Hurlford sweep‘ Lie away
Saturday’s match at Blair Park wasn’t so much a game of two halves – it was stranger than that.
For the opening 20 minutes Arthurlie were flying, with the hosts, Hurlford, unable to get out of their own half.
However, in the second half it looked a case of damage limitation for the Barrhead side as they were swept away with comparative ease.
Arthurlie got off to a fast start as they almost went ahead after just two minutes. A long kick from Grant Hay was headed on by Michael Daly as Marc
McKenzie raced in but the winger’s chip was tipped over the bar.
Soon after McKenzie was at it again, holding off his marker he waited for Colin Spence. The Lie midfielder dropped his shoulder, getting past his man before
curling a shot that went inches wide.
It was one way traffic at this point and looked not a matter of if Arthurlie would score – just when it would happen. There were 24 minutes on the clock when the goal eventually came – but amazingly, it came at the other end when a cross wasn’t defended and former Gretna midfielder Allan Jenkins was on hand to sweep home.
The Barrhead side soon levelled as MacKenzie finally got the goal he deserved as he fired across the face of the keeper.
The second half started with the hosts on fire. They appeared to target the Arthurlie back three, playing balls into wide positions behind the wing backs and causing all sorts of problems.
And they eventually got themselves in front, Paul McKenzie firing beyond Hay to put the hoss ahead.
Hay then had to make a double save from McKenzie, the first stop a fantastic block the second straight at the‘Lie shot stopper.
Hurlford’s McKenzie would then play in Watt to curl a fine effort past Hay. And six minutes later the game was over when Watt gathered on the edge of the box and shot home low to make it 4-1.