Benburb
0-0 Cambuslang Rangers
Abercorn Builders Premier Division
Saturday 29th September
at Tinto Park, Govan
Cambuslang Rangers travelled to
Govan last weekend to take on another of the Premier League's fancied sides.
They came away with a point but in all honesty will be disappointed not to have
taken all 3 after creating numerous chances to have won the game. Benburb
keeper had one of those games where nothing was getting past him.
Cambuslang Rangers made a couple
of changes to the side that lost heavily at Maryhill. Out went Richardson and
Maxwell, who was unavailable, and into the starting line up came Paterson and
Daisley, making his first start of the season.
The visitors started well and
should have opened the scoring after only 5 minutes. Billy Holmes found space
in the box and got his shot away but the keeper got down well to turn the
effort round the post. From the resulting corner another opportunity, this time
it fell to Mitchell, who spun in the box before rattling the woodwork from 6
yards out. Cambuslang continued to push Benburb back into their own half and
Holmes went close again with a shot that went inches wide of the up right. Very
little was being seen from Benburb in an attacking form and their first effort
at goal came in 15 minutes when Dow fired over from the edge of the box. And
only a minute later they should have taken the lead, Mason cross found Miller
totally free in the box but his header was straight at the keeper who did well
to turn it over the bar. Full back Stewart Taylor tried to get in on the action
when he fired in a shot from out wide that wasn't far away which the keeper could
only stand and watch. Mitchell then went close with a header but it flew over.
H-T 0-0
The second half was a livelier
affair with the visitors having the better of it without finding the back of
the net. Numerous chances went a begging.
Cambuslang were sleeping at the
start of the half and had keeper Wardlaw to thank for keeping the score level.
Douglas shot from 12 yards but Wardlaw was down quick to pull off a fine stop.
Only a minute later and the keeper was called into action again. A point blank
shot from Mason was well stopped. On the hour mark another chance went a
begging for the Lang. Paterson put in a telling cross which Mitchell got his
head too but he put it straight into the keepers arms, but the keeper fumbled
allowing Holmes to get onto the follow up but the keeper pounced to gather at
the 2nd attempt. Benburb's Miller was first into the ref.'s notebook for a poor
challenge on Daisley. On 65 minutes Cambuslang had the best chance so far to
open the scoring. Skipper Billy Holmes latched onto the fine pass by Mitchell,
and with only the keeper to beat he blasted well wide from 10 yards. He then
saw another effort cleared off the line. Benburb were handed a chance when
Wardlaw in the Lang goal scuffed a clearance sending the ball to Ben's Miller
who shot just over the bar. Cambuslang replaced Holmes with new signing Mark
Gilvanney who signed from Clyde. He was involved in the action immediately when
his first effort was well blocked in the box. Mitchell for the Lang wasted a
good chance when he fired over for only 8 yards out, it was now you began to
realise it just wasn't going to be the Lang's day.
In a frantic final five minutes
Cambuslang made 4 or 5 great chances but Ben's keeper was saving everything
with every part of his body. Fist to test him was Mitchell who latched onto
Gilvanney's dummy but the keeper saved well with the tips of his fingers to
touch it round the post. Next up, Stuart Gauley tested the keeper with a fine
volley from 18 yards, which he saved with his feet and Balmain saw his follow
up gathered. The final shot of the day fell to new boy Gilvanney and his effort
was well saved too. Cambuslang will probably be disappointed not to have taken
the 3 points but that is 4 points from a possible 6 against fancied teams so
far this season and if they can keep this up they will have no problem in
holding their own in this Premier League.
Line up
Wardlaw, Devanney, Taylor,
Kavanagh, Coulter, Mitchell, Gauley, Balmain, Holmes (Gilvanney, 68), Daisley
& Paterson
Subs Not Used Doak, Watson,
Simpson, McDougall