Treble trouble for Bens as Esplin and Smith run riot
IT’S often said that good things come to those who wait and Rutherglen Glencairn’s first league win in four starts was undoubtedly one of those moments.
One of their devout band of followers who braved the incessant downpour at New Tinto Park remarked that on their day Glencairn can look like a match for Junior kingpins Auchinleck Talbot... and this was their day.
A wonderful display of attacking football, inspired by the midfield trident of Del Esplin, Dale Simeon and Tony Fraser, ensured their table-topping Govan hosts for whom defensive lynchpin Ryan Livingston received his marching orders at 4-0 for a second yellow-card offence, were totally dismantled and left shell-shocked.
Bens players won’t like it said but the Ru’Glonians won with consummate ease pretty much from the moment Esplin started off the rout just 18 minutes in with a well-executed low shot from just outside a crowded penalty area following good play by Simeon.
Home gaffer Paul Lovering would have been more than a little annoyed at his defence’s failure to get out and close down the goalscorer so he was near apoplectic approaching half time when Esplin netted in very similar circumstances with yet another low shot through a crowd of goalmouth bodies.
The 27-year-old midfielder, who before half time curled an exquisite effort against the post, was not to be denied his first hat-trick in the Juniors, which he duly completed with a second-half penalty.
“It was pleasing to play well again though it helped no end having a few boys back from injury,” he said. “This Glencairn team have it in us to give anyone a game of it when we’re at full strength.
“We have to be one of the best when it comes to playing on Astro-grass so the Bens pitch, even slicker than normal with the constant rain, suited our passing style.
“The feeling in our dressing room was that we were due to give someone a tanking – it’s just that none of us ever imagined it would be Benburb.”
Home supporters were confident of pulling back the 2-0 half-time deficit however hopes of a recovery were dashed just eight minutes into the restart when Glens captain Fraser’s sublime in-swinging free kick was glanced into the net by top-scorer Gary Smith and less than two minutes later he ran past a static Benburb backline onto a long kick from goalkeeper Gary Whyte to round the advancing Ryan McWilliams before slotting the ball home for 4-0.
The visitors spurned a few more opportunities as they threatened to embarrass a now demoralised Benburb whose cause was not helped by Livingston seeing red soon afterwards for a hand-ball bringing a penalty tucked away expertly by Smith who was then removed from the fray to allow substitute Liam Gormley to play out the closing 20 minutes.
And the one-time Celtic signing was instrumental in Glencairn’s final goal of the afternoon when his going to ground under a Josh Meechan tackle led to a second penalty that Esplin fired home for 6-0.
“Playing like that is going to need a very good team to beat us” admitted happy Glencairn manager Willie Harvey afterwards.
“But isn’t football a crazy game of ups and downs when you think I gave the players absolute pelters last week after a 1-1 draw at Neilston yet now I cannot praise them highly enough?
“The Bens are a top side and set their stall out to knock the ball long and get in behind us but our guys never panicked and just kept passing our way out of trouble with Tony Fraser at the heart of everything and playing like a midfield sweeper.
“He was immense, so too was Del Esplin, but quite honestly, we didn’t have a single failure out there today.”
His was a view not shared by fizzing Benburb boss Lovering when he emerged from his side’s dressing room after a prolonged team talk.
“Working hard is not enough so no passmarks for the players and no excuses either because truth is we just didn’t show up today” he said. “It’s disappointing to take one on the chin without so much as landing a glove on your opponent and the only positive to take away from today’s game is that we are still top of the table.”