Baker rises to the occasion in friendly

Glencairn ........... 1 Kilbirnie Lade’ ...0

Glencairn’s positive start to 2018 continued as they defeated Super Premier League side Kilbirnie Ladeside in a hastily-arranged friendly match.

With both sides’respective Scottish Junior Cup matches falling to the weather for the second week in a row, the sides put on an excellent match despite the blustery wind.

The game took some time to burst into life after some tidy passing from both sides without any real penetration.

In the 18th minute the Glens almost took the lead as Smith pounced on a short pass back by Robbie Halliday and dribbled round Hughes.

But he could only hit the post with his shot from a very tight angle. The best chance of the half arrived in the 35th minute as James Finlay ran through on goal with only Jack Baker to beat.

But his attempted shot seemed to lack the belief that he would score and the ball rolled tamely wide of goal.

The deadlock was broken in the 48th minute as The Glens were awarded a penalty kick.

There were two opportunities for the referee to give the award, one for a handball by Arnault Bembo, and a couple of seconds later the same player tripped Jay McKay as the livewire striker tried to latch onto the loose ball.

It was unclear which foul the spot kick was awarded for, but McKay was not waiting to ask as he got off the floor quickly and grabbed the ball, before sending Hughes the wrong way from 12 yards to put Glencairn 1-0 ahead.

Baker’s concentration at the other end was proving to be excellent as he kept the door closed with a terrific save to deny Scullion’s close range effort at the back post in the 54th minute. Chances kept coming at both ends. Stewart Hall cut in from the right in the 57th minute and fired in a low shot on the stretch which Hughes dealt with comfortably, before a minute later Scullion curled a free kick from 20 yards on target, forcing another save.

Jamie Hamilton returned from illness to win possession before firing a shot which was deflected inches wide.

Kilbirnie kept plugging away to try and get an equaliser, but they were being met with stern resistance from a determined Glencairn rearguard.

The Rutherglen side certainly enjoyed the friendly and the result which helped keep them ticking over until normal service is resumed.