MATCH REPORT: ARTHURLIE 1-2 GLENAFTON

Wednesday 16 August 2023 19:00

WoSFL Premier Division

ARTHURLIE 1-2 GLENAFTON

Scorers

Arthurlie: McGuigan (23)

Glenafton: McLean (70), Rowe (90)

Dunterlie Park, Barrhead

MIDWEEK action made its first appearance at Dunterlie for the 23/24 WoSFL season as Arthurlie welcomed the visit of Glenafton to Barrhead.

Following Saturday’s disappointing defeat at Irvine, ‘Lie were looking to get back on a winning track, but this game was to follow a similar pattern as the New Cumnock side left with the points despite going behind.

The home side were the first to threaten, on 13 minutes, Conor Bolger picking the ball up 40 yards out and gliding past a couple of defenders before seeing his 20-yarder gathered at the second attempt by David Markey in the Glenafton goal.

Arthurlie were the team on the ascendency in the early stages and they found an opener on 23 minutes, Mo Sugufara again instrumental, moving on to a Mark Docherty pass before crossing for Dylan McGuigan to head home.

Glens reacted positively to going behind and had their best spell of the first half in the next quarter of an hour.

They hit the side netting, sent a free header wide, and skied a good opportunity out of the ground, before the home side got a grip on the match again to go into the break in front.

The second half started with the already stretched ‘Lie squad being dealt a further blow when top scorer Dylan Dykes was forced off and replaced by Gary Carroll.

Ten minutes after the restart the skipper thought he had doubled the lead when he lashed home from a Bolger cross, but Carroll’s joy was short-lived as the flag went up for offside.

Carroll turned provider on 64, crossing low to Sugufara but the wing-back could only turn it wide at the back post.

The captain’s return to the team was worryingly short-lived, however, as moments later he made a challenge in the middle of the park and immediately let out a scream in agony. He was replaced straightaway, having to be carried off as Andy McLaughlin came off the bench.

Unsurprisingly this seemed to really knock the home side, and on 70 minutes Glens levelled the scores when Scott McLean ran on to a Michael Moffat pass before slotting home.

The game looked like it could go either way at this point and Jordan Leyden headed into the side-netting for Arthurlie with 3 minutes to go.

However, with the 90 minutes up, it was the away side who would claim the three points in injury-time, Ollie Rowe knocking in from close range as the home defence claimed for offside.

Arthurlie team: Clarke, Magee, Greenwood (McPherson 76), MacNeil, Sugufara, Kerr, Leyden, Docherty (c), McGuigan, Bolger, Dykes (Carroll 46 (McLaughlin 65))

Subs not used: Bamba

Glenafton team: Markey, McLean, McMullin, Pettigrew (c), Paton, Fraser, Moffat, Sinnamon (McWaters 59), Holding, O’Kane, Rowe

Subs not used: Ross, Frizzell