CUMNOCK JUNIORS 1 ARTHURLIE 2
Stagecoach West of Scotland League Premier Division
Saturday 18th April 2009
Thanks to John Vass for the photographs, others from the match are in the Photo Gallery.
A disappointing second half for Cumnock in this very important League match. Whatever happened to Cumnock after the interval is something Stevie Farrell and Jim Dempsey will be wracking their brains to find the solution. A confident home side which was dominating much of the game during the first half finished the game leaving visiting keeper Peter Shaw having little to do during the whole of the second half and his team unlucky not to score more.
Cumnock got off the blocks quickly as a long punt gave Ian Cashmore jumping in front of Peter Shaw. The Cumnock player won it and put it into the net but referee Greg Aitken had no doubt he had fouled the keeper. Then a quick low cross from the right found Gareth Campbell in front of goal but it was just too strong and the home striker could not connect correctly.
That shook Arthurlie and for the next fifteen minutes they got the better of their opponents. John McLay got a glimpse of goal just outside the box but sent it well over the bar. After that Cumnock keeper Graham Potter, on the floor after making a save, got up very quickly and made an excellent one-handed stop as the ball headed towards goal. Arthurlie continued to look as if they were the team to score first as Sean Winter drove a 20 yard shot which wasn’t far away although the keeper was well positioned. Best chance came in the 18th minute when Joe Andrew burst through and sent a low shot which keeper Potter made a first-class save.
Cumnock began to cause the visitors problems as they took charge of the game. They went ahead when Ian Cashmore was given a free header from a corner on the left from John McMillan. He made the most of it and his powerful header hit the back of the net.
Cumnock began to cause the visitors problems as they took charge of the game. They went ahead when Ian Cashmore was given a free header from a corner on the left from John McMillan. He made the most of it and his powerful header hit the back of the net.
Cumnock almost went two up a few minutes later when a ferocious free kick from Davie McInally went through the ‘wall’ but was just too near keeper Peter Shaw.
For the rest of the half Arthurlie pressed for the equaliser but Cumnock’s defence were in charge with their strikers always looking for the break-away. Graham Potter had little to do except one just before the interval. Frank Kelly did well making ground on the right. He crossed to John Johnston 16 yards out but shot wide.
Half-time Cumnock 1 Arthurlie 0.
What manager Mark Cameron said at the interval was definitely right as his team came out, picked up the tempo, scored an early goal and dominated the rest of the game. They started in the 48th minute when a corner on the right found Frank McKeown with space in front of goal and he neatly headed it into the net.
Gareth Campbell was injured towards the end of the first half and tried to work it off in the second half but had to come off in the 48th minute with Gareth Armstrong coming on.
Try as they did, Cumnock just couldn't get going.
Graham Potter did well to cut off a hard, dangerous, low cross on the 6 yard line with Joe Andrew behind him ready to pounce. In the 57th minute Craig Malcolm fired a shot from 16 yards which went inches on the wrong side of the post.
Cumnock did make some inroads into the visitors half but were mostly high punts which John McLay and the tall defenders eagerly headed back to start another Lie move. John McLay must be in contention with Graham Potter as man of the match as he covered the whole of the ground, causing his former colleagues problems. He almost scored several times. The best opportunity was in the 64th minute when he sent a glancing header which was inches past the post.
In the 73rd minute Arthurlie went ahead. Craig Malcolm sped along the right out-stripping several opponents and just before the bye-line he began to cut inside. With Graham Potter at the near post he sent an inch perfect cross to Joe Andrew who prodded the ball into the empty goal.
Cumnock brought on Nikki Smith for Craig Menzies but all of the opportunities came Lie’s way. One of the best was John McLay thumping a free-kick from 22 yards which made Graham Potter make an impressive save.
Cumnock got away with the score being worse as Arthurlie should have scored twice towards the end. Gavin Duncan put the ball over the bar from 8 yards and Sean Winter blasted a good opportunity on his own from the right.
It was a bad day at the office for Cumnock. They were fine in the first half but slipped back to their bad ways of slipping the game away on the second half - and they must get on the rails again very soon..
Cumnock – G. Potter, Buckley, McInally, Cripps, Crawford, McMillan, Menzies, Farrell, Cashmore, Campbell, Wilson.
Subs – Gilbride, Armstrong, C. Potter, Smith, Hayes
Arthurlie – Shaw, Lundie, Sharp, McKeown, Higgins, McLay, Johnston, Kelly, Andrew, Malcolm, Winter.
Subs – Anderson, McLean, Wallace, Ardellany, Duncan
Referee – Greg Aitken (Kilmarnock)
