MATCH REPORT: ARTHURLIE 3-0 ST. ROCH’S

Saturday 27 July 2024 14:00

WoSFL First Division

Arthurlie 3-0 St. Roch’s

Scorers: Healy (56), Bolger (75), McGaughey (90)

Taylor missed pen (18)

McBride sent off for St.Roch’s (46)

Dunterlie Park, Barrhead

ARTHURLIE made a winning start to the WoSFL First Division season as they saw off St. Roch’s with what looked a comfortable scoreline.

But make no mistake, the Barrhead side were made to work every step of the way, and the Glasgow side will have left East Renfrewshire feeling aggrieved after a string of missed chances.

The visitors did all of the early running and were looking a confident team in the early stages, Tiger Lawson having an early pop at goal from 30 yards on 7 minutes before Steffan Graham put one wide a minute later.

Arthurlie were struggling to get into the game but Tam McGaughey took advantage of some slack play by Lawson on 17 minutes, nicking the ball off the St. Roch’s man before being tugged to the ground just inside the area.

The referee had wasted no time in pointing to the spot, but from the resulting penalty Mark Taylor dragged his shot on to the post and wide.

The home side were dealt a blow on 22 minutes when captain Michael MacNeil was forced off injured following an earlier collision.

Kieran Brophy was brought on in his place for his debut, as Jordan Leyden moved into defence.

On 27 minutes the Candy were very nearly in front when Graham sent a shot from 20 yards soaring towards the top left corner of the net, but Marc Waters managed to get his fingertips on the ball and deflect it just wide of the post.

From the corner that followed, Sean Slaven sent a near post header goalwards that Waters somehow palmed away, and when the rebound was smashed against the bar, Leyden cleared the ball to safety.

On 34 minutes, ‘Lie should’ve been ahead, Aaron Healy managed to find space on the left, and played Tam McGaughey into the box to then set up Taylor six yards out, but the striker’s left foot shot was sent way over the bar.

With 5 minutes remaining before the break, Slaven had another chance for the visitors, finding space on the right of the box only to be denied by the left leg of Waters.

The match took a dramatic just a minute after the restart when Dean McBride wiped out Taylor as he raced through on goal and the referee was left with no option but to send off the St. Roch’s midfielder.

Just a minute later, however, the away side should have been ahead, first hitting the post then being denied by a great point-blank save from Waters.

It was to prove a costly moment as Arthurlie took the lead on 56 minutes, Taylor’s deflected shot finding its way to Healy at the back post, and the returning winger calmly stroked the ball into the bottom right corner.

As the last quarter hour approached, the lead was doubled when Healy stroked the ball into Conor Bolger’s path following nice link up with Taylor and McGaughey.

With only the goalkeeper to beat, Bolger made no mistake and calmly slotted low into the net.

With the game in injury time, McGaughey completed the scoring, going on a meandering run into the box, past 4 or 5 defenders, before striking the ball low into the back of the net.

Arthurlie team: 1. Waters 4. Roulston 5. Healy 7. Bolger 8. Leyden 11. McGaughey 16. Taylor (22. Gordon 85) 17. MacNeil (c) (9. Brophy 22) 18. Doherty 21. Sinclair 23. McMullin

Subs not used: 6. McEwan 20. Greenwood 26. Calder (GK)

St. Roch’s team: 1. Stark 2. Slee (8. Daw 85) 4. Lawson (17. Galasso 85) 7. McBride 10. Graham (9. Thompson 65) 11. Menzies (18. Duncan 60) 12. McGrillen (15. McCracken 65)16. Slaven 19. Kinnaird 22. O’Halloran 23. Daily

Subs not used: 3. Balde 14. Baird