MATCH REPORT: ARTHURLIE 6-0 ASHFIELD

Saturday 3 August 2024 14:00

WoSFL First Division

Arthurlie 6-0 Ashfield

Scorers: Roulston (5), Healy (9), Doherty (35), Taylor (43, 54), Leyden (87)

Red card: Onotu (Ashfield) 82

Dunterlie Park, Barrhead

A comprehensive win over Ashfield at Dunterlie Park was enough to send Arthurlie top of the West of Scotland First Division and make it three wins from as many games this season.

After the midweek win over Winton Rovers, ‘Lie returned to Barrhead for a home game against an Ashfield side who had lost their opening two league ties.

Chris Calder, Dylan McGuigan and Sam Greenwood made their first starts of the season, in place of Marc Waters, Michael MacNeil and Conor Bolger, while Tam McGaughey made way for the inclusion of Mark Taylor in attack.

It was only 5 minutes before Arthurlie opened the scoring, Kieran Brophy pulling wide to receive the ball, before racing towards the box to cut back for Lee Roulston to take a touch and send the ball into the top right corner.

Four minutes later the lead was doubled, Roulston going on a mazy run to set-up Aaron Healy, who finished with a sublime first time effort into the postage stamp.

Brophy almost added a third 2 minutes later when cutting in from the left, but saw his 20-yarder drift narrowly wide of the far-side upright.

Healy again came close on 25 minutes, but was denied by former ‘Lie ‘keeper Max Clarke, after weaving his way through the defence, before Dylan McGuigan turned the rebound just past.

The home side did find a third on 35 minutes, Brophy laying the ball off to Jordan Leyden to cross from the right, and Sean Doherty made no mistake in heading home from close range.

With 2 minutes to go before the break, Arthurlie added a fourth, Michael McMullin raced into the box from left-back before playing across goal to give Mark Taylor a tap-in.

Nine minutes into the second half Taylor added a second for himself, latching on to a Healy cross before jinking past Clarke and rolling the ball into the empty net.

With 67 minutes on the clock Healy came close to his second, winning a free-kick 25 yards out and then curling the set-piece just wide of the target.

With the match tailing off to a close, things took a sour turn on 83 minutes when Ashfield substitute Clinton Onotu was red carded for a wild challenge on Calum McEwan on the halfway line, near the Arthurlie dugout.

Five minutes later ‘Lie added a sixth, Conor Bolger finding Jordan Leyden with a pass from the right and the vice-captain saw his 25-yarder deflected into the net.

It was the last meaningful action of the 90 minutes, and saw Arthurlie go two points clear of second-placed Rutherglen Glencairn ahead of a top-of-the-table clash at the Hamish B. Allan stadium next week.

Arthurlie team: 26. Calder 4. Roulston (7. Bolger 46) 5. Healy 8. Leyden (c) 9. Brophy 10.McGuigan (17. MacNeil 75) 16. Taylor (11. McGaughey 59) 18. Doherty 20. Greenwood 21. Sinclair (6. McEwan 46) 23. McMullin (22. Gordon 59)

Sub not used: 3. Eadie

Ashfield team: 1. Clarke 2. Forbes 3. Seenan 4. Moore (12. Scott) 5. Chiedu 6. Black (14. Tierney) 7. Duncan (c) 8. Quinn (15. Laughlin) 9. McCrystal 10. Taylor (16. Findlay) 11. McLean (17. Onotu)

Subs not used: 18. Pierotti 23. Hughes