Cambuslang Rangers 3-2 Beith
Stagecoach Super League 1st Division
Saturday 30th October
at Somervell Park
Cambuslang
Rangers entertained Beith at the weekend in what turned out to be a nervy game
for the home side. A match where they dominated the first half but not for the
first time this season seemed to fall asleep in the second allowing the
visitors back into the game. Manager Andy Cunningham spoke about his sides in
ability to kill teams off, this was simply the case on Saturday.
Assistant
Scott Archer took charge for this game as Andy was on a spying mission,
watching next weeks cup opponents St Anthony's who defeated Clydebank, the team
who knocked Cambuslang out of the West of Scotland Cup. Clear indication that
next weeks O.V.D. Cup tie might not be as easy as the punters think.
Cambuslang's
injury crisis seems to be easing by the week. Carmichael made it onto the bench
for the first tome this season. But on the other hand Cambuslang will be
without Graham Doak who has ligament damage. Keeper Craig Rowan and Billy
Holmes were missing for this game and Gary McGregor made it onto the
bench.
The visitors
made their intentions known as early as the first minute when they should have
opened the scoring. Spence driven cross was missed by the Lang defence and
Cameron miss kicked in front of goal allowing Lowe time to gather the ball.
Cambuslang's first real effort came on 15 minutes when Galloway played in Brown
but the Lang striker saw his effort saved. Cambuslang made the breakthrough on
20 minutes. McCrae won the ball and slipped it to Brown his effort smacked off
the bar but McCrae followed up to knock home. Beith went close on 25 minutes
when Paterson lost possession allowing Stewart time to cross, he sent over the
ball and Cameron somehow shot over from 4 yards out, another let off for the
home team. Cambuslang doubled their lead on the half hour mark. A great run
down the line by Galloway to set up Brown who dummied the keeper before
slotting Cambuslang's second of the afternoon. Cambuslang were cruising at this
stage at the visitors offered very little in return. Brown could have increased
the Lang's ;lead but he was pulled up for offside when he was clearly being
played on by the Beith full back. The visitors were kept at distance and any
effort offered was from outside the area, which Lowe dealt with easily.
H-T 2-0
In typical
fashion this season, Cambuslang just don't seem to perform in the second half
of matches. Leading 2-0 at halftime and easing towards a comfortable 3 points,
Cambuslang allowed Beith back into the game. The visitors got 1 back on 51
minutes. Shearer somehow got the ball into the box and Cameron was unmarked on
the line and he had the easiest of finishes. At the other end Burns tested the
keeper but his effort was saved. Jamie McCarroll talked his way into the ref's
note book to earn a yellow card. The visitors made a double substitution on 57
minutes. They brought on Fulton and Rammage as they went looking for the
equaliser. and it wasn't far away, sub Rammage sprung the offside and slotted
past Lowe for the leveller. It's at this stage you think the visitors would go
on and win the game as their tales were up and they were flying, but credit to
the Somervell Park side as they dug deep and tried to regain the upper hand
they had in the first half. McCrae went close with a drive that the
goalie saved. Beith were level for 10 minutes then up popped Paul Burns to
restore Cambuslang's lead. He slotted the ball past the keeper from 20 yards and
the despairing dive was all in vain as it rattled the back of the net. On 75
minutes a superb goal line clearance by graham kept the Langs lead in tact.
Still don't know how he managed it. A minute later and the visitors were
awarded a dubious penalty. Defender Martin Feenie was adjudged to have handled
in the box, it was difficult to see how he was meant to get out of the way and
it was more ball to hand than the other way. But the ref awarded the spot kick.
Justice seemed to be done when McCulloch blasted his shot over the bar.
Cambuslang had few chances at the end to kill off the opposition but were
unable to get the killer 4th goal. Burns did have the ball in the net but the
ref had blown for an earlier infringement.
F-T 3-2
Lowe,
Galloway, Graham, Feenie, Coulter, Paterson, McCarroll, Paterson, McCrae, Burns
& Brown
Subs Not Used
Fisher, Young,
McGrath, McGregor & Carmichael