Saltcoats
Victoria 1-1 Cambuslang Rangers
Stagecoach
Super League 1st Division
Saturday 11th
December
at Campbell
Park
Cambuslang Rangers injury crisis reached critical levels at the
weekend as they struggled to put a fit 11 players on the park. They travelled
to take on Saltcoats at the weekend with Coach Scott Archer names yet again as
a sub.
Striker Paul Brown was ruled out due to work commitments as he is
a postman. Out through injury were Coulter, Graham and McGregor. Billy Holmes
made it onto the bench for this one.
Most fans seemed happy with the hard earned point but manager Andy
Cunningham was unhappy and felt Lang dropped to points.
It was a bitter cold afternoon down the west coast and the heavy
park made football very difficult indeed as the ball bobbled all over the
place.
The home side started the game well and came flying out the
blocks. Lyons went close with a shot from 18 yards that went inches wide.
Cambuslang replied with an effort from McCarroll. Wide man Tyzinski was
getting the better on the far side and he went close himself after cutting
inside and shooting just over the bar. On the 15 minute mark Galloway should
have done better after the ball came to him in the box but the Lang man was
unable to get his shot on target. The visitors were dealt a blow on 17 minutes,
defender Fisher seemed to have hamstring trouble and limped off. He was
replaced by coach Scott Archer.
Cambuslang best effort of the half came on 20 minutes, an
excellent run to edge of the box by Galloway saw the diminutive man fire inches
over, deserved better with the fine run. McGrath for the visitors saw his shot
half blocked then cleared off the line. That was to be McGrath's last
contribution as the Lang injury list just got longer. Young replacing him. The
sub had an immediate impact as the Lang opened the scoring. Young played the
ball to McCrae and after riding a few tackles the Lang striker fired home for a
deserved 1-0 lead.
H-T 0-1
Saltcoats started the 2nd half the same way they did the
first. This time it paid off as they levelled 3 minutes after the break. What
looked like a harmless ball to the back was met by McClelland and he knocked
past Rowan.
Langs scorer McCrae talked himself into the ref's book despite
numerous warnings that were not heeded. McCrae was proving a real thorn in the
Vics side as he opened them up at random. He fired a free kick inches wide with
the keeper rooted to the spot.
The same player would almost certainly have added a second after
bursting through on goal only to be chopped down cynically by McFadden. The ref
had no option but to red card the vics defender for the professional foul.
Cambuslang's only reward was a free kick that was wasted.
Although happy to leave with the point it could have been oh so
different had the referee awarded the home side a penalty. Lang defender
clearly pulled down Gillon in the box but the appeals fell on deaf ears as the
man in the middle waived play on to the surprise of everyone in the crowd. Lang
brought on Billy Holmes in the last few minutes , he replaced Paterson.
F-T 1-1
Rowan, Fisher (Archer 15), Burns, Feenie, McGrath, Carmichael,
Galloway, Paterson (Holmes 88), McCarroll, McCrae and Tyzcinski