Pupils U17s return home to Kintyre with a well-earned point
Rutherglen Glencairn 3 Campeltown Pupils YFC 3 GDYFL - 2005s (Under-17s)
Campbeltown Pupils YFC 2005s (under-17s) returned to Kintyre on Sunday night happy with a point after an eventful Glasgow and District Youth Football League encounter against Rutherglen Glencairn.
Played at the Toryglen Regional Centre in basking sunshine more akin to a summer’s day, the young Pupils team got off to a poor start and found themselves 1-0 down after five minutes.
The visitors really struggled to get to grips with the game in the opening 15 minutes but eventually found some rhythm and started to control the game.
After 31 minutes, Stuart Phillips equalised with a cracking right-foot finish into the top-hand corner from 18 yards out.
With five minutes of the half remaining, Calum Ellis made it 2-1 to the Pupils with a well-executed goal.
As the first half drew to a close there looked to be only one winner, with the Pupils dominating the game.
As in the first half, the Pupils started the second half slowly and it was the Glasgow side who dominated and made it 2-2 in the 52nd minute with a cracking goal.
The Pupils, uncharacteristically, lost their way and Rutherglen made it 3-2 in the 61st minute from the penalty spot.
Six minutes later, it easily could have been 4-2 but for heroic defending and goalkeeping from Ryan Harding and Lorne Paterson.
With 18 minutes left, things went from bad to worse as Scott Graham saw red for his second yellow card of the game and the Ardshiel Hotelsponsored side were reduced to 10 men and trailing by a goal.
A switch was badly needed and Scott Oman was introduced in goal with the Pupils going to a back three of Kyle Paterson, Josh Arkell and Euan Dott, with Lorne Paterson moving from goal into the centre of midfield with Kyle Danson.
Ironically, the Pupils started to play their best football of the half and deservedly equalised with 11 minutes remaining.
A penalty was awarded and Ellis made no mistake from 12 yards to make it 3-3.
With five minutes remaining, Ryan Shields had a great opportunity to take the lead but there was no more scoring and the Pupils should be happy with their point.
This Sunday (March 13), the 2005s host St Patrick’s in league business with a midday kick-off on the 3G AWP, Kinloch Green.