GLENS STAY ON TOP AFTER GREAT VICTORY

Glencairn ........... 3 Cumbernauld ..... 2

Glencairn moved two points clear at the top of the league with a hard-fought, but deserved, victory away to third placed Cumbernauld United.

It was the Rutherglen side’s first win over United at Guy’s Meadow for over five years and it was an excellent football match to watch, with two good teams playing fine passing football.

Glens boss Willie Harvey unsurprisingly named an unchanged team from last week’s 8-0 demolition of Girvan.

But Cumbernauld took an early lead with what was effectively their first serious attempt on goal in the eighth minute.

Kris Gebbie was short with a pass back on the wet surface, and keeper Gary Whyte raced out to block at the feet of Scott Davidson, only for the ball to rebound to Scott McManus, who lobbed it into the net.

Giles was impressive as he kept Glencairn at bay, denying Simeon after the midfielder had skipped past the last defender in the 21st minute, while the same player’s curling effort clipped the post slightly later.

After several more saves from Giles, the Glens finally found a deserved equaliser in the 61st minute.

Simeon’s cut back on the right edge of the penalty area was perfect for Del Esplin to drill into the far corner of the net, his third goal in as many games.

Glencairn immediately made their first substitution, with Harry Mitchell brought on to replace McArdle, and the Glens edged in front for the first time in the 72nd minute.

Simeon’s vision with a crossfield pass picked out McKay at the back post, where the striker controlled the ball before firing it behind the defensive line, right into the path of Simeon who made no mistake.

Just as supporters were beginning to believe the Cumbernauld curse was about to be lifted, fortune turned against them in the 78th minute.

A dangerous cross from the left into the six-yard box saw Ryan Kerr’s attempted clearance come off the wrong side of his foot and fly past Whyte.

Suddenly the momentum was with the home side again and a sweeping break was denied only by Kerr’s fine block for a corner.

Both sides still wanted the three points, and Mitchell set up Simeon for a close range shot which beat Giles but was denied by McCabe’s sliding block.

Sean McGuire replaced McKay in Glencairn’s second change, and he promptly started the move for the most significant incident of the match.

His brilliant long pass picked out Simeon on the right and he laid the ball into the path of Esplin, who was crudely taken out by McCabe on the edge of the penalty area.

It was a clear cut red card, and the referee duly obliged.

Perhaps the big defender thought it was worth taking a red card to deny a goal. However, having narrowly missed from the same position in the first half, the stage was set for Gary Smith to try again and the striker fired in a shot which whipped into the net off the inside of the post.

This time it felt like the winner, and the Glens saw the match out to full time.