Maryhill (5) v Larkhall (5)

[hollerman]

Central League - Division 1

Saturday 16^th May 2015

MARYHILL 5 LARKHALL THISTLE 5

Alan Hansen would probably have suffered heart failure had he witnessed this match. Defensive inadequacies played a large part in many of the ten goals, but despite what any ‘experts’ may proclaim, all those who were fortunate enough to see this game will remember it for a long time and will have left Lochburn Park feeling that they had certainly got full value for money.

Maryhill were by far the better team in the first half, with their dominance emphasised by the corner kick score of 14 – 0 in their favour. Unfortunately, corner kicks or being the better team does not lead to the award of any points, whereas goals do, and Larkhall managed to score two in the opening half hour. In their first real attack in the ninth minute, a well-judged cross from Jordan Marshall was met at the far post by the unmarked DAVID REID who headed past Grant Hay. A further series of flurries around the visitors’ goal then ensued, but bad luck and poor finishing saw them all come to nothing, and it was Larkhall who increased their lead when once again slack defending allowed RYAN INNES to fire home from six yards. The game continued to be played mostly in the Larkhall half, and Justin Begg failed in two attempts, the first when he lost control of the ball a few yards from goal, and then he saw his raging 25 yard drive well saved by Alan Colquhoun in the Larkhall goal. William Wells also came close with a well flighted lob which skimmed the crossbar, but just on half time the pressure finally paid off when SHAUN FRASER forced the ball over the line following a melee in the Larkhall six yard box.

Half Time – Maryhill 1 Larkhall 2

Any hopes that Fraser’s goal might have proved the catalyst for a Maryhill comeback seemed to have been extinguished within the first five minutes of the second half. Two goals for the visitors, both scored by RYAN INNES, did the damage, the first from a few yards out following further catastrophic defending by Maryhill, and the second a spectacular shot from around 30 yards which gave Grant Hay no chance. The game was far from over, however, and Maryhill reduced the deficit within ten minutes when SHAUN FRASER scored from a penalty after Scott Nicol had fouled Justin Begg just inside the eighteen yard box. With fifteen minutes remaining ANDY BANKS exploited yet more poor defending to continue the revival, but all seemed lost for Hill once again when only a minute later Larkhall regained their two goal advantage with GRAHAM GRACIE taking advantage of a static Hill defence to make it 5-3. Four minutes later it was 5-4 when PAUL CALLENDER capitalised on hesitancy in the Larkhall defence to shoot home from close range, and just when it was looking as if the Hill fightback was going to be in vain, the equaliser arrived in the final minute. PAUL CALLENDER’s fierce shot beat Alan Colquhoun, crashed off the underside of the bar, and ended in the net - a stunning goal, and a fitting climax to a thrilling game.

Larkhall will feel that they threw it away after being 4-1 and 5-3 ahead, but Maryhill will consider themselves very unlucky to have been behind after dominating the first half, and showed great spirit in never giving up hope, so overall a draw was probably a fair result. Both teams should be given credit for their entertaining efforts in what was largely a very sporting and hard fought contest.

MARYHILL -: Hay, Lundie, McLernon, Coyle, Banks, Callender, Begg (Orr 77), Furay, Monaghan (Asante 77), Fraser, Wells.

SUBS (not used) – Beckley, Ndlovu.

SCORERS – Fraser (45, 59 pen), Banks (75), Callender (79, 90).

YELLOW CARD – Lundie (36)

RED CARDS – None

LARKHALL -: Colquhoun, Reynolds, Nicol, Marshall, Schoneville, Innes (Cooke 67), Jack (McKeever 84), Kelly, Gracie, McGeachie, Reid (Clarke 76).

SUB (not used) – McPhee.

SCORERS – Reid (9), Innes (29, 49, 50), Gracie (76)

YELLOW CARDS – Gracie (18), Nicol (75),Kelly (89)

RED CARDS – None

REFEREE – George King

MAN OF THE MATCH – Andy Banks