Adams: Dire Shire squad must raise their game for title tilt
JUNIORS Blast from boss as Yoker sparkle in surprise victory
Billy ADAms refused to bail out his Glasgow Perthshire side with excuses after they crashed to a 3-0 Holm Park defeat against a determined yoker.
The boss reckons shire were lucky not to have suffered even more of a humbling by opponents who could even afford a high, wide and not very handsome howler of a penalty miss from full-back stephen Wedlock.
Adams said: “This is a tough and unforgiving league and the sooner that lesson hits home with our players the better.
“Too many of them turned up thinking the points were as good as i n the bag because it’s the same yoker we’ve beaten in our last three meetings.
“And they also believed their own press after John Brogan lauded us in the Evening Times last week as potential title winners when all the time he was just conning them into thinking they are better than they are.
“Well, his ploy worked a treat as my players thought it would just happen for us out there, but everybody knows that’s not the way it works and especially not against a hardworking team like yoker.
“We had a number of guys missing and i’d like to think their return plus a change of attitude will see us pick ourselves up and get back playing as we can.”
The first indication of a shock arrived just seven minutes in when home fullback John murray was afforded time and space to control a pass and fire a 25-yard leftfoot shot that eluded shire keeper stevie mathers to put the 5/2 outsiders into a 1-0 lead.
shire newcomer mark Ritchie headed a corner kick wide in the visitors’ response. However, he was then adjudged guilty of a penalty box push on yoker forward michael Rogers, bringing the 37th-minute spot-kick opportunity wasted by Wedlock.
Hearing a few home truths during the interval saw Perthshire start the second half strongly, but any comeback hopes were dashed on the hour mark when michael Tolland’s right wing cross was firmly nodded home by the livewire Rogers, who shortly afterwards headed against the bar.
ADEsERvED third goal did arrive in 73 minutes and it was a case of leaving the best for last as Wedlock’s driven cross was brilliantly flicked home by Billy stevenston to seal a convincing Whe Ho triumph.
Outstanding hitman Rogers said: “That was my first goal of the season and i now want to keep scoring, not least because Brogey is a great believer in positive football and has five strikers to choose from every week.
“But it’s all friendly rivalry stuff as the dressing room spirit here is the best i’ve ever known. We’re all in it together as we showed out on the pitch.”
Gaffer Brogan said: “it was important to get three points because winning your home games in this league is going to be vital and it was pleasing to get one back on Perthshire after three defeats on the bounce.
“All told, it was a g reat team performance, however i was pleased to see our two front men michael and Billy get on the scoresheet as a reward for working their socks off.”
YOkER’s victory moves them to fifth-top spot in the super First Division, just two points adrift of new frontrunners kello Rovers.
super k’s 100% winning ways continued with an impressive 4-1 away win over Cumbernauld United thanks to a Davie Jardine hat-trick and Craig muir counter.
Auchinleck Talbot front the super Premier top flight thanks to Bryan young scoring the only goal of the game against Petershill, whose sorry day only worsened in the closing stages when midfielders Ryan Craig and Jordan murch picked up red cards.
kevin murray’s first-minute strike paved the way for Ashfield’s 4-2 defeat of Clydebank with further goals added by a Paul maxwell brace and Chris Hall.
Reigning champions irvine meadow had Tom Brighton and Richie Barr on target in a 2-1 win at home to Arthurlie, for whom James marks put a better complexion on the scoreline.