Renfrew keep title hopes in own hands with late goal
THERE are many threads stitched deep into the story of this season’s Central First Division championship race.
And the weekend top-of-thetable clash between title contenders Renfrew and Wishaw didn’t disappoint after long-time tabletoppers Frew snatched a dramatic 92nd minu te equ aliser to earn a share of the spoils that had looked to be beyond them at New Western Park.
Renfrew kept their fate in their own hands and are assu red of promotion – if not the title itself – assu ming they win their two remaining fixtu res against Rossvale (tonight) and St Rochs (Wednesday).
Achieving these twin aims will u ndou btedly necessitate Davie Gordon & Co serving up a better display than Satu rday, particu larly du ring an opening 45 minu tes dominated by the Lanarkshire ou tfit.
A netbou nd Alain Kinney shot saved low down by visiting goalkeeper Sandy Thomson and the normally prolific Chris Zok spu rning a clear goalscoring opportu nity were Renfrew’s only attacking responses.
Wishaw posed a constant threat throu gh the direct ru nning of Michael Collinder and Dean Kindland, on top of striker Ross McGeachie’s ability to win more than his fair share of aerial exchanges.
There were nu merou s near things and they probably deserved more than the 1-0 lead earned on the stroke of halftime by Dan Kindlan applying the faintest tou ch to a driven Collinder cross to send the ball spiralling into the far corner of the net beyond Frew keeper Dale Bu rgess.
Wishaw manager Chris McGroarty said afterwards: “We were excellent first half but I warned the players to expect Renfrew to throw everything at them in trying to get back on level terms and that’s exactly how things panned out.
“Bu t other than a few close range blocks from Sandy, I thou ght we stayed defensively sou nd and were going to see the game out.
“It’s a blow to lose a goal so late in the day bu t the positives are that playing to the same level will serve u s well in ou r remaining games.”
Both teams and sets of su pporters had grown steadily infu riated by the refereeing decisions of whistler Tony Fu llarton, who topped his list of blu nders by bringing the game back when Renfrew had taken a qu ick free kick to step ou t the mandatory 10 yards … even though Wishaw had not put up a defensive wall.
And his becoming ‘card happy’ after the break brou ght yellow cards for home team qu artet Gordon, Kinney, Zok and Anton Heffron, which cu lminated in the 87th minute dismissal of Frew skipper Gordon when his scything tackle on Dan Kindlan brought a deserved second yellow. All this before Jamie Benton lashed an u n-saveable shot high into the net to make the score 1-1.
Relieved Renfrew co-manager Colin Clark said: “Disco’s sending off looked to be the death of u s bu t these players don’t lack for character or fighting spirit and they got their reward for continuing to hammer at Wishaw’s door. All told a draw was probably a fair resu lt bu t now things are even tighter at the top of the tree.”
Clark was referring to word coming throu gh that fou rth placed Rossvale had boosted their title hopes by recovering from 1-0 down to Maryhill to win 2-1 at Lochburn Park throu gh goals from Jamie Hu nter and Sean Doherty.
In other First Division games, Baboucarr Mussa (2), TJ McLu skey and Danny Irvine had third top St Rochs looking home and dry when 4-1 ahead at home to Larkhall Thistle. Bu t the Jags came storming back with Ryan Innes, Davie Reid and Graham Gracie cou nters to earn a 4-4 draw.
Johnstone Bu rgh had Pau l Sweeney and Jason Hardie on target in the 2-1 defeat of St Anthonys, for whom Billy Stevenson netted, while Neilston boosted their hopes of avoiding relegation throu gh Robbie Cameron (3) and Stevie Dymock in a 4-0 triu mph over fellow basement boys Vale of Clyde.