West finalist’s great escape
LAST season’s West of Scotland cup finalists Goldenhill heaved a sigh of relief as a second half comeback by the local favourites just failed to produce a positive result.
The game looked dead in the water after just 30 minutes, a combination of sluggish play and mistakes conspiring to leave the McFadyens sponsored Pupils chasing what looked a lost cause.
Struggling
Four weeks absence from the game did little to help the home side’s cause, as they were at least a yard off the play and struggling to find the pace of the game.
It was a strange match to watch, as territorially the home side were giving as good as they got, in fact, the Pupils should have taken the lead in the first minute when a good chance was squandered when it looked easier to score.
It was Goldenhill’s counter-attacking style that caused most of the bother. The Glasgow side raced to the other end and plundered the lead when the defence backed off and allowed the visiting striker time and space to pick his spot in the bottom corner of the net.
A second followed shortly after, when a penetrating run and through ball on the attacking right split the home defence wide open, the resultant cutback bundled home to give Goldenhill a two goal advantage.
The Pupils had a wonderful chance to reduce the deficit as Souden broke clear on the right, but the youngster’s early lofted shot found the wrong side of the net and the chance was gone.
Lady luck left the home side scratching their heads in disbelief when a simple cutback hit Pupils’ full back Lamont with the ball ending up in the back of the net gave the visitors a healthy, if somewhat flattering three goal cushion at half time.
Good voice
The second half found the home fans in good voice, as the Pupils came roaring out of the traps to score early through Ryan McConnachie.
The striker picked up on a mistake, dragged the ball across the face of the defence and unleashed a thunderous drive into the back of the net.
Minutes later it was game on as the Pupils clawed their way back with the move of the match. A wonderful through ball released Ryan Deans behind a square defence, and another of the Pupils young talented protégées kept his cool to draw the keeper and side foot home for an excellent second goal.
Goldenhill were on the ropes, visibly wilting and the game should have been allsquare when a netbound shot was deflected over the top.
It was not to be, and the visitors secured all three points when time ran out on the home side’s excellent second half comeback.
Tomorrow (Saturday) Campbeltown Pupils travel to play a league fixture against Motherwell Thistle.