Glencairn unlucky in the draw... again
‘Cairn denied blatant pen in share of the spoils
Glencairn recorded their third draw against relegated teams in the first five games of the league season at the weekend.
Once again, though, the Glencairn supporters were left wondering exactly how their team were not awarded a penalty kick.
After an early spell of pressure from Petershill, Glencairn took the lead in the 12th minute. Ryan McArdle’s precise pass up the left wing picked out the run of Fraser Team, who showed his marker a clean pair of heels before his composed finish.
Glencairn looked to capitalise on their early lead, and Team headed over before Liam Finnigan fired across goal and wide at the other end.
The home supporters were extremely vocal when the ref ignored a push in the back on Team as he rose to meet Jay McKay’s cross.
Glencairn goalkeeper JC Hutchison had to look sharp to block away a couple of close range efforts after a spell of Petershill corners.
Petershill started the second half on the front foot, and Chris Hall was unlucky not to equalise with a shot from 18 yards which smacked off the inside of the post.
The visitors were level in the 54th minute. Hutchison made excellent saves in the build-up to the goal, but the stopper was beaten when Chris Wilson’s shot took a slight deflection off defender Craig McGregor’s head and found its way into the corner of the net. Peasy then edged in front when the referee awarded a penalty kick for Ryan Docherty’s push on Stuart McCann. Liam Finnigan stepped up to fire past Hutchison.
The game had completely turned on its head since the interval, but Glencairn were not for rolling over.
Jamie Hamilton’s shot slipped a couple of feet wide of the target, then more good goalkeeping by Hutchison kept his side in the game as he denied an angled shot by McCann. The same player went even closer shortly after this but he could not turn the ball on target from right in front of goal.
That lucky escape inspired Glencairn to get back on the front foot again. Tony Fraser’s free kick from 20 yards was saved on the goalline by Michael Whyte.
The Glens got the equaliser they deserved in the 77th minute. Fraser’s corner from the right was recycled back out to him, and this time the cross picked out the head of Del McNab at the back post, and he made no mistake.
Fraser’s drilled shot from 25 yards was well saved by Whyte on the dive to his left. The last big chance of the game saw Fraser’s inviting free kick met at the back post by Hamilton, but his shot back across goal slipped inches wide of the far post.
Glens will now travel to face Shotts on Saturday. They were also drawn to play away at Cumbernauld in the Scottish Cup.
Rutherglen Glencairn: Hutchison, Hall, Fraser, Docherty, McGregor, Marshall, McNab, Bennett (Cullen), Team, McArdle (Hamilton), McKay (McGuire).