Loss ends promotion hope
Cumbernauld U ..... 2 Glencairn .............. 0 The Glens will have to be content with another season in the Super League Division One after a second defeat in three days effectively killed off their promotion hopes.
The side had travelled to Cumbernauld hoping to get the three points they desperately wanted to move them back into the promotion spots, but it wasn’t to be after a goal in each half ended the Rutherglen side’s dream.
Glencairn had the best chance of the opening period when Denis McLaughlin’s cross came over the top of Danny Boyle, but Thomas Kilmartin volleyed over the crossbar from eight yards.
Cumbernauld took the lead on the half-hour mark as Scott Murphy worked his way into the heart of the defence, skipped past a couple of challenges and then fired into the roof of the net.
An equaliser looked certain when McLaughlin drilled in a low shot before half time, but home defender James Brown got over to make a brilliant goal saving block, right in front of goal.
When the referee blew the whistle for half-time, it was 1-0 to the hosts.
Glencairn fought to try and pull an equaliser back, but when the next goal came, it was United who scored. They doubled their lead just before the hour mark as a long ball caused uncertainty in the Glencairn rearguard, and the ball broke into the path of Scott McHaffie who fired into the net from close range.
Glencairn huffed and puffed but were met by a strong and determined home defence.
The closest to a goal for the Glens came when a clever passing move ended with Del Esplin’s shot on the stretch being deflected wide of the post by inches.