Cairn share spoils with Perthshire

Glasgow Perthshire...2 Gartcairn...2 Judith Tonner Gartcairn manager Jamie McKenzie admits it was “disappointing”to see his table-toppers take only one point after having established an early two-goal lead at Glasgow Perthshire.

The Airdrie-based junior side had to settle for a draw at Keppoch Park after their hosts turned the West Region league one game around in the second half.

Barry McGeehan gave the visitors the lead on 20 minutes by heading home when a free kick was delivered from the wing; and then Jamie Leslie put Gartcairn 2-0 up just after the half-hour, slotting the ball under the home goalkeeper after taking possession on the edge of the box.

Manager McKenzie told the Advertiser:“From that point it should have been cruise control – we were going really well and probably should have had three or four, but we missed a couple of chances and it came back to bite us.

“The game changed after half-time – they came out quickly, put us under pressure and then got a goal quite quickly.

“Sometimes there’s nothing you can do and their first was a really good goal – the ball was chipped over our defender and the boy caught it sweetly with a volley.

“You just have to take your hat off as it was a cracking goal.

“Their equaliser was disappointing, though, and it almost feels like a defeat as we were in a commanding position and lost points.”

Glasgow Perthshire had a man sent off five minutes from time, and the Gartcairn manager added:“If there had been more time left it might have had an influence, but it was late in the game by that point.

“From being 2-0 up and then brought back to 2-2, you could easily find yourself losing from there as the momentum is then with the opposition.

“It was end to end and we had chances to win it, but it didn’t happen; it’s disappointing from a winning position, but it’s a difficult place to go and come back with a result.

“We gave a decent team performance in the first half but then we never really met those standards in the second, and they were able to come at us.

“However, we’ve taken a point and are still unbeaten in the league after 14 games, which is a tremendous record – so we want to keep that going in a massive game on Saturday.”

Gartcairn now travel to fourth-placed Port Glasgow this weekend, with the action at Parklea stadium kicking off at 1.45pm.

Last weekend’s draw meant the unbeaten Airdrie team saw their lead at the top of the table cut to three points after second-placed rivals Shotts Bon Accord triumphed 2-0 at Greenock; while next opponents Port Glasgow are just a further point behind.

McKenzie told the Advertiser:“They started really well this season and it will be a difficult game – but we have to go to places like this and getthe wins if we want to be champions.

“We’re still unbeaten in the league and will travel with confidence; we’re always looking to win and to get three points.

“It’s a nice big pitch, which suits us, and it’s astroturf which we’re used to.

“We’ll see how we train this week and look at our options for Saturday to go there and look to win the game.”

Pegged back McKenzie’s Gartcairn had been 2-0 up