Rain stops play ... again and again
Weather wreaks havoc with fixtures list
Scotland’s summer weather has played havoc again with the Forth and Endrick League.
On Saturday, three previously postponed league matches were re-scheduled to be played, but early on Blanefield and Gartocharn was washed out.
Aberfoyle and Deanston had agreed to play their two unplayed fixtures as a “doubleheader” at Aberfoyle only to find that the pitch there was unplayable.
With commendable persistence they arranged a switch to Thornhill but again the weather ruled out that pitch.
The clubs then had a third try and found that the ground at Gargunnock was in good order and the match went ahead there.
For an understrength Deanston it was not the happiest of decisions and the in-form Rob Roy scoring machine rattled in seven goals without reply.
Goals were shared between Sean Wilbert, James Ghattas, Steven Walker and Ben McAlpine. The six points won have taken the Rob Roy up a couple of places in the table.
At Drymen, Killearn got off to a good start with an early goal but that was soon cancelled out by the home side who went on to add two more for a 3-1 lead at the interval.
Killearn made a great fight of it in the second half, Iain Crawford taking his total for the day to three goals and with one from Alan More they posted a reasonable total of four.
The Drymen scoring machine – with the help of a spectacular own goal – took their tally to five which gave them the points and made Telfer Cup qualification a small step closer.
Only two matches beat the weather on Tuesday.
League leaders Balfron were due to play at Kippen who asked that the match be switched to Donaldson Park where conditions were fairly good at the start but the signs of a deterioration were ominous.
Balfron had most of the pressure in the first half but their finishing did not match their leading up play and countless chances went wildly past so that at the interval the score sheet was blank.
Early in the second half Balfron introduced sub Stuart MacKay and within five minutes of his arrival they were 3-0 up, MacKay scoring the first, followed by one each from Scott Ross and Mark Hailstones.
That mini-torrent of goals was quickly followed by a real torrent of rain and although both teams tried to beat the conditions, there was no further scoring and players and spectators were equally pleased when referee Hodgson blew the full-time whistle.
Challengers Gargunnock were at home to bottom club Thornhill and they kept their title prospects alive with a thumping 9-2 win - easily their biggest win of the season so far.
The Gunny have no game on Saturday and their next match is a home meeting against Balfron on Tuesday.
Results Saturday, July 29 League – Aberfoyle Rob Roy 7-0 Deanston; Drymen Utd 5-4 Killearn; Blanefield Thistle P-P Gartocharn. Tuesday, August 1 League – Gargunnock 9-2 Thornhill; Kippen 0-3 Balfron Rovers; Gartocharn P-P Deanston; Killearn P-P Blanefield Thistle; Buchlyvie Utd P-P Aberfoyle Rob Roy.
Fixtures Saturday, August 5 Cameron Cup first round – Balfron Rovers v Thornhill; Blanefield Thistle v Buchlyvie Utd; Deanston v Killearn. League - Balfron Rovers v Thornhill; Gartocharn v Drymen Utd. Tuesday, August 8 League – Aberfoyle Rob Roy v Killearn; Gargunnock v Balfron Rovers; Drymen Utd v Blanefield Thistle; Kippen v Deanston; Thornhill v Gartocharn.