Wasteful Wishaw punished at Beltane
WISHAW JUNIORS 0 - 2 GREENOCK The wait for a home win goes on for Wishaw Juniors after a second half collapse cost them dearly.
Wishaw were first to test the keeper when a dipping shot from Ross Marchant was bundled behind by the Greenock goalkeeper for a corner.
At the other end a shot whistled over the home crossbar as both sides tried to take a grip of the game.
Greenock almost grabbed the lead when a powerful header looked destined for the bottom corner, but keeper Barry Fraser produced a great save getting down quickly to save at the base of the post.
Wishaw’s best chance of the first half came soon after when Liam O’kane swung over a cross which Aaron O’hare was unable to divert in from almost in front of goal.
Wishaw went close again when O’kane played a short corner to Marchant but his effort from outside the box flew a foot over.
Just on half time the visitors almost grabbed the lead when after scramble in the box the ball was laid back to the edge of the area where it was hammered goalward. Fraser produced the save of the match by diving to his left to push the ball away to safety.
The Greenock side came close again in the opening minutes of the second half when a clipped direct free kick smacked the face of the bar.
A couple of minutes later though the game would change entirely when the referee judged a James Coffey challenge as dangerous and produced a straight red card to the Wishaw midfielder.
On 55 minutes the home side fell behind. A long ball down the Wishaw left saw Alan Frizzell collect and with little support he tried a speculative shot which deflected off O’kane’s thigh and past the wrong-footed Fraser.
Despite a spiritied comeback and several chances, with 18 minutes left the visitors sealed all three points.
A flat cross played across the Wishaw box took at least two deflections, one of which the referee adjudged was off a Wishaw defenders’ hand and he pointed to the spot to award a penalty.
Ross Cameron made no mistake with the penalty, sending Fraser the wrong way as his shot found the top left-hand corner of the net to secure the win for the visitors.