Cambuslang Rangers 4-0 Troon
Rockware Super
League 1st Division
Saturday 12th
October
at Somervell
Park
Cambuslang Rangers responded to the
disappointing Scottish Cup defeat last weekend in the perfect manner. The Lang
crushed the current league leaders by four goals to nil in what was a
resounding result and keeps the Lang in touch at the top of the table. Manager
Andy Cunningham made a couple of changes to the side that lost against Lanark;
he brought in to the starting line up Stoddart and Galloway at the expense of
Holmes and Fay. With almost a full squad to pick from Cambuslang now have
various options on the park and now it's just a case of getting the blend
right. That all seemed to work on Saturday as the Lang dished out what could
have been a lot worse for the visitors.
Cambuslang let their intentions be known as
early as the 5th minute when Dignam went close forcing the keeper into a fine
stop. Only a minute later and the Lang front man then had another effort at
goal this time it was deflected wide for a corner kick. Cambuslang were raining
in shot after shot in the opening 10 minutes but were unable to make the
breakthrough. Stoddart had a fine turn and shot but it went inches over the
bar. There then followed a spell of sustained pressure from the visitors but
they too were having trouble finding a away to goal with the Lang's back 3
standing firm. Cambuslang picked up the first booking of the afternoon when
Webster was cautioned for a late challenge on a Troon midfielder. Cambuslang
eventually made the breakthrough on 25 minutes. Cambuslang broke up the field
after a quick release from the keeper seemed to catch Troon on the back foot.
Dignam played a nice flick into the path of McFarlane who calmly clipped it
over the advancing keeper and into the net for the first goal of the afternoon.
That lead should have been doubled moments later but some hesitation from
Dignam allowed the Troon defence time to get back and block his effort.
Cambuslang rode their luck a little and could have found themselves level after
some slack defending allowed Reid a sniff of goal but he miss kicked in front
of goal allowing Wardlaw an easy stop. In first half stoppage time Cambuslang
were awarded a spot kick after Dignam went down under a challenge from Duffy.
The referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Cambuslang's top scorer
Carmichael was handed the opportunity to give the Lang a 2 goal cushion going
into the break. The big striker duly converted the kick and put the Lang in the
comfortable position of being 2 up at the break.
H-T 2-0
The game was all but over after only a minute of
the second half when the home side grabbed a third. A mix up in the Troon
defence allowed McFarlane time to control the deep cross and he slid the ball
under the keeper who really should have done better. The visitors responded instantly
and could have pulled one back but for a fine stop by the Lang keeper Wardlaw.
The visitors then shot themselves in the foot when they were reduced to 10 men.
A scuffle in the middle of the park resulted in a Red card for the Troon
defender and Cambuslang had Galloway yellow carded for getting involved in the
incident. The visitors were beginning to pick up the yellow cards with some
crude challenges flying in. Cambuslang replaced Galloway soon after with
Paterson. Cambuslang had the chance to add a 4th when McFarlane teed up
Carmichael but with only the keeper to beat the big striker shot wide of
target. With 15 minutes remaining Cambuslang brought on Holmes and Daisley to
replace Stoddart and Dignam. Cambuslang managed to get a 4th goal and it was
one for the manager. All his 3 substitutes combined to get the 4th. Holmes
played the ball to Daisley who fired it across the face of goal and Paterson
came running in at the back post to knock the ball home and round off a great
afternoon for the home side. Cambuslang had chances to run in a few more but
some poor finishing let them down none more so than Billy Holmes who will be
attributed with miss of the season, and it's only October. After finding
himself 12 yards from goal and only the keeper to beat his woeful effort
threatened the corner flag more than the net, but to be fair to the Lang
striker it did seem to take a bobble just before he struck it. He almost made
amends for that miss a minute later but his chip landed on the roof of the net
with the keeper beaten.
F-T 4-0
Lang Line Up
Wardlaw, Ferguson, McGregor, Kavanagh, Balmain,
Webster, Stoddart (Holmes 75), Galloway (Paterson 65), Carmichael, Dignam
(Daisley 75), McFarlane
Subs not used McGovern Foster