Wednesday
18th August
Cambuslang
Rangers 4-1 Glencairn
Cambuslang miserable run in the Sectional League Cup has ended
with 2 defeats in the final round of matches. Group winners Glencairn completed
the double over rivals Cambuslang with a crushing victory at Somervell Park.
The home sides run of injuries is getting the stage where Assistant Scott
Archer had to pull on a jersey against the Southcroft side. Despite his years
it was an impressive performance form the Lang coach and how they could be
doing with a younger version of him in the side at the moment. Missing from the
game for varying reasons were Carmichael, Galloway, McGregor, Doak, Brown,
Rowan and skipper Holmes. The problem was that these are all starters in Andy
Cunningham's first 11 so that gives you an idea as to just how bad Cambuslang are
struggling at the moment.
Glencairn travelled to Somervell having already clinched a quarter
final spot. But as no team likes to lose it was the usual blood and thunder
match. Glens impressive football was rewarded after only 5 minutes when MacKay
easily waltzed past some half hearted tackles from the Lang defence and planted
the ball past Lowe. Only a minute later and it should have been 2. A dangerous
ball into the box wasn't dealt with the Lang defence and Hayes headed wide from
close range. It was mid way through the half before anything was seen from the
home side and as the games previously it was the in form Alan McCrae making the
chances for himself. He saw his effort from long range well saved and a minute
later a superb strike that looked in all the way rattled off the base of the
post with the Glens keeper rooted to the spot, but once again there was no one
following up to capitalise on the Lang mans effort. As Cambuslang came more and
more into the match the equaliser wasn't far away. It duly arrived and it was
nothing more than the home side deserved. McCarroll on hand to drill the ball
pat the Glens keeper after a mistake in the defence. Cambuslang should have
taken an interval lead but McCrae struck the keeper with the ball from a great
position and the Lang striker should have scored.
H-T 1-1
As has been the norm in this campaign, Cambuslang never played in
the second half and Glencairn turned the screw as the ran in 3 goals in the
second 34. Cambuslang brought on Galloway for the injured Graham at the start
of the half. The visitors had the miss of the match on 48 minutes, centre half
Smith rose well to head the ball into the path of Gallagher who ballooned over
from 3 yards out. It was all one way traffic at this point as Glencairn steam
rollered over the top of Cambuslang, its at this point we should point out that
there is a Division between both sides but any neutral would be asking the
question as to who was the Super League Side? Glencairns dominance paid off
when they scored a second on 65 minutes,Merriman was in the penalty
area and he shot but it was parried by the Lang keeper, but ran free right into
the path of McKay, who reacted very sharply to fire the ball into the net
to make it 3-1. By this stage Cambuslang were all over the place as attack
after attack rained down on a poor Lang defence that seemed to lack any real
leadership on the park. Glencairn completed the route when
But the best goal of the game was still to come. Substitute Marc
McDowall had replaced Gallagher up front, and he made a strong run up the left
wing, leaving his marker trailing, and he cut the ball back into the path
of McKay, who fired a first-time shot high into the roof
of the net to make it 4-1.
The Glens man had a couple of chances to get his hat trick
and he was given two golden chances, firstly trying to cheekily lob the
goalkeeper when through one-on-one and hitting it straight into the keeper's
arms, and then he hit the inside of the post a minute later, with the Lang
defence desperately clearing off the line.
Lang
Lowe, Ferguson, Graham, Feenie, Paterson, Coulter, Hughes, Archer,
McCarroll, McCrae, Burns
Subs from
Galloway, Petrik and Love