Cambuslang Rangers 1-1 ASHFIELD JUNIORS

Central Region 1^st Division

Saturday 15^th November

at Somervell Park

Cambuslang Rangers and Ashfield fought out a highly entertaining 1-1 draw at the weekend. In a match that swung from end to end and could easily have ended 5 a piece and no one could have complained.

There were chances galore for both sides and some sloppy finishing and great goal keeping kept both sets of strikers at bay.

Cambuslang made a change up front, Kevin Ogilvie dropped to the bench as the Lang went with Donaldson and Miller in attack.

As reported earlier this was a game where both sides were hell bent in winning the game and the chances were coming thick and fast especially in the first half.

SWEENEY KEEPS HIS EYE ON THE BALL	MILLER PARTNERED DONALDSON IN ATTACK

Cambuslang had a great chance to open the scoring after only 3 minutes but Donaldson saw his effort well saved by the feet of Ashfield No1. 3 minutes later and this time Sweeney spurned the chance to give the home side the lead, his header well saved yet again by the Ashfield keeper. It wasn't all one way traffic and the visitors carved out a great chance, but Lang keeper, Connolly was down quick to his left to pull off a fine save from O'Donnell's effort. The best of the chances fell to O'Donnell again. A weak header from Irvine left him with just the keeper to beat but his lob beat the Lang keeper but also beat the far post as it bounced inches wide for a let off for the usually reliable defender.

On 15 minutes Cambuslang had another chance. A goalmouth scramble seen the ball fall to Sweeney and his effort was blocked on the line and then the danger cleared. A minute later and a rare mistake from Doak presented Ashfield with another chance but Connolly was alert again and pulled off a fine save.

Ashfield's efforts appeared to be down to sloppy Lang defending rather than some creative play. Having said that, the speedy forwards of Ashfield were causing the Lang defence all sorts of problems, but ones that were not being capitalised on, as chances came and went via the whole 90 minutes.

Ashfield had another great chance after a blistering burst of pace from fields Smith left Bishop in his wake but the Ashfield striker couldn't make the chance count and he shot tamely wide from a great position. Cambuslang hit back with a great run and cross from Ferguson and his cross was met by the head of Miller but the effort was blocked on the line and the danger cleared. Cambuslang picked up a couple of needless bookings at the end of the half, both Doak and Donaldson cautioned for niggling fouls.

H-T 0-0

DONALDSON HELD UP PLAY WELL	SWEENEY’S EFFORT FAILED TO TROUBLE KEEPER – COZ HE MISSED THE BAW

The 2nd half failed to hit the dizzy heights of the first half but was still a superb half of football as both teams were still determined to take all 3 points.

On 53 minutes Cambuslang were left raging at the man in the middle after he waived away claims for a Cambuslang penalty. Nikki Miller was clearly bundled off the ball to the ground with the ref the only one in the park that didn't see the incident. Cambuslang were dealt a blow on 54 minutes when Irvine, who just returned from injury, limped off. He was replaced with Templeton.

The breakthrough came on 56 minutes and it was the home side that went in front. Templeton played the ball into the crowded box and under severe pressure from Lang's Donaldson. Murphy lobbed the ball over his own keeper and into the net despite attempts to get it clear.

Cambuslang introduced Ogilvie to the action at the expense of Miller. With Ashfield determined to get back into the game the chances for Cambuslang were still coming but were unable to extend their lead. Indeed it was the visitors that struck back with 15 minutes remaining. A mistake in the box from Templeton and the ball fell to O'Donnell and he rolled it to Gault who blasted hard and low past Connelly for the equaliser. Both sides continued to go for it but had to settle for a point a piece as the ref blew the whistle on a pulsating 90 minutes, not seen at Somervell for a wee while.

LANG OPEN THE SCORING	KENNA SUPERB IN MIDDLE OF PARK

F-T 7-0

Lang Line Up		For More Shots From The Game
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17	CONNOLLY IRVINE (TEMPLETON 54) FERGUSON DOAK BISHOP KENNA RENWICK SWEENEY MILLER (OGILVIE 70) DONALDSON QUEEN HUGHES	Click Here