The Glens rampant against Thistle
Glencairn ................. 9 Larkhall Thistle ......... 0
Glencairn made a blistering start to the season as they smashed nine goals past Larkhall Thistle without reply.
Assistant manager Joe Pryce was in charge for the opening group match of the new West Region Sectional League Cup with Willie Harvey due to return from holiday shortly.
He named an unchanged starting team from last week’s final pre-season friendly match. That meant competitive debuts for goalkeeper Gary Whyte, defenders Kris Gebbie and Stevie Kerr, and midfielder Dale Simeon, while midfielder Del Esplin made his first competitive start since returning to the club.
The visitors have been through a summer of transition with a new management team and a completely new set of players. But the Glens players were in no mood to let their opponents settle into their season and the match was effectively over as a contest inside ten minutes. Jordan Leyden fired an angled shot from 18 yards which flew into the bottom corner of the net to put Glencairn 1-0 ahead before adding his second from Ryan Kerr’s cross.
There was no let-up in the tempo as last season’s top scorer Gary Smith opened his account for the new campaign from close range.
The visiting supporters were watching through the gaps between their fingers as Leyden was brought down in the penalty area in the ninth minute and tucked away the spot-kick.
Larkhall didn’t have their troubles to seek as they were forced into making two first half substitutions and Simeon also left the pitch with a sore neck, replaced by Harry Mitchell, making his first team competitive debut after stepping up from the under 21s.
The Glens were a little sloppy at the start of the second half but Smith did see his curling free kick take a coat of paint off the outside of the far post.
The roof caved in on Thistle, starting in the 55th minute as Leyden’s cross found Smith at the back post and he simply couldn’t miss to make it 5-0.
Smith completed his hat-trick minutes later and added a fourth, his side’s seventh, after Leyden’s shot was parried into his path six yards out.
The striker turned provider for substitute Ryan McArdle to net on 71 minutes and Esplin set up him up again for his second moments after.