Cambuslang Rangers 0-1 Shotts B.A.
Rockware Glass Super 1st Division
Saturday 1st February
At Somervell Park
Cambuslang
Rangers failed to record the much-needed win their season needs. Looking to
bounce back from the poor display against Renfrew in their previous game and
Manager Andy Cunningham made a couple of changes to his side. Lyons, Galloway,
Dignam and McFarlane all made way for Kavanagh, Stoddart, Paterson and most
recent signing Martin Fennie, from East Kilbride. Despite all the changes it
still wasn't enough to record a much needed win. The visitors grabbed the
winner on 77 minutes which means Cambuslang have now lost their last 4 games
and are heading to the wrong end of the table at an alarming speed. The
tightness of the table is clear for everyone to see and indeed had the home
side managed to win this one they would have moved to second in the table.
Cambuslang were
still without the suspended Stewart Taylor who sat out his final game of a two-match
ban. Cambuslang made their task all the more difficult when defender Gary
McGregor received his matching orders for two bookings.
In a fairly
uneventful first 45 minutes both teams struggled with the poor pitch and heavy
conditions, the ground share with Bellshill seems to be taking it's toll on the
Somervell Park.
Cambuslang had
the first effort at goal and it came from the foot of Alan Paterson but he
fired over from the edge of the box after McCrae had teed him up. Ex Lang man
David Jackson went close for the visitors when he fired into the side net from
an acute angle. Cambuslang should have taken the lead on the half hour mark.
Stoddart delivered a fine cross onto the head of Holmes but his weak header was
easily saved. McGregor picked up his first booking of the match when he caught
Jackson late, who made the most of it, resulting in what would be a costly
booking. Cambuslang were pressing at the end of the half and McCrae saw his
effort deflected wide for a corner. From the resulting corner Holmes missed
another good chance after a fine delivery from Paterson this time Holmes headed
over from 8 yards out.
H-T 0-0
The home side
almost found themselves behind after only a minute of the second half.
Substitute Davies testing McGovern who turned the effort round the post at full
stretch. McGregor saw his goal bound effort deflected at the last minute after
a timely intervention from Martin deflected the shot over the bar with the
keeper nowhere. Ferguson and Holmes combined well to set up Paterson but his
effort went weakly wide of the target. On 65 minutes Cambuslang shot themselves
in the foot. McGregor hauled down Wallace in a needless challenge resulting in
his second booking and an early bath. As with the previous week Cambuslang
through caution to the wind in an attempt to win the game by throwing on all 3
subs at the same time. Daisley, Galloway and Dignam all came on to replace
Paterson, McCrae and Holmes. One of the subs almost made an immediate impact.
Galloway fired in a shot that was superbly saved before being cleared. The
visitors scored what turned out to be the winner on 77 minutes. Gaffney played
the ball forward to Arbuckle who played it out wide to Wallace and his low,
hard driven cross was met by Gallen who steered it past McGovern in goal.
Shotts had a couple of more chances to add to their tally but some fine keeping
by McGovern kept them at bay. Cambuslang pressed to the final whistle and both
Daisley and Stoddart had goal bound efforts deflected and it just wasn't to be
as the referee blew the final whistle.
Cambuslang:
McGovern, Ferguson, McGregor, Kavanagh, Doak, Paterson (Galloway 70) Webster,
Stoddart, McCrae(Dignam 70) Feenie,
Holmes(Daisley 70)
Subs: Galloway, Wardlaw, Lyons, Daisley, Dignan
SBA: Colquhoun, Martin, Herriot, Gaffney, Church, Arbuckle ,McGuinness,
Wallace ,Jackson, Gallen, Rixon
Subs from Davies.Wilson, Hallford, Banks & Sullivan