Battling Glenmuir keep pace with their title rivals

GLENMUIR completed the double over the leaders to put the icing on a great two weeks in the absence of their honeymooning manager Kevin McArdle.

They followed their win over second place Park Celtic Summerhill the previous Sunday with this victory at Glenmuir Park on Friday night that puts them level with the leaders, who they beat on their own ground earlier in the season.

The groundwork for this important result was laid in the first-half with Glenmuir totally outplaying the leaders and were full value for a two goal lead at the break, courtesy of Conor Nicholson..

The first goal arrived after 25 minutes when Brendan Shields passed the ball to edge of the Skryne penalty box and Nicholson finished in style with his left foot into the top right hand corner of the net

Eamon Kenny paved the way for the second, splitting the Skryne defence with a pinpoint pass that enabled Conor Nicholson to run onto into the box and buried a shot low into the bottom corner of the net.

Glenmuir continued to hold the whip hand in the second-half but the energy sapping exertions that the home side put in started to take their toll , and the leaders gained a foothold in the game.

They started to apply the first real pressure which yielded its reward with a goal with 20 minutes remaining.

The tide then seemed to really turn against Glenmuir with inside the next ten minutes Dino Stimac dismissed and they were reduced to ten men.

The home side really had their backs to the wall, and the referee added to their woes, awarding Skryne a very contentious spot kick. However, goalkeeper John Burlingham rose to the task as he pulled off a brilliant double save, stopping the spot kick and sprung up as quick as lightning to keep out the rebound .

That was the decisive turning point, giving Glenmuir the impetus and belief to hold out in the closing minutes for a very valuable victory. GLENMUIR: John Burlingham, Edgar Bitanis, Sean McCann, Shane Finnegan, David McComish, Brendan Sheilds (Alan Quigley), Andrew Hayes (Kevin Mulgrew), Eamonn Kenny, Dino Stimac , Jamie Faulkner(Lorcan Doyle), Conor Nicholson( David Hughes).