Rhu vow to bounce back after cup exit
Amateurs pay price for slow start as Scottish Cup run ends
RHU Amateurs have vowed to come back stronger and learn from the experience after their Scottish Amateur Cup adventure ended at the weekend.
A 3-0 defeat to Greig Park Rangers at East Fife FC’s Bayview Stadium ended the dreams among Rhu’s Caledonian League squad of making it through to the last 16 of the country’s premier amateur football competition.
The home side came flying out of the blocks and took the lead within three minutes, making the most of some hesitant Rhu defending - and it was soon 3-0 as GPR’s impressive front line dominated the early stages of the game.
Rhu, with Craig Stratton and Alan Campbell in the fold, faced up to the storm, and some fine goalkeeping from new signing Kyle Baird stopped the hosts going even further ahead before the break.
After a few home truths and a change in tactics at half-time, Rhu put on a much better performance in the second half, but found GPR in no mood to concede, with second half chances at a premium as the game petered out with the impressive home side comfortable winners.
A Rhu spokesperson said: “Although we are all extremely disappointed with exiting the national trophy, the boys have shown in this journey that we can compete at this level, and that the work that’s happening off the park is beginning to bear fruit.
“We have a young, hungry squad and the potential is there for them to go as far they want.
“A massive thank you to John Fraser for generously footing the bill for our coach, the supporters who filled the bus and made the trip with us, and all the many messages of support from the whole town. It’s brought us all together.”
With their cup run now over, this Saturday, February 10, it’s back to the bread-and-butter of Caledonian League duties for Rhu and a First Division fixture at home to Callander Thistle. Kick-off at Ardenconnel Park is at 2pm.
Meanwhile, after bad weather kept them idle all the way through January, Rhu’s Glasgow Colleges FA squad finally played their first match of 2024 on Saturday - and showed few ill-effects from the long lay-off as they beat Rosebank United 3-2.
After passing up a couple of early chances, Rhu, who hadn’t played since December 16, were caught out after 10 minutes when a long ball was missed in the air, allowing a Rosebank forward to run in unopposed and slip the ball past keeper Lewis.
Stung by this setback, the Rhu lads pressed the visitors’ defence until McConnell set off on a strong run down the right and saw his cross met by Jack Young with a smart finish to bring the sides level.
Five minutes before halftime top scorer Dale Walker put Rhu in front from close range after some tenacious work by Martin Beaton - but the hosts’ delight at going in front would prove short-lived with the Kirkintilloch side equalising three minutes later to send the teams in level at the break.
The second half followed a similar pattern to the first, with both teams cancelling each other out – until, with 10 minutes left, debutant Ryan Jones sprung Rosebank’s high defensive line and kept his composure to control the ball at the back post and cut it back for the onrushing Walker to net his second of the day and the winning goal for the home team.
Squad: Lewis, Kjorstad, Adams, Caldow, Moy, McConnell, R Beaton, Sinclair, Young, M Beaton, Walker, Jones, Bygrave, Brown, Shields, Black.
The win was Rhu’s second in a row following the GCFA’s mid-season split, and coach Sam Gemmell and his players are now out to make it three in a row when they play host to Burnhill this Saturday, February 10 (KO 10am).