NO.1 FOR JUNIORS Larkie promotion joy tarnished by claims of sectarian chanting
LARKHALL Thistle ended their l ong quest for Central First Division promotion honours with a 2-1 win over St Roch’s in a game marred by sectarian unrest.
The result means the Lanarkshire outfit have clinched one of the two step-up places and bequeathed the other to Cambuslang Rangers.
But the Wee Gers can yet pip the Larkie to the title with a win next weekend in their own final league outing away to Neilston.
The agony of the Candy Rock’s third-place finish was mirrored in the faces of their players and management trooping off Gasworks Park at the final whistle.
However, it was off-the-pitch matters that disappointed team boss Andy Cameron most of all when he reflected on the day’s events.
He said: “Larkhall Thistle played better than us so I have no complaints over the result and I congratulate them – and of course Cambuslang Rangers – for coming out on top in a terrific promotion contest.
“Ultimately, today’s game proved to be a decider, but truth is we blew our chances by taking just nine points from a possible 21 over our run in and that’s simply not good enough.”
The affable Cameron then blasted: “The biggest loser today to my mind was Junior football itself because of the vile sectarian chants and abuse coming from around 200 supposed Larkhall supporters.
“Only one person was taken away by police for allegedly making monkey gestures at my player Baboucarr Musa yet the singing of hate anthems were allowed to go totally unchecked.
“And voicing my disappointment to West Region officials afterwards brought an apparent justification for the singing with one individual inferring that our fans waving a green, white and gold banner was some sort of provocation.
“We are a football club called St Roch’s from Garngad and we play in a green strip out of a home ground named the James McGrory Stadium in memory of our most legendary former player and it’s about time people in the game accepted it.”
The stakes on offer saw a frenetic opening period with passes going astray but just ten minutes in the Jags got their noses in front with a goal of real quality.
A free kick played in from out left carried all the way to Larkhall right-winger Josh Payne who knocked the ball into the path of top scorer Graham Gracie and he cleverly lifted the ball over Jordan Halsman before smashing a rising half-volley into the net for 1-0.
Within minutes Gracie raced clear on the left to fire over a low driven cross t hat team- mate Davie Reid slid in to meet only for his netbound shot to be touched away by visiting keeper John Stark.
ST ROCH’S continued to be put under the cosh as Ryan Innes came close with a low 20- yard shot.
Visiting gaffer Cameron’s half-time introduction of Rab McGuire from the substitutes bench brought about a livelier start from the Glasgow outfit.
But they were rocked as Larkhall duly doubled their lead when a Halsman error let in Mark Canning and the Larkie skipper trundled a low shot past Stark and into the net for 2-0.
St Roch’s had to go for it and they exerted a lot of attacking pressure that paid dividends when home goalkeeper Stuart Thomson had a rush of blood to the head in 55 minutes and raced off his line to haul down Cd Candy Rock k strikerik S Stephenh McDonald when he was heading away from goal to earn a penalty kick converted by Kieran Daw to halve his team’s deficit.
Their lifeline spurred St Roch’s into greater attacking forays, but Larkhall’s defence held firm to claim a momentous victory that sparked lavish celebrations at the end.
Delighted boss Dunky Sin- clair said: “The players were magnificent and I cannot praise them enough for carrying out our game plan to perfection.
“My assistant Tam McLaughlin and I have worked tirelessly here for the past six years in trying to get Larkhall back to the superleagues and it’s a great feeling to know all our hard graft is now being rewarded.
Meanwhile, matters are no- where near as concluded at the other end of the table after last season’s Second Division c champions Forth Wanderers p passed up a glorious opportun nity to avoid a relegation fate with a 2-2 draw against Benburb at New Tinto Park.
Forth’s three-way fightwith Lesmahagow and Vale of Clyde – all three are on 25 points – to avoid taking the fall along with already doomed pair Bellshill Athletic and Johnstone Burgh now goes on to Wednesday night when they host Wishaw.
Saturday also saw Second Division outfit East Kilbride Thistle’s promotion aspirations dented by a 2-2 draw with Dunipace that leaves Billy Campbell’s side needing to win their final two games of the season against Gartcairn on Wednesday and Newmains United on Saturday to pip Lanark United to third top spot.