MATCH REPORT: ARTHURLIE 3-0 BLANTYRE VICS

Saturday 31 August 2024 14:00

WoSFL First Division

Arthurlie 3-0 Blantyre Victoria

Scorers: MacNeil (pen 40), Own Goal (51), Roulston (76)

Dunterlie Park, Barrhead

ARTHURLIE moved into first place in the WoSFL First Division with a comfortable win over struggling Blantyre Victoria at Dunterlie Park on Saturday afternoon.

The first quarter hour of the game was largely uneventful before the game’s first real effort fell the way of Vics, Jake Ruxton flicking an Ants Eadie effort goalwards only to be denied by an acrobatic save from Chris Calder in the Arthurlie net.

Two minutes later, Lee Roulston had a chance at the other end but saw Gemmell get down well to block his low shot.

Arthurlie should have been a goal behind on 26 minutes when Chris Calder rushed off his line to intercept an attempted through ball, but sclaffed his clearance straight to a Vics player and had to look on thankfully as the shot from distance drifted just wide of the unguarded goal.

On 40 minutes ‘Lie were given a great chance to take the lead when substitute Kieran Brophy headed an Aaron Healy cross on to the hand of Eadie and the referee pointed straight to the spot.

From the resulting penalty, skipper Michael MacNeil stepped up and made no mistake as he drove low into the bottom left corner to make it 1-0.

Arthurlie made a positive start to the second half, with Healy pushing forward on the left and constantly posing Blantyre problems.

Brophy picked up a booking for diving early in the half after taking a tumble in the box having picked up one of the winger’s early cutbacks from the left.

Roulston forced Gemmell into another fine save on 51 minutes, the goalkeeper turning his 15-yard effort wide of the post.

From the resulting corner the ball deflected off a Blantyre defender and crept into the net at Gemmell’s left-hand post.

Healy was denied Arthurlie’s third by Gemmell on 66 minutes, cutting in from the corner of the area and curling a right-footed effort to the far corner but seeing the goalie turn it wide.

Gemmell again denied ‘Lie on 73, Tam McGaughey’s shot from 18-yards being tipped over the bar.

Healy saw a close range effort stopped by Gemmell’s foot two minutes later, before Arthurlie finally found a third in the 76th minute, Lee Roulston’s shot from 25-yards deflecting off Calum Shields and giving the goalkeeper no chance.

As full-time approached, Healy was still showing his determination to get on the score sheet, first seeing a 20-yarder tipped over the bar, then seeing Gemmell save with his feet when weaving his way into the box.

It wasn’t to be for the Arthurlie number 5 in the end, but the victory and performance were both resounding as the Barrhead side safely claimed the three points and moved to the top of the table.

Arthurlie team: 26. Calder, 4. Roulston, 5. Healy, 6. McEwan (9. Brophy 31), 7. Bolger (10. McGuigan 61), 8. Leyden, 11. McGaughey, 17. MacNeil (c), 20. Greenwood, 23. McMullin, 24. McKenzie (16. Taylor 61)

Subs not used: 21. Sinclair, 1. Calder (GK)

Blantyre team: 1. Gemmell, 2. Kasule, 3. J.Kavanagh, 4. Morrison, 5. Shields, 6. Scott, 7. Eadie, 8. Ferguson, 9. Kent, 10. Hansen (c), 11. Ruxton

Subs: Orisakwe, Findlay, Petrie, Paterson, Sugufara, McInally, D.Kavanagh