Cambuslang Rangers 2-1
Larkhall
Abercorn Builders
Premier League
Saturday 16th February
At Somervell Park
Cambuslang Rangers bounced back from last weeks poor cup
performance with one of their best displays of the season so far. In the top of
the table clash with Larkhall it was the local side who came out top with a
fine 2-1 victory, the result also sent the Lang to the top of the league for
the first time too.
Cambuslang were more that up for this game after some slating
remarks attributed to the Larkhall manager were published in a local evening
paper. Earlier in the season Cambuslang came away from Gasworks park with a
hard fought 1-0 victory, which resulted in Larkhall manager going on record
saying, “Cambuslang will drive fans away with the way they play.”
Another chance goes for the Lang
Cambuslang made a couple of changes from the previous week, into
the side came Billy Holmes, Mark Daisley and Gary McGregor to replace John
Mitchell, Mark Dunn and Stewart Taylor.
The home side started the game well and almost scored with there
first attack of the game, Daisley played in Holmes but his effort was well
saved and palmed round the post buy the keeper. Only a minute later and the
Lang were in front. With seemingly no danger Anderson of Larkhall put the ball
through his own net while under pressure from the Lang forwards but the big
defender had more time than I think he thought. Cambuslang should have
increased the scoreline when Daisley flashed a free header inches over the bar.
The home side were struggling to get into this game. Doyle went close with a
shot from 12 yards. On the half hour mark the home side went 2 up. Larkhall
gave the ball away at a corner and Balmain picked the ball up on his 18-yard
line and ran the length of the park before feeding the ball to Holmes who
calmly slotted past the exposed keeper. The visitors should have pulled one
back immediately but Roberts failed to test Wardlaw in the Lang goal. Another
chance went a begging for the visitors when a combination of Paterson and
McGregor cleared a Larkhall shot off the line. Richardson of the Lang was first
to be shown a yellow card when he was booked for dissent.
Gauley pressures the Larkhall keeper
H-T 2-0
The visitors looked a little hungrier in the second half of this
game. A double substitution saw Ian Campbell and Spencer Stirrat came on for
Andy Essler and Paul Anderson. A bold
move from the visitors. The visitors tested Wardlaw when Roberts’s header was
easily saved. Cambuslang then picked up their 2nd booking of the afternoon when
Robertson was cautioned for going in late on Stirrat. Cambuslang Balmain tested
McCulloch in the Larkhall goal with a long-range effort that the keeper did
well to tip over the bar. Wilkinson was the first of the visitors to
receive a yellow when he was adjudged to have fouled Richardson. Cambuslang
should have sealed the victory on the hour mark when Daisley found himself
unmarked in the box; he got on the end of Robertson's cross but could only put
the effort over the bar. Larkhall made there final substitution on 65 minutes,
Roberts was replaced by Stuart Bovill. The visitors were thrown a lifeline when
Richardson lost the ball in midfield which resulted in a goal for Larkhall.
Watrett pounced on the loose ball and got in between keeper and defence to
knock the ball home. This gave the visitors a much-needed lift as they began to
play like a team sitting top of the table. Although having said that Cambuslang
had an opportunity to restore the 2-goal lead when Holmes headed off the post,
the ball ran across the line before it was eventually cleared. Both teams were
going all out at this stage and there were a few rash tackles, which resulted
in bookings for Stirrat and Gauley. The visitor’s chance of salvaging a point
seemed to go when they were reduced to 10 men. Kennedy was dismissed for
stamping on the back of Robertson right in front of the referee and had no
complaints as he was shown the red card. Cambuslang freshened things up a bit
by throwing on Gilhanney and Devanney fro the now tired Holmes and Balmain.
Cambuslang had one last effort at goal by Paterson but he screwed his shot just
wide. Cambuslang ran out the clock with their third sub bringing on Maxwell,
who has been missing for a few weeks with a groin problem. The home side held
on for the victory that saw them leap frog today's opponents at the top of the
league.
Billy Holmes, scorer of Lang’s second.
All pictures in this report are courtesy of FRANK REILLY
Line-ups
Cambuslang
Wardlaw, Doak, McGregor, Kavanagh, Robertson, Richardson,
Paterson, Balmain (Devanney 86), Daisley (Maxwell 90), Holmes (Gilhanney
86) & Gauley
Subs not used Dunn & Taylor
Larkhall McCulloch, Doyle, Gardiner, Lynch, Anderson, Kennedy,
Watret, Wilkinson, Essler & McQuade
Subs from Fay, Thomson, Stirrat, Bovill & Campbell