Jags were down to a reduced squad again and right back Mark Russell who had started the previous two games made way to accommodate midfielder Brian Jack at right back. Ross McGeachie returned to partner Graham Gracie up front and that proved to be a good decision.

Thistle gave Dunipace an idea of what was to follow with a preview of their second goal after 11 minutes. Jack made his best contribution to the game with a through ball to Scott Nicholl on the left edge of the box, the youngster took it on and hit a low shot across the keeper to his left but he saved comfortably.

The home side were well on top in the early stages of the match and it was against the run of play that Dunipace took the lead in the 18th minute. A Dunipace attack was cleared for a corner and when the cross came in it looked like a clear foul on Ross McGeachie before the ball was played out to Kirwin on the edge of the box. The defender curled an unstoppable shot – possibly assisted by the wind – into the top corner of the net. Thistle’s Dean Richardson was booked for protesting too loudly at the apparent foul leading to the goal.

Three minutes later Thistle were almost level when a free kick from JP Grant 40 yards out dropped right in front of the goal but McGeachie just failed to connect with his header and the ball was cleared for a corner. The respite was brief however as two minutes later the Jags were level. Again it was a corner and Alan Fleming won the ball in the box and laid it off to Ross McGeachie at the edge of the six yard box, he struck the ball high into the net and although the keeper got a hand to it he was beaten by the power of the shot.

Thistle were only level for three minutes though before Dunipace found space again down the left, exposing the stand-in right back’s lack of defensive capabilities once more as Wright curled an almost identical shot into the same corner to put the Stirlingshire club back in front.

The chances were coming thick and fast and Thistle nearly drew level a minute later when Mak McKeever got on the end of a McGeachie knock-down to hit a good half-volley which the keeper manged to dive low to smother. Two minutes later Gracie latched on to a great through ball over the top that split the Dunipace defence wide open but his lob from 20 yards sailed over the keeper and over the bar. Just after the half hour mark McGeachie was sent clear with another through ball and although he started his run behind two defenders he was bizarrely blown up for offside.

Thistle equalised in 42 minutes when Scott Nicholl recreated his earlier move and took the ball on the left of the penalty area and drove in before sending a low shot just inside the keeper’s left hand post.

Half Time: Larkhall Thistle 2 Dunipace 2

The second half saw Thistle playing with the wind and dominating proceedings almost from start to finish. Jags keeper Davie McEwan nearly scored the first goal of the half with a kick out that the wind helped all the way and Pace keeper McGinty had to watch carefully as it bounced over the bar.

Alan Fleming picked up an early second half booking for a professional foul when he took the Dunipace man down as he broke clear just inside the Thistle half but Thistle nearly went in front in the 51st minute when Canning somehow managed to get his diving header over the bar from a Gracie cross. Dunipace showed they still had a bit left in 61 minutes with a great passing move resulting in their striker finding himself in the clear right in front of goal. His low hard shot looked a certain goal until McEwan manged to get down and get a big left hand to it somehow.

Thistle were well on top however and the breakthrough came in the 69th minute when Mark Canning beat the Dunipace high-line offside trap with a perfectly timed run to latch on to a long kick from McEwan and dink the ball over the advancing keeper. Shortly after manager Dunky Sinclair brought on Sandy Strang for Gracie.

Thistle continued to press and always looked the more likely to score again and almost did five minutes from time in a strange replica of a fist half move where a Grant free kick was missed right in front of the goal by McGeachie. This time however there looked to be a strong suspicion of a push on the striker.

The game was tied up in after 87 minutes when McGeachie got the ball on the left and played it into Strang. The striker’s low shot was parried by McGinty but Nicholl was on hand to tap in the rebound and secure the points for the Jags.

A minute from time Canning tried a spectaular lob from halfway that went just past and in the final minute McEwan provided the last action of the day as he dived brilliantly to get a hand to a free header from six yards.

Full Time: Larkhall Thistle 4 Dunipace 2

Thistle Scorers: Nicholl 2, McGeachie, Canning

Larkhall Thistle Team:
McEwan; Jack, Brown, Fleming, Richardson; McKeever, Canning, Grant, Nicholl; McGeachie, Gracie. Subs: Russell, Strang, McInall

Dunipace:
McGinty; Meikle, Kirwin, Mullan, Oates; Batchelor, Brown, Grant, Rodger; Mallon, Wright. Subs: Miller, Gordon, Orr, Walker, Gilcherrie

Best for Thistle on the day were McGeachie, Fleming and McEwan

Stagecoach West of Scotland League Central District First Division
Gasworks Park, Larkhall
Larkhall Thistle v Shettleston

Larkhall Thistle met Shettleston in a must win game for both teams if they were to have any realistic chance of promotion and in the end it was the team from the east end of Glasgow who showed they might still be in there at the shake-up. Shettleston have spent money recently and their team was virtually unrecognisable from the early-season side who had started their campaign so badly, with some impressive new signings including ex-St Johnstone player Keigan Parker (right).

Thistle made a couple of changes from last week’s win at St Roch’s, Mark McKeever returned from suspension to right midfield with Mark Russell dropping to right back. Andy Brown moved inside to centre half replacing Mark Weir in the middle. New starts Sandy Strang and John Bulloch from last week both kept their places.

The Jags started the game fairly well and had an early half chance when the ball was played up to Strang in the fifth minute, he controlled it well on his chest and flicked it over his head into the path of Graham Gracie 10 yards out but the Shettleston defender did well to get himself between man and ball and clear the danger. Gracie was involved again five minutes later when Bulloch sent a great ball into the middle of the box for him to chase, he controlled it with his first touch and flicked the ball over the outrushing keeper but unfortunately over the bar too.

Shettleston did take a while to warm up but they were starting to get the upper hand in possession and got their breakthrough in the 18th minute when a good ball in found Smith unmarked on the left of the box, the big striker took a touch and fired the ball into the bottom corner past helpless Jags keeper Davie McEwan.

Thistle battled to get back into the game but their play was lacking in any creativity and they failed to produce any clean cut chances. Shettleston were looking the more dangerous side and it was no real surprise when they extended their lead in 29 minutes although the goal was partly self-inflicted. Davie McEwan failed to get any length on a kickout and it was intercepted by Parker for Shettleston, he set off down the right and put a good cross in for a shot that McEwan managed to save only for it to drop to Shettleston’s Chris McCormack who had the easiest of tasks in slotting home from 8 yards.

Thistle produced nothing of note in the rest of the first half and it was the visitors who nearly went into the interval even further ahead when Doyle burst through the middle into space but only managed to hit his effort over the bar.

Half Time: Larkhall Thistle 0 Shettleston 2

Larkhall manager Duncan Sinclair made a couple of changes at half time to try and get them back into the game, Steven McInall replacing Mark Russell and Scott Nicholl coming on for John Bulloch and it was McInall who led the way in the Jags attempts to get themselves back level with some great touches and a range of pinpoint passing.

It was McInall who produced what turned out to be Thistle’s best effort of the second half after only six minutes, the ball bobbled about in the box and was half cleared to the Jags man who hit a daisy cutter from 25 yards that keeper Keenan had to dive full length to tip past his left post.

From then on however it was mostly downhill for the home side and Shettleston put the game beyond doubt just four minutes later. A good ball down the right wing saw Parker in acres of space and although Andy Brown managed to get across, the ex-senior left him in his wake as he powered into the box and cut back for McCrane to tap into the empty goal.

Brown picked up a knock in trying to stop Parker and although he managed to come back onto the park and play on, it was clear he was injured and was replaced five minutes later by another debutant – Jordan Marshall, son of former Thistle player Gary Marshall.

The Shettleston defence was coping with anything that Thistle could throw at it, which was mostly long balls up in the direction of Strang and Gracie and the frustration of not being able to create any chances spilled over into a spate of bookings. Firstly Canning got involved with Shettleston’s Crichton in the aftermath of a tackle and both players saw yellow, then Alan Fleming picked up a booking for a tackle and Gracie followed them into the book for a niggly challenge. Finally Scott Nicholl got involved in a locking of foreheads with McCormack, both players receiving a caution.

Thistle plodded away for the rest of the second half but the long ball game that has served them well in some games was getting them nowhere and there wasn’t much of a plan B leaving Shettleston to see the game out comfortably. Parker almost made it four for the visitors a minute from time when he intercepted a short back pass and nicked in for a shot but McEwan did well to clear for a corner.

So a bad day for Thistle but on this display Shettleston are the best team Thistle have played in the league this season and the money they have spent has ensured they are now genuine promotion contenders.

Full Time: Larkhall Thistle 0 Shettleston 3

Larkhall Thistle:
McEwan; Russell, Brown, Fleming, Richardson; McKeever, Canning, Kelly, Bulloch; Strang, Gracie. Subs McGeachie, McInall, Nicholl, Marshall

Booked: Canning, Fleming, Gracie, Nicholl

Shettleston:
Keenan, McGill, Juckowick, Crichton, Dickson, Doyle, Parker, McCormack, Smith, Boyle, McCrane. Subs: Thomson, Kelly, McEwan, Scott, Cairney

Best for Thistle on a day when nothing really went right was Richardson, with a very good second half performance from McInall.

Unfortunately a combination of heavy rain, snow and frost meant that there were hardly any junior football games played anywhere in Scotland during December 2012.

In common with a lot of other clubs, Larkhall Thistle didn’t manage to play any games in the whole of the month. Games against Greenock, East Kilbride Thistle,  Shettleston, Port Glasgow and Benburb were all due to be played but fell foul of the weather.