MATCH REPORT: ARTHURLIE 2-2 POLLOK

Saturday 17 February 2024 14:00

WoSFL Premier Division

Arthurlie 2-2 Pollok

Scorers

Arthurlie: Dykes (pen 65), Bolger (85)

Pollok: Duff (3), Docherty (75)

Dunterlie Park, Barrhead

THE Southside derby was back at Dunterlie on Saturday afternoon as Pollok made the trip to Barrhead to take on Arthurlie in the WoSFL Premier Division.

Just seconds before kick-off the heavens opened and heavy rain continued to fall throughout the 90 minutes, although it didn’t at all affect the quality on the park or the atmosphere off it.

The visitors were ahead after only 3 minutes when Fraser Mullen’s low free-kick from out on the left found Chris Duff to poke the ball home via the right-hand upright.

Pollok had a great chance to double the lead on 25 minutes after Hugh Kerr was fouled inside the box by Lewis Magee.

From the resulting penalty, however, Luke Main placed his kick too central and Graham Black got two strong hands to it to parry it away from danger.

A minute later, Main came close again, cutting in from the right before curling a left-footer goalwards that Black again did well to push away from goal.

With five minutes to go before half-time, Black once more came to Arthurlie’s rescue, standing up well to block Adam Forde’s effort as the forward raced in on goal.

It was only a few seconds short of the break before ‘Lie had their first shot on target, Tam McGaughey’s free-kick from distance being comfortably held by Jordan Longmuir in the Pollok goal.

Arthurlie started the second-half much brighter but it was Pollok who had the first chance after the break, substitute Evan Maley getting on the end of a low cross at the back post in the 55th minute but ballooning his effort way over the bar.

Two minutes later Main had a go with a free-kick from distance but Black got across his line well to safely clutch the ball into his chest.

The home team had been much improved in the second half and Dylan McGuigan was inches away from an equaliser on 64 minutes, heading a Dylan Dykes cross on to the post before McGaughey’s diving header from the rebound was clawed away to safety.

But the scores were level just a minute later when McGaughey was upended in the box for a penalty, and Dykes made no mistake, sending the ball low into the bottom left corner.

The parity wasn’t to last more than ten minutes though, Pollok finding themselves back in front when Stephen Docherty nodded home from close range on 75 after a high ball had been headed across goal.

Conor Bolger had passed a very, very late fitness test to be a last minute addition to the bench, and he was introduced to the action with 13 minutes remaining in place of Dylan Fletcher.

And on 85 minutes he showed exactly why ‘Lie had been so keen to have him in the squad, stepping up to loop a free-kick from 25-yards over the top of the Pollok wall and into the net.

Both teams pushed hard as the clock approached 90 but neither could find that third goal to claim victory and the draw was probably a fair reflection of what had been an entertaining game.

Arthurlie team: Black, Magee, MacNeil, Bradley, McPherson, Duncan, Docherty (c), Dykes (Anson 90), McGuigan, McGaughey, Fletcher (Bolger 77)

Subs not used: Eadie, McCallum, Sugufara, Wharton, Clarke (GK)

Pollok team: Longmuir, Mullen, Duncanson, Forrester, Gow, Faulds (Maley 51), Main (Lindsay 77), Henry, Forde, Kerr (Docherty 62), Duff (Nelson 77)

Subs not used: Gallacher, Anderson, Fry (GK)