WoSFL Conference A

FORTH WANDERERS 1 ARTHURLIE 2

By Ross Lafferty

ARTHURLIE leaped to the top of the West of Scotland Football League Conference A with a 2-1 win over Forth Wanderers at Kingshill Park.

With Shotts Bon Accord in cup action this weekend, Andy McFadyen’s men knew this was a perfect chance to lay down a marker in the race for promotion and moved above their title rivals with a hard fought win in South Lanarkshire.

The match didn’t get off to the best of starts for ‘Lie as Dale Simeon injured his foot and was taken off after only 5 minutes, being replaced by Darren Ramsay.

The change perhaps unsettled the visitors a little and Forth had the first chance of the match but James Scott was equal to the effort from close range and saved well with his feet.

As they grew into the game, Substitute Ramsay had Arthurlie’s first chance on 20 minutes but missed the target after Gary Smith had put him through on goal.

Smith then also spurned a good opportunity when he shot wide from 10 yards.

With just a few minutes of the half remaining ‘Lie were given another chance to take the lead, however, when Gary Carroll was upended in the box and the referee pointed to the spot. Skipper Carroll picked himself up and, as he has done on so many occasions this season, converted the kick with ease to make it 1-0.

The lead was doubled 20 minutes into the second half when a Calum Nolan free-kick from inside his own half found Smith in the Forth area and the clinical frontman finished well from an acute angle.

Just as the game looked destined to end in a comfortable three points for the away side, Forth pulled one back on 85 minutes with a low shot from the edge of the box.

The home side then missed an incredible chance to claim an equaliser at the death, rounding goalkeeper Scott before only managing to hit the side-netting with the shot that followed.

But despite this late Forth surge, ‘Lie managed to hold on in the closing stages and claim the all important three points that took them to the top of the table.

Arthurlie team: Scott, Zeb, Mackay (Chalmers 73), Nolan, MacNeil, Leyden, Carroll (McLaughlin 80), Roulston, Smith, Simeon (Ramsay 5), McGaughey

Subs not used: McFarlane, Bradley, Dunsmore, Kerr (GK)

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