Pupils remain unbeaten in pre-season friendlies
Campbeltown Pupils 2 Eaglesham 0 Pre-season friendly
For the home management, the most pleasing feature of this match was the team’s disciplined defensive display.
It was a match against good quality opposition in which the defence took all the plaudits, this despite riding their luck on a number of occasions around the home goalmouth.
Caledonian Premier League side Eaglesham were always going to test the local favourites to the full, and so it proved as the visitors set the tone in the early stages of a valuable but less than spectacular pre-season contest at Kintyre Park last Saturday.
After the previous season’s less than satisfactory goals against count, the home side’s rearguard never looked like being overrun at any stage, a massive improvement in discipline that held the opposition at bay for most of the match and allowed the team to counter attack swiftly and productively on the break.
So it proved when Ryan McConnachie and Ross Brown played a clever wall pass on the edge of their opponents’ box, the latter cutting the ball back for Scott Souden to turn the ball home with an angled drive in the 27th minute of the first half.
If the score was slightly against the run of play, Eaglesham was presented with a golden opportunity when Ross Souden bundled into the back of the incoming forward, but fortune smiled and the resultant penalty kick was blazed high over the crossbar as the home side heaved a distinct sigh of relief.
There were positive signs from the youngsters in the first half, with both Souden brothers and Ross Brown showing promise during exchanges. Another plus was the studied play of fullback Kenny Kerr, a first start on home soil and a performance that was laced with good possession and clever defending.
The second half produced a vast improvement in play from both sides, end-to-end action that kept the small crowd of spectators suitably entertained throughout.
Another plus over the past two matches was the welcome return of Ryan Gilchrist after a long lay-off through injury, and, although still a little short of match fitness, his skill and tenacity augers well for future contests.
Both sides took the opportunity to field all of their squad on the day, and the game was eventually put to bed, typically on the break, when Gregor Croll broke free and squared the ball for Donald McCallum to hammer the ball from from close range.
The Pupils back four kept their shape throughout and offered the opposition little opportunity to capitalise despite their fine approach play.
Craig Lamont also had a fine game between ‘the sticks’ as the home side retained its undefeated tag in pre-season encounters.
Campbeltown Pupils break new territory on Saturday when they travel to play Perthshire opposition in the shape of Breadalbane AFC at Aberfeldy. The home side’s last major trophy was the North of Tay Cup in 2010.