| Match Reports Archive |
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| Neilston V Maryhill
Match Report by Jeff Holmes Challenge Match Brig O’lea Stadium – Wednesday July 27 Maryhill: Black, Trialist, Baker, McCulloch, McGuinness, Hughes, Murray, Jones, Dingwall, Trialist, Trialist. Subs: Used – Watret, Trialist, Johnston, Gallagher. Maryhill made their 2005/06 debut in front of a crowd of around 100 at windy Neilston. Positional changes included a centre-half appearance for midfield dynamo Eddie McGuinness (in place of the injured Stevie Miller), while it was good to see Bryan Dingwall fill the number nine jersey after all the close-season transfer speculation. The home side were the first to attack and their right-back cannoned a shot off debutante Greg McCulloch for a corner. And the Farmers Boys almost opened the scoring from the resultant set-piece with their centre-half slamming in a header which was well saved by Scott Black. However, just eight minutes later, Sammy Johnston’s boys went ahead from a carbon copy move. A corner was whipped in by the dangerous Neilston right-winger and after a game of pin-ball in the six-yard box, the Neilston right-back was on hand to prod home. And just sixty seconds later, it could’ve been two. The Neilston number seven was clear through on goal but screwed his low shot wide as Scotty raced from his goal line to narrow the angle. A couple of minutes later, there was a rare chance at the other end when the Maryhill Trialist number 10 (Phil Cannie, we believe) headed narrowly past following a good free-kick by Jones. Dingy was next to try his luck – from 25 yards – but his shot, although on target, didn’t trouble the Neilston sticks man much. On the 23rd minute mark, another probing run by the Neilston right-back resulted in a beautiful centre which saw the Neilston number nine shoot from ten yards, only for Scotty to pull off another fantastic save. Three minutes later, Maryhill won their first corner kick (Copyright – John Gray: I missed it!!) but nothing much came from it. However, from the resulting kick-out, a miles-offside Neilston right winger stole through the middle of our defence to calmly lob Scotty from 16 yards. 2-0. Despite vehement protests from the side of the park (Chic Fortune), the linesman stood firm! On the half-hour mark, Scott Black proved his worth yet again by pulling off a wonder save from the lethal feet of the Neilston centre. His netbound rocket shot from all of 25 yards was brilliantly parried wide of the goal by our international-class shot stopper. And just sixty seconds later, Neilston hit the bar from a deflected shot. Hill were indeed now on the back foot. Just ten minutes before the break, Martin Baker managed a stunning double tackle inside the box to prevent Neilston from adding to their score. Hill then broke up the park and from a set-piece, Eddie McGuinness headed narrowly past the post. On the stroke of half-time, a rare Greg McCulloch error allowed the Neilston right-winger to run through on goal but again Scott Black was equal to the task. Half-Time: Neilston 2 Maryhill 0 Ronnie Lowrie introduced Brian Watret at the start of the second half, withdrawing Martin Hughes and after 17 minutes of second-half play, brought Paddy Gallagher, Chris Johnston and a Trialist on in place of Kevin Murray and trialist’s number’s 10 & 11. After 68 minutes, Neilston made rather futile shouts for a penalty after (they claimed) one of their forwards had been held back in the box. A couple of minutes later, Paddy had a good run and shot which gave Hill fans hope that a comeback could still be on the cards. With 15 minutes remaining, Hill broke away but Dingy’s shot from 25 yards was deflected for a corner. Minutes later, a quick free-kick by Billy Jones was flicked on at the near post by Brian Watret but Eddie McGuinness, sliding in at the back post, missed from just twelve inches out, the ball sticking under his feet. With time running out, the Maryhill number 16 (a Trialist) beautifully skipped past the Neilston left-back and clipped a slick cross to the heart of the six-yard box but the Neilston substitute goalkeeper cut out the cross with great aplomb. As the teams played out the last few minutes, the small band of Hill supporters suddenly began to empathise with the great Eric Cantona. Besieged by seagulls, we instantly realised what inspired Cantona to pen his great `Seagulls’ prose. They hovered menacingly just a matter of feet above our heads. Big Stuarty assured us they were NOT vultures, which was comforting, because they, he said, were a couple of miles down the road at Newlandsfield!! Whatever else, the result was a moral victory considering our first match last season resulted in a 6-1 humping at Beith!! Maryhillfc.com MAN OF THE MATCH: Scott Black (By the country mile. After all, we were in Neilston!) |
| CARSLBERG LEAGUE CUP - SECTION 6
WEDNESDAY 3RD AUGUST 20 Maryhill 3 Glasgow Perthshire 0 Scorers -: Heron ( o.g 32 ), Murray ( 44 ), Gallagher ( 83 ) Match Report by John Hinshelwood Games against Perthshire are now approached with a degree of trepidation after last season's experience when, despite finishing second bottom of the second division, they managed to beat Hill 4 -2 in August, and were unlucky to go down 1 - 0 at Lochburn in the League cup later in the season. This was a comfortable enough win for Maryhill, but had the Shire forwards been a bit more lethal in front of goal, it could have been a different story. There was little in the way of excitement in the first half hour with Pollock coming close for the visitors early on, and Murray and Dingwall combining well on a couple of occasions without posing any real threat to McCurley in the Shire goal. Maryhill began to play some better football in the last 15 minutes of the half, and this dominance was reflected in the 2 goal advantage they held at the break. Gallagher had a good effort from around 30 yards which went narrowly over, and the trialist number 10 who had shown some good touches, had a great run and shot which came close to putting Hill ahead. The first goal arrived after 32 minutes when a Miller close range shot was deflected into the net by central defender Heron. Shire were by no means out of it, and Marcus came close with a good effort from 18 yards. Hill went 2 up just on the interval when a good cross from trialist 10 was headed home at the far post by Murray. The second period started quietly , but was brought to life with a strong run and shot by Dingwall which went wide. His contribution to the game was destined not to last much longer however, when he was dismissed following two bookings in a four minute spell. Both were of the silly, rather than malicious type, the first fror tripping Marcus, and the second for charging keeper McCurley over the line when he was in possession of the ball. The second, in particular, was extremely harsh, but Hill were left to play the final 32 minutes a man short.The trialist 10, who continued to impress, was effectively left as a lone striker, but despite this showed some good control, and was unlucky not to score on a couple of occasions. With 12 minutes remaining, he combined well with Gallagher and his final shot was only inches out. Two minutes later his perfectly placed lob seemed destined to reach the net, but bounced off the crossbar and was cleared. Shire also came close , most notably when Mooney, unmarked inside the box, made a mess of a headed attempt at goal.With seven minutes remaining the third and final goal arrived. Wilson and Gallagher's neat passing move down the right wing ended with the latter finding the net with a low shot from ten yards. Man of the match was undoubtedly Hill's number 10 trialist, closely followed by an assured display from Paddy Gallagher. MARYHILL -: Black, Wilson, Baker, Miller, McCulloch, Trialist ( Trialist 84 ),Murray, Gallagher, Dingwall, Trialist ( Johnston 82 ), Hughes. SUBS ( not used ) -: Watret, Trialist, Trialist. Booked -: Trialist 6 ( 27 ), Dingwall ( 54 ) SENT OFF -: Dingwall ( 58 ) PERTHSHIRE -: McCurley, Dempsey, Thorburn, Marcus, Heron, McGovern ( Holmes 77 ), Pollock ( Bell 68 ), Wales ( Whittaker 61 ), Mooney, Ferguson, Cahoon. SUBS ( not used ) -: Kinnaird, Thomson BOOKED -: Cahoon ( 62 ), Pollock ( 70 ), Marcus ( 82 ). |
| No Report From Kelty Sat 30th July |
| CARSLBERG LEAGUE CUP - SECTION 6
SATURDAY 6th AUGUST 2005 Ashfield 1 Maryhill 2 Scorers -: Ashfield - Beattie ( 90 ) Maryhill - Baker ( 12 ), Dingwall ( pen 59 ) Match Report by John Hinshelwood Maryhill took all three points in a hard fought encounter with local rivals Ashfield. It was not a match which held the meagre crowd enthralled for any length of time, but overall Hill just about deserved their victory. They took an early lead , Baker scoring with a perfectly flighted free kick from 20 yards after 12 minutes. Five minutes later a Beattie free almost brought an equaliser for the home side, but Black saved well. From the resulting corner, the ball broke to Gault whose close range effort produced another good stop from the Hill keeper. Maryhill had two strong penalty claims before half time, both turned down by referee Tait. The first when a Murray cross was handled in the box, and an even more obvious instance just before half time when the trialist number 10 was clearly held back by Wilson. The second half produced little in the way of excitement or goalmouth incidents. A good run and shot by trialist 10 came close in the 56th minute, and two minutes later Baker was brought down inside the penalty area by McBrearty, halting a surging run by the Hill full back. McBrearty was booked for arguing about the decision before Dingwall fired home the penalty to put Maryhill 2 - 0 ahead. Hill began to assert themselves after this and dominated play for a spell, but solid defending from the Ashfield defence, in particular the experienced Beattie, nullified the threat. Ashfield striker Maxwell was fortunate to receive only a yellow card after manhandling Hughes twelve minutes from the end, and was even more fortunate a few minutes later to receive no punishment for a knee in the back challenge on Hill's trialist number 5. Dingwall had two good efforts saved by Nugent in the last ten minutes, and two minutes into injury time Ashfield pulled a goal back when Beattie headed strongly into the net from a McArthur corner. They might have secured a sensational equaliser a minute later when a good cross from Pattison was headed over by McDougall. No Hill player was particularly outstanding although there were several solid performances. Man of the match would probably be Martin Baker on the strength of his superb free kick, his run which produced the second goal, and a commanding and cool defensive display. ASHFIELD -: Nugent, Murphy, Wilson ( McArthur 72 ), Reilly, Beattie, McBrearty, Tollan, Gault ( McDougall 60 ), Maxwell, McGladrigan ( Tartaglia 60 ), Pattison. SUBS ( not used ) -: Allan, Thomson. BOOKED -: Beattie ( 58 ), McBrearty ( 59 ), Maxwell ( 78 ), McDougall ( 83 ). MARYHILL -: Black, McCulloch, Baker ( Watret 65 ), Miller, Trialist ( Wardle 65 ), Jones, Murray, Trialist, Dingwall, Trialist ( Johnston 65 ), Hughes. BOOKED -: Trialist 8 ( 44 ), Trialist 5 ( 84 ) REFEREE -: Andrew Tait. |
| CARLSBERG LEAGUE CUP - SECTION 6
SATURDAY 13TH AUGUST 2005 Maryhill 3 Yoker 0 Scorers -: Dingwall ( 62 ), Trialist ( 68 ), Andrew ( 70 ) Match Report by John Hinshelwood Three goals in an eight minute burst midway through the second half saw Maryhill earn a comfortable win in the end, although they struggled for long spells against a stuffy Yoker side which contained several experienced junior campaigners. A lively start saw Hill make several incursions on the visitors goal in the opening five minutes, but the remainder of the half saw few real scoring opportunities for either side. Neither Black nor Wilson in the Yoker goal had any serious problems to deal with, as both sides seemed to lack any midfield creativity to provide openings for the strikers. Hill started the second half in more upbeat mode and Wilson set up a couple of good chances, the first an inviting low cross into the goal mouth which found no takers, and then a pass to Dingwall whose 20 yard shot was well saved by keeper Wilson. A few minutes later Wilson was called on to make another good stop from a long range effort by Johnston. On 62 minutes Maryhill made the breakthrough when Dingwall gave them a deserved lead , heading home a cross from Jones. This seemed to transform the team and two more goals followed in quick succession. The second , in the 68th minute, from a great 25 yard shot from the number 12 sub who had come on at half time, and the third two minutes later from another sub, the recently signed Joe Andrew. Hughes made a great run down the left wing, evading a hefty challenge from Hamilton, and sent over a cross which was met first time by Andrew, sending the ball crashing high into the net from six yards. Yoker had a chance to pull a goal back 15 minutes from the end , but the unmarked Ferguson hit his shot straight at Black. Maryhill dominated until the end, and although their performance for the first hour had been far from impressive, finished worthy winners. Man of the match- Martin Hughes, for 100% effort and determination, and several good runs, including the one which led to the third goal. MARYHILL -: Black, Wilson, McCulloch,Trialist( Trialist 45 ), Wardle, S.Gallagher, Murray ( Andrew 45 ), Hughes, Dingwall, Jones, Johnston ( Trialist 80 ) SUBS (NOT USED ) -: P.Gallagher, Watret. BOOKED -: Dingwall ( 58 ) YOKER -: Wilson, Sutherland, Trialist, Hamilton, Roberts, Cameron ( Ritchie 84 ), Bennett, Smith ( Simeon 64 ), Ferguson ( Mullen 76 ), Dunne, Marshall. SUBS ( not used ) -: Austin, McCormick. BOOKED -: Trialist ( 24 ), Sutherland ( 89 ). |
| Carlsberg League Cup 3rd Round WEDNESDAY, 17th AUGUST 2005 Clydebank 2 Maryhill 5 Scorers Clydebank - Lappin ( pen 11 ), Maxwell ( 66 ) Maryhill - Andrew ( 12 ), Cleary ( 21 ), McGuinness ( 62 ), Dingwall ( pen 73 ), Johnston ( 87 ) Match Report by John Hinshelwood Maryhill progressed to the Quarter Final stage of the Carlsberg League Cup with a convincing victory over Clydebank. This was an exciting match for the fans, and a lot of good football was played by both teams. Clydebank enjoyed the bulk of the pressure in the first half with Readie and Hailstones impressing with some neat passing moves. The Maryhill defence coped well with most of the pressure, but went a goal behind after 11 minutes. The ball bounced awkwardly on the wet surface and was handled by Gallagher inside the box. Lappin scored from the resultant penalty. It took Hill only a minute to draw level when Andrew headed home from a Jones corner. It was thrilling end to end stuff and the home team almost regained the lead a minute later. Baker's pass back to Black was too short and was intercepted by Boyland. He seemed certain to score, but Black narrowed the angle and brought off a brilliant save. Andrew and Dingwall both came close for Hill before Cleary put them ahead in the 21st minute with a superb low shot from 25 yards. Although Clydebank had most of the play til the break, Maryhill always looked in control, and played some neat one touch football, with Cleary and Andrew outstanding. Dingwall almost made it 3 -1 right on half time, when his low shot from a narrow angle struck the post. Mc Guinness hammered the rebound goalwards, but the ball was deflected for a corner. The second half started quietly, with neither side making any clear cut chances in the first 15 minutes. Maryhill went 3 - 1 up in the 62nd minute. Cleary cut in from the right and sent over a perfect cross which McGuinness met at the far post to send a looping header past keeper Halpin. It seemed to be all over at this stage with Hill well in control, but only four minutes later a great goal put Clydebank back in the game. Substitute Maxwell controlled the ball well and sent a raging shot high into the net giving Black no chance. A Jones header was headed narrowly past by Hughes, and a close range shot by Andrew produced a good save from Halpin before Hill restored their two goal advantage 17 minutes from the end. Cleary held the ball up well before sending a pass to Hughes, who cut inside well ,but was fouled just inside the box. There were no protests from the home players when the ref awarded a penalty, and Dingwall did his usual efficient job from the spot to make it 4 -2. Any remote hopes that Clydebank had of making a comeback disappeared in the 78th minute when ex Hill player Mitchell was given a straight red card for a vicious stamp on Hughes. Substitute Johnston got the fifth goal three minutes from the end. He controlled a pass from McCulloch inside the box with his back to the goal, turned well and hit a low shot past several defenders and the keeper to make it 5 - 2. This was well merited victory for Maryhill who played some very impressive football at times, and although there were many good performances, the man of the match award goes to Stevie Miller for a cool and assured performance in central defence. CLYDEBANK -: Bell ( Halpin 36 ), McKay, Brady, Mitchell, Fallon, Sharkey, Boyland ( Caffrey 61 ), Lappin, Hailstones, McKee, Readie ( Maxwell 61 ) SUBS ( not used ) -; Kelly, Waddell. BOOKED -: McKee ( 32 ), Mitchell ( 72 ), Fallon ( 84 ). SENT OFF -: Mitchell ( 78 ) MARYHILL -: Black, McCulloch, Baker, Miller, S.Gallagher, Jones ( Wilson 82 ), Clearie, McGuinness ( Murray 71 ), Dingwall, Andrew ( Johnston 71 ), Hughes. SUBS( not used ) -: Wardle, P. Gallagher. BOOKED -: Miller ( 42 ), Baker ( 55 ) |
| SUPER LEAGUE - PREMIER DIVISION SATURDAY 20th AUGUST 2005 Johnstone Burgh 0 Maryhill 4 Scorers -: Baker ( 35 ), McCulloch ( 38 ), Clearie ( 54 ), Andrew ( 56 ) Match Report by John Hinshelwood A sun drenched Keanie Park saw Maryhill open their League campaign with an emphatic victory over Johnstone Burgh. They finished the match streets ahead of their opponents after an even and fairly uneventful first half hour. In the first few minutes Alex Clearie was subjected to a couple of "robust" tackles, but fortunately seemed to emerge unscathed. Wardle headed narrowly over from a Jones corner in the 4th minute , but thereafter play was mainly confined to midfield for a spell with no goal threats of note until Maryhill took the lead in the 35th minute. A Jones corner from the right was touched on by Burgh keeper Sexton, and Baker bulleted a header high into the net at the far post. Three minutes later it was 2 - 0, when Andrew worked his way skilfully down the left wing and sent over a low cross which was met first time in the six yard box by Greg McCulloch for his first goal for Maryhill. Hill dominated until the break with the home defence looking vulnerable. Burgh's only goal attempt came three minutes from the interval when a 30 yard shot from Miller appeared to be heading for the top left corner, but a superb diving save from Black averted the danger. Just on half time Dingwall , who had been having a quiet game, broke free on the right and headed for goal. Just as a score looked imminent, a tackle from Gayne prevented him from shooting and the chance was lost. Maryhill started the second half well on top. In the 52nd minute Hughes brought out a good save from Sexton with an 18 yard shot, then two minutes later it was 3 - 0 when Clearie headed home from a Jones corner following a goalmouth scramble. Another two minutes and goal number four arrived when Andrew scored with a fierce, low 25 yard shot which gave Sexton no chance. Things went from bad to worse for Burgh when Miller, who had been booked in the first half, was given a second yellow and sent off by referee Bashir for a late challenge on Hughes. Hill could have added to their lead when a McCulloch 20 yarder was well saved, then Dingwall outpaced the home defence and hit a great shot on the drop which went narrowly over. In the closing minutes Andrew had a shot from the corner of the penalty area tipped over the bar by Sexton, and in the last minute a Miller header from a Clearie free kick was only inches out. An excellent display and a comprehensive victory saw many good individual performances. New signings McCulloch, Clearie and Andrew all impressed for spells, but for overall consistency throughout, man of the match was Brian Wardle ,who was commanding in the air and made several impressive tackles to thwart the efforts of the Burgh attack. JOHNSTONE BURGH -: Sexton, Wozencroft, Dale, Juttla, Gayne ( Carson 66 ), Miller, McKelvie ( McShane 72 ),Murray, McDonald ( Campbell 75 ), J. Sherry, Whyte. SUBS ( not used ) -: Duffy, Smith. BOOKED -: Miller ( 39 ) SENT OFF -: Miller ( 58 ) MARYHILL -: Black, McCulloch ( Wilson 64 ), Baker ( S. Gallagher 64 ), Miller, Wardle, Jones ( Murray 66 ), Clearie, McGuinness, Dingwall, Andrew, Hughes. SUBS ( not used ) -: Watret, P.Gallagher. BOOKED -: Murray ( 83 ). REFEREE -: Ramzan Bashir. |
| CARLSBERG LEAGUE CUP - QUARTER FINAL
WEDNESDAY 24th AUGUST 2005 Maryhill 1 Shotts Bon Accord 1 Scorers -: Maryhill - Dingwall ( pen 29 ) Shotts - Stewart ( 46 ) ( Maryhill won 3 - 0 on penalties ) Match Report by John Hinshelwood Maryhill won through to the Semi Final of the Carlsberg League cup by means of a penalty shoot after a closely fought game. A draw was probably a fair result, as Shotts were slightly the better team, but Maryhill had the best chances and had two great efforts in the second half which hit keeper Rowan's right hand post. Scott Black was called into action early on and had three excellent saves in the first half from Boyack and the impressive Mackie ( twice ). Maryhill countered with good efforts from Dingwall and Wilson. Shotts were looking the more cohesive side and put together some good moves with Mackie, Boyack and Crawford in particular combining well. Maryhill took the lead slightly against the run of play after 29 minutes. A good piece of interplay between Dingwall and Andrew was interrupted by handball by Herriot inside the box which resulted in a penalty being awarded. Dingwall scored his fourth goal of the season ( and his third from the spot ) to put Hill 1 - 0 up. The second half was only a minute old when the visitors drew level. McGuinness lost possession of the ball in midfield, and Mackie's pass was picked up by Stewart whose shot took a nasty bounce which deceived Black and ended up in the net. Shotts dominated for around 15 minutes after the equaliser, without creating many clear cut chances, but Maryhill always looked dangerous on the break. Midway through the half good skill by Andrew saw him elude two Shotts defenders and hit a low shot which rattled the post with keeper Rowan well beaten.Some slack marking allowed Brown of Shotts to advance on goal, but his hastily hit shot went well over, before a superb shot by Dingwall from a tight angle came off the post again nine minutes from the end. Maryhill finished the stronger side and had a penalty claim for handball dismissed in the last minute, before a great cross from the left by Dingwall was put over the bar from a couple of yards by substitute Murray. In the penalty shoot out Baker, Miller and Jones all scored for Maryhill, while Shotts missed three consecutive attempts. Black saved from Mackie and Stewart and Crawford's effort struck the post as Hill ran out 3 - 0 winners. Man of the match has to be Scott Black, not just for his two penalty saves , but for several crucial stops during the 90 minutes and impeccable handling throughout. MARYHILL -: Black, Wilson, Baker, Miller, Wardle, Jones, Clearie ( Murray 58 ), McGuinness, Dingwall, Andrew ( P.Gallagher 80 ), McCulloch. SUBS ( not used ) -: Watret, S.Gallagher, Johnston. BOOKED -: Baker ( 32 ), Dingwall ( 35 ). SHOTTS -: Rowan, Herriot, Wallace, White, McSeveney, Brown ( O'Keane 85 ), McLintock, Stewart, Crawford, Mackie, Boyack. SUBS ( not used ) -: Kirkwood, Pearson, McNulty, McCheyne. BOOKED -: Herriot ( 52 ), Crawford ( 79 ) |
CARLSBERG LEAGUE CUP - SEMI FINAL WEDNESDAY 31st AUGUST 2005 Maryhill 1 Neilston 2 Scorers -: Maryhill - Dingwall ( 21 ) Neilston - Cochrane ( 45 ), Smith ( 58 ) Match Report by John Hinshelwood Maryhill failed to make it two successive League Cup finals, as a poor second half performance saw them tamely surrender to very average Neilston side. There was little doubt that the better team won in the end, but had Maryhill capitalised on their first half dominance, the game would have been well out of the reach of the visitors by half time. After a fairly even first fifteen minutes which was littered with misplaced passes from both sides struggling to come to terms with the slippy surface, Maryhill began to take control of the game. Lots of attractive football was in evidence with Clearie, Hughes and Andrew all showing good skills. An Andrew shot on the turn was well saved by Neilston keeper Hewitt in the 18th minute, and two minutes later a wonderful lob by the same player set up McGuinness, but he lost control of the ball and the chance was lost. Hill then took a deserved lead when Dingwall headed home a Hughes cross in the 21st minute. Neilston relied on the long ball , but did not create any real chances until the 31 st minute when defender Anderson headed narrowly over. Hill always looked more likely to add to their lead, but in injury time in the first half., poor marking by the Hill defence allowed Cochrane to rise unchallenged to head in the equaliser. A Jones shot from 25 yards in the first minute of the second half came very close to restoring Maryhill's lead, but from then on they seemed to lose their way. They persisted with high balls into the box which were easily dealt with by the experienced Anderson and Duncan. In the 54 th minute Smith had a good chance to score for Neilston, but Black blocked his shot. Four minutes later, however, the striker had more success when he put his side ahead. A lob by Keys from just outside the penalty area eluded Black, and struck the crossbar, but Smith was on hand to head in the rebound. Maryhill's attempts to get back into the game grew more and more desperate, and they never really looked like penetrating the visitor's defence. All three subs were used and Wardle was pushed up front , but all to no avail. They had a strong penalty claim in the last minute when Dingwall was impeded in the box, but referee McIntyre instantly dismissed the claim.The final four minutes degenerated into chaos with three players sent off, and a further two shown yellow cards. Murdoch of Neilston, attempting to waste time, refused to release the ball after a free kick had been awarded to Maryhill. Hughes tried to retrieve the ball from him, and a " rammy" quickly ensued involving several players. When the dust had settled, both Murdoch and Hughes were sent off. In the final minute, Jones was also dismissed for a late challenge. It was an unsavoury end to what, in the first half, had promised to be a decent game. Maryhill really only have themselves to blame for failing to reach the final, as squandered first half opportunities ultimately cost them the game. Man of the match, despite being substituted 20 minutes from the end, was Joe Andrew, who showed some wonderful touches and close control, and his distribution of the ball was excellent throughout. MARYHILL -: Black, McCulloch( Inglis 69 ), Baker, Miller, Wardle, Jones, Clearie, McGuinness ( Murray 85 ), Dingwall, Andrew ( Johnston 69 ), Hughes. SUBS ( not used ) Wilson, S.Gallagher. BOOKED -: Dingwall ( 87 ), Miller ( 90 ) SENT OFF -:: Hughes ( 86 ), Jones ( 90 ) NEILSTON - : Hewitt, Sheridan, Connaghan, Duncan, Anderson,Whiteford ( Lee 62 )(( Bryers 75 )) , Canning,Murdoch, Smith,Cochrane ( McGuire 75 ), Keys. SUBS ( NOT USED )-: Kennedy, Magennis. BOOKED -: Connaghan ( 75 ) SENT OFF -: Murdoch ( 86 ) |
| Stagecoach SUPER LEAGUE - PREMIER DIVISION
SATURDAY 27th AUGUST 2005 Maryhill 0 Renfrew 2 Scorer -: Smith ( 55, 87 ) Match Report by John Hinshelwood Two strikes of exceptional quality by Gordon Smith gave Renfrew a deserved victory over a disappointing Maryhill, who were a pale shadow of the team that had scored 10 goals in their previous three matches. Renfrew dominated the first half and only a series of good saves by Black, and some poor finishing prevented them securing a comfortable interval lead. The bulk of the chances fell to Smith, who along with Barr and Chisholm posed problems for the Maryhill defence. After only 8 minutes Smith had plenty of time to control the ball inside the penalty area, but his shot went narrowly past. This set the pattern for the first half with the Hill strikers failing to make any impression on a well organised Renfrew defence, while the lack of cohesion in the Hill midfield allowed the visitors to impress with some attractive attacking play. Six minutes from the break a high cross from the left was met by Barr at the far post. A goal seemed inevitable, but his header hit the side net. The half time whistle arrived with Hill relieved to still be on level terms. The second half began with Hughes replacing Wilson and McCulloch switching from midfield to right back. Some good moves involving Andrew and Dingwall looked promising for Maryhill, but they almost went behind in the 48th minute. A Wardle passback was intercepted by Smith, but Black brought off a superb save once again. Hill continued to press and good efforts from Andrew and Baker came close before Black denied Smith yet again with a great block when the big striker seemed certain to score. Two minutes later Smith eventually had some success, eluding a Wardle challenge to race in on goal and fire home an unstoppable shot to put the visitors ahead. The most controversial incident of the game came in the 59th minute when a crude challenge by Hughes on Farquarson produced some unsavoury retaliation from the Renfrew player. The referee had two obvious options, either consider the "foot to head" incident as accidental and take no action, or if he construed it as intentional, then a red card seemed inevitable. Instead he took the inexplicable course of action of issuing a yellow card. Hughes, it has to be said, was fortunate not to receive a booking for the initial challenge. Play swung from end to end until the final whistle, with Renfrew always looking more likely to score. Smith once again outpaced the home defence but his shot failed to find the net, then Dingwall had a great shot on the drop from 25 yards which scraped the bar with keeper Meechan beaten. Maryhill were having more of the play at this stage, but they never really threatened to equalise, and it came as no surprise when Renfrew increased their lead three minutes from the end. Harvey took a short free kick to Smith out on the right. The striker took a couple of strides before unleashing a low swerving shot which Black touched , but could not prevent from crossing the line. Man of the match for Hill? In a game where few played at their best, Martin Baker was solid and dependable at the back, and just edged it over Scott Black. MARYHILL -: Black, Wilson ( Hughes 45 ), Baker, Miller, Wardle, Jones, Murray, McGuinness ( Clearie 64 ), Dingwall, Andrew, McCulloch ( Trialist 70 ). SUBS ( NOT USED ) -: S.Gallagher, Johnston. BOOKED -: Miller ( 85 ), Murray ( 87 ) RENFREW -: Meechan, Hammond, Brogan, Farquarson, Peacock, Harvey, Robertson, McLay, Barr, Smith ( McLafferty 89 ), Chisholm ( Clark 78 ). SUBS ( not used ) -: McWhirter, Cameron, Thomson. BOOKED -: Farquarson ( 59), Brogan ( 64 ) |
| STAGECOACH SUPER LEAGUE - PREMIER DIVISION
SATURDAY 3rd SEPTEMBER 2005 Cumnock 2 Maryhill 0 Scorer-: Kerr ( 1, 40 ) Match Report by John Hinshelwood Another disappointing performance saw Maryhill sustain their third consecutive defeat. Cumnock were superior in every department , and thoroughly deserved their victory. It took the home side only a minute to take the lead in their first attack. Dempster was given far too much time on the ball out on the right, and his pass to Kerr found the striker on the edge of the box with no Hill defenders in sight. He had plenty of time to control the ball, take a few strides forward , and slot the ball past Black. New signing Gino Invincible had a good try for Maryhill a few minutes later , but his 25 yard shot was comfortably held by Potter. Dingwall put the ball in the net in the 16th minute, but was ruled offside by the assistant referee. Cumnock were playing the better football, and looked dangerous every time they moved forward. Farrell headed a Murray cross on to the bar with Black beaten, and a great run by Kerr ended with his shot slipping narrowly past the post. Hughes had a chance to equalise in the 37th minute , but he delayed his shot just long enough to allow Potter to block his shot. Maryhill were having more possession at this stage, but the Cumnock defence coped easily , and Potter's goal was rarely threatened. Cumnock's more direct approach always looked likely to pay off, and it was no real surprise when they increased their lead five minutes from half time. Muir intercepted a Clearie pass midway inside the Maryhill half, and sped down the right. His pass found Kerr unmarked again, and his close range shot made it 2 - 0. The second half was a pretty low key affair with Cumnock seemingly content to sit on their lead and hit on the break. Maryhill had the bulk of the play, but made heavy weather of trying to reduce the deficit. The introduction of Joe Andrew in the 60th minute made some impact as his good ball control started to pose some problems for the home defence. A strong penalty claim was turned down, as Andrew was barged off the ball as he lined up a header inside the six yard box. A good shot by Dingwall brought out a fine save from Potter, and a low 25 yard effort from Murray produced another good stop from the keeper. Despite all of this , Cumnock always appeared to be in control, and mounted a few dangerous counter attacks. Seven minutes from the end, Hill were unlucky not to score when a Wardle header from a couple of yards struck the underside of the bar. The ball rebounded to Dingwall whose shot was blocked, then scrambled clear. It has to be said that this was once again an uninspiring performance from Maryhill, and apart from another authoritative display from Martin Baker, who takes the man of the match award, and Scott Black, no one really played to form. CUMNOCK-: Potter, Murray, Henderson, McGowan, Cochrane, Farrell, Muir ( Nimmo 69 ), Walker ( Gardiner 81 ), Kerr ( Moan 75 ), Dempster,McCulloch. SUBS ( not used ) -: Haswell, Hughes. BOOKED-: Nimmo ( 85 ) MARYHILL-: Black, Wilson, Baker, Miller, Wardle, Clearie, Murray, Invincible ( Andrew 60 ), Dingwall, Johnston, Hughes ( Jones 78 ) SUBS ( not used )-: S.Gallagher, McGuinness, Inglis. BOOKED-: Miller ( 76 ) REFEREE-: Brian Templeton |
| STAGECOACH SUPER LEAGUE - PREMIER DIVISION
SATURDAY 10 th SEPTEMBER 2005 Maryhill 1 Pollok 1 Scorers-: Maryhill - Dingwall ( 26 ) Pollok - Black ( 63 ) Match Report by John Hinshelwood This was one of the best matches seen at Lochburn for some time. In a pulsating contest, the action swung constantly from end to end, with both sides enjoying spells of dominance. There was some excellent football from both sides, plenty of goalmouth action, controversial decisions, and arguably strong candidates for goal of the season and save of the season. Pollok impressed early on, playing some neat one touch football, with ex Hill favourites Nelson and Cruickshank featuring prominently. A Nelson free kick was met by Friels after 15 minutes, but the striker's header went narrowly past. Maryhill were by no means out of it and defender Brian Wardle , playing in an experimental role as a striker, was causing the Pollok defence some anxious moments. He had a good chance in the 22nd minute, but hurried his shot from 12 yards, and the ball flew over the bar. Play swung to the other end, and a good run and cross by Simon Black saw Scott Black make a great save with Friels ready to pounce. Two minutes later, Maryhill took the lead with a wonderful strike from Dingwall. With the ball going away from him just inside the penalty area, he swung round and hit a magnificent shot on the turn which flew high into the net, giving keeper Wilson no chance. Although the goal came slightly against the run of play, it gave Maryhill confidence and they were on top until the break. A tantalising long ball through the Pollok defence from Wardle, unfortunately found no takers, before a great 25 yard strike from Murray produced a superb save from Wilson. Seven minutes from half time Andrew set off on a great run down the left, and his low cross into the box was met at the far post by Dingwall inside the six yard box. The Hill fans ( and Dingwall !) were already starting to celebrate, when Wilson pulled off an incredible save, diverting the ball for a corner. Pollok started the second half well fired up, and had Maryhill pinned back in their own half for the opening ten minutes. Hill gradually came back into the game , and in the 55th minute, almost increased their lead . A 20 yard shot from Clearie seemed goalbound, but Wilson made yet another great save. The ball broke to Dingwall , but his shot was blocked, and landed at the feet of Wardle who blasted his shot over the bar a few yards from goal. Nelson then came close to equalising for Pollok when his 25 yard lobbed shot beat Black, but struck the bar.Two minutes later, however, the visitors did draw level when Black chested down a high ball and shot home from twelve yards. Pollok then had two good opportunities within the space of a minute to take the lead, but on both occasions Black made good saves from Friels. Hill came storming back and a great run and cross from Dingwall saw substitute Paddy Gallagher's shot miss by inches. Fourteen minutes from the end saw the game's most controversial incident. Dingwall ran on to a pass from Clearie, beat the advancing Wilson to the ball, but was hauled down by the keeper. The referee immediately pointed to the penalty spot, and Wilson seemed certain to be heading for an early bath for preventing a goalscoring opportunity. The assistant referee on the enclosure side, whose decisions had enraged both sets of supporters with their "eccentricity", then raised his flag. After consultation with the referee, a free kick was awarded to Pollok, presumably for offside against Dingwall. Both teams could point to missed chances, but overall a draw was probably a fair result in a match which was a good advert for the Junior game. Bryan Dingwall takes the man of the match award, not only for his spectacular goal, but also for his tireless running , skill, and persistence on the ball, which saw him return to the form , which has largely eluded him so far this season. MARYHILL-: Black, McCulloch, Baker, Miller, S.Gallagher, Wardle ( P.Gallagher 65 ), Murray, McGuinness, Dingwall, Clearie, Andrew ( Johnston 85 ). SUBS ( not used )-: Wilson, Inglis, Invincible. BOOKED-: McCulloch ( 14 ), Dingwall ( 89 ). POLLOK-: Wilson, McAulay, Cruickshank, Aitchison, Carruth, Nelson, Smith, Currie ( McGinty 88 ), Black ( Sinclair 80 ), Friels, Stewart ( Haggarty 82 ). SUBS ( not used )-: Tinney, Jordan. |
WEST OF SCOTLAND CUP- SECOND ROUND SATURDAY 15 th OCTOBER 2005 Maryhill 4 Cumnock 1 Maryhill-: McGuinness ( 29, 37 ), Andrew ( 55), Williams ( 83 ). Cumnock-: McCulloch ( 82 ) Match Report by John Hinshelwood A convincing and well merited victory saw Maryhill progress to the third round of the West of Scotland Cup. Cumnock looked the livelier side in the opening stages , with Moan giving the home defence some problems with his pace. After six minutes a 25 yard free kick from Walker looked netbound, but Black touched the ball over for a corner. Maryhill replied when Andrew set up Jones whose strong shot from just outside the penalty area brought out a good save from Potter in the visitors' goal . Cumnock were on top in terms of possession, but Maryhill looked more dangerous on the break, and it was no real surprise when they went ahead in the 29th minute. Dave Williams took a corner on the right, and McGuinness met it at the far post and sent a looping header into the net. Eight minutes later, and McGuinness got his second when he connected with a Jones free kick to head the ball past Potter to make it 2- 0. The hat trick of headers was almost completed four minutes from the break, when he again met a Williams corner at the far post, but the header was just inches too high. Seconds before the half time whistle, the assistant referee on the enclosure side drew the referee's attention to an off the ball incident which resulted in a booking for Stephen Gallagher of Maryhill, and a red card for Cumnock midfielder Darren Henderson. Maryhill dominated the second half, which is not always necessarily inevitable with an extra man, and with Joe Andrew again in sparkling form, the Cumnock defence were subjected to constant pressure. Great interplay between Clearie and Andrew led to the decisive third goal ten minutes after the break, with Andrew sending a great curling shot past Potter from a difficult angle. Ten minutes later a shot from Clearie looked to be heading for goal number four, but Potter made a good block, and from the rebound Jones shot was again netbound, but struck Chris Johnston and went past. Andrew then had a magnificent shot well saved by Potter, who was certainly the visitors' man of the match, and prevented his side from suffering a much heavier defeat. A fourth goal seemed inevitable, but it was Cumnock who scored next, with eight minutes remaining. Gallagher lost possession in midfield, and Walker's pacey run and cross was met at the far post by substitute McCulloch who had an easy job to tap the ball over the line from a few yards out. Any hopes of a comeback were thwarted only a minute later when Andrew's pass was met by Williams who sent a thundering shot high into the net to make it 4 -1. In the last minute, it was almost 5, when a great shot from sub Inglis crashed off the bar with the keeper well beaten. Potter then made a fantastic double stop from Clearie, then Andrew . There were many good individual performances from Maryhill. The defence was solid, McGuinness' goals were both well taken, and Dave Williams continues to impress, but just edging it once again was Joe Andrew , who was in inspirational form throughout. MARYHILL-: Black, McCulloch, Baker, Miller, Gallagher, Jones, Murray, McGuinness( Clearie 53 ), Johnston( Inglis 73 ), Andrew, Williams. SUBS ( not used )-: Wilson,Wardle. BOOKED-: Williams ( 17 ), Gallagher ( 45 ) CUMNOCK-: Potter, Murray, Walker, McGowan, Cochrane, Farrell, Muir, Henderson, Kerr, Dempster ( Hughes 75 ),Moan ( McCulloch 74 ) SUBS ( not used )-: Gardner, Haswell, Stewart. BOOKED-: Hughes ( 79 )Walker ( 90 ), McGowan( 92 ), Kerr ( 92 ) SENT OFF -: Henderson ( 45 ). CURRENT MAN OF THE MATCH RATINGS Joe Andrew - 4 Martin Baker - 3 Bryan Dingwall - 2 Brian Wardle - 2 Stephen Miller - 1 Martin Hughes - 1 Scott Black - 1 |
WEST OF SCOTLAND CUP - FIRST ROUND SATURDAY 17th SEPTEMBER 2005 Maryhill 1 Cumbernauld 1 Scorers-: Maryhill - Dingwall ( pen 35 ) Cumbernauld - Hoey ( 19 ) Maryhill won 5-4 0n penalties Match Report by John Hinshelwood Maryhill gained a rather fortunate victory on penalties over an impressive Cumbernauld side who had outplayed them for most of the game. Having said that, it should be pointed out that, despite their dominance, the visitors created very few clear cut chances, and played the entire second half with an extra man. Cumbernauld started the match at a blistering pace, and had Maryhill pinned back in their own half for the opening few minutes. The best goalscoring chance, however, fell to Maryhill in the eighth minute. Gino Invincible passed to Wilson , whose cross was met by Wardle. His header beat the keeper and Murray just failed to connect at the far post. Six minutes later, Dingwall made a good run, beating three Cumbernauld defenders, then passed to Invincible whose close range shot was blocked. Most of the first half, however, belonged to the visitors, and their neat passing play was rewarded with a goal after nineteen minutes. Espener's pass split the Hill defence and found Hoey in an unmarked position, and looking well offside. The player himself hesitated, obviously expecting the assistant referee's flag to be raised. This didn't happen, and he ran on to coolly slot the ball past Black. Several Maryhill players made vociferous protests, and Gallagher was shown a yellow card. The visitors continued to dominate, and full back Shand had a good run and shot which came close to increasing their lead. Maryhill equalised , somewhat against the run of play, after 35 minutes. A fantastic 30 yard pass from Clearie found Dingwall on the edge of the box. He outpaced Shand, but the full back brought him down to concede a penalty, which Dingwall himself converted. Mysteriously,no action was taken against Shand, despite the fact that he had ,arguably, prevented a goal scoring opportunity. After the half time whistle had gone, and following a bout of prolonged verbal intercourse, Gallagher was shown a second yellow and red card by the ref, leaving Maryhill to play the whole of the second half a man short. The second half began with Brian Wardle reverting to a central defensive role in the absence of Gallagher, leaving Dingwall as the lone striker. It was not surprising, therefore, that the visitors continued to dominate, although the Maryhill defence, with Wardle in superb form, prevented them from making any serious goal attempts until the 77th minute, when Dickson had a good opportunity , but shot past from 12 yards. Four minutes from the end, substitute Shaw was through, but his shot was saved by Black. This incident was noteworthy as, despite the dominance of the visitors, this was practically the only real save that Scott Black had to make in the entire match. During the regulation five penalties, Dingwall, Murray, McGuinness and Johnston scored for Maryhill, with McGovern saving Miller's effort. For Cumbernauld Meechan, Lynn, Shaw and Martin were all on target with Black saving from Espener. In the "sudden death" situation, Maryhill's hero was keeper Scott Black, first of all scoring, then saving Dickson's effort to put his side into the second round, much to the relief of the Hill faithful. Man of the match, for an outstanding second half defensive performance , was Brian Wardle. MARYHILL-: Black, Wilson ( P.Gallagher 78 ), McCulloch,Miller, S.Gallagher, Wardle, Murray, McGuinness, Dingwall, Invincible, Clearie ( Johnston 90 ) . SUBS ( not used )-: Andrew, Inglis, Baker. BOOKED-: S.Gallagher ( 20 ), Dingwall ( 21 ), Wardle ( 24 ), Murray ( 36 ). SENT OFF-: S.Gallagher ( 45 ) CUMBERNAULD-: McGovern, Shand, Lynn, Martin, Crooks, Hoey ( McIntyre 89 ), Dickson, Meechan, Espener, Ross, MacKay ( Shaw 72 ) SUBS ( not used )-: Steele, Glancy, Duffy. BOOKED-: Lynn. ( 36 ). |
| STAGECOACH LEAGUE - PREMIER DIVISION
SATURDAY 22nd OCTOBER 2005 Kilsyth Rangers 1 Maryhill 0 Scorer-: Sloan ( 40 ) Match Report by John Hinshelwood A very disappointing performance saw Maryhill suffer their third League defeat, and brought to an end an unbeaten run of five games. There is not really a lot that can be said about a match like this, which was almost totally devoid of excitement or creative play. Maryhill supporters were left wondering if this could be the same team that had gained convincing victories against Auchinleck and Cumnock, scoring eight goals in the process. All the action, such as it was, took place in the first half. A good run by Kevin Murray early on, set up a good chance for Williams, but he mishit his shot. Kilsyth looked lively on the break with Dunbar causing a few problems with his speed , and in the 22nd minute, he hit a great shot from 25 yards which struck the post with Black well beaten. Maryhill had a half hearted penalty claim when Murray, after another strong run from midfield tumbled in the box. The closest Maryhill came to scoring came in the 39th minute when, following good work by Clearie and Williams down the left, Jones squandered a good opportunity by miskicking a few yards from goal. A minute later, the home side took the lead. It was, perhaps, fitting that in such a poor game, the only goal should have an element of farce about it. Scott Black, made a hash of a clearance, with the ball landing at the feet of Sloan around 35 yards from goal. He thumped the ball goalwards, and with Black still stranded way outside the penalty area, the ball flew high into the net, despite a valiant attempt by Stevie Miller to stop it. The second half was even worse than the first ,with neither side creating any goal attempts worth a mention. All six substitutes were used, but this had no overall effect on the quality of play. The only incident of note came twenty minutes from the end when Kilsyth were awarded a somewhat dubious penalty. The ball certainly made contact with Gallagher's hand, but it was difficult to see how it could be construed as deliberate. Justice was done, however, when substitute Campbell, suffering from an attack of over confidence, took no run up, and his shot was saved by Black. In a match in which everyone seemed to be off form, it would probably be inappropriate to choose a man of the match, as no one really merited it over the ninety minutes. It is to be hoped that the supporters will appreciate that the team cannot hit top form every week, and that the quality which was witnessed in the previous two games , will return next week. KILSYTH-: Chalmers, Feenie ( Campbell 50 ), McManus ( Kelly 60 ), Prunty, Low, Galloway, Dunbar, McLauchlin, Scott, Welsh ( Carson 84 ), Sloan. SUBS ( not used )-: Williamson, McStay. BOOKED -: Welsh ( 54 ), Galloway ( 80 ), Scott ( 89 ). MARYHILL-: Black, McCulloch, Baker (Wilson 71 ), Miller, Gallagher, Jones, Murray, Clearie ( Inglis 45 ), Johnston, Andrew ( Wardle 65 ), Williams. SUB ( not used ) -: Hughes. BOOKED-: Black ( 69 ), Miller ( 69 ). |
| SCOTTISH JUNIOR CUP - FIRST ROUND
SATURDAY 1st OCTOBER 2005 Maryhill 2 Blantyre Victoria 0 Scorers -: McGuinness ( 40 ), Dingwall ( 59 ) Match Report by John Hinshelwood A comfortable and merited victory saw Maryhill progress into the second round of the Scottish Cup, despite having to play most of the game a man short. After a quiet opening ten minutes, Maryhill were reduced to ten men when Joe Andrew was sent off for an off the ball incident. The referee stopped play when he noticed his assistant's raised flag, and after a lengthy discussion, the referee took Andrew aside, and immediately showed him a red card, allegedly for aiming a kick at a Blantyre player. Five minutes later a lunging tackle from behind by Graham on Stevie Miller did not merit even a word of reprimand from the ref. Despite their extra man, Blantyre posed little threat to the Hill defence, apart from a shot on the drop by substitute McDermot which Black saved well .Maryhill were having most of the pressure, and in the 35th minute a header by Wardle came very close.Three minutes later, a Clearie free kick was met by McGuinness, whose header scraped the post with the keeper beaten. He had better luck a minute later, however, when he put Maryhill ahead. Alex Clearie held the ball up well on the left wing, and passed to new signing Dave Williams. His accurate cross was met by McGuinness , and his well placed header flew into the net to make it 1-0. Blantyre enjoyed a short spell of pressure early in the second half, with Shields setting up Welsh, but the striker overran the ball, and the danger as averted. In the 52nd minute , a thundering 25 yard shot by Crilly looked to be heading for the net, but with Black well beaten, the ball rebounded from the post. Maryhill, with Dingwall playing as a lone striker, always looked dangerous on the break, and they increased their lead in the 59th minute. A long ball from midfield saw Dingwall outpace Bruce, then evade a challenge from Lynch, before calmly slotting the ball past Patton from a tight angle. From then on , the result was never in doubt and Maryhill should have increased their lead. Twelve minutes from the end a neat inter passing move involving Clearie and Dingwall, ended with the former blasting over from ten yards when a goal seemed certain. A couple of minutes later, Dingwall created a good chance for himself after beating two Blantyre defenders, but with Jones unmarked a few yards from goal, Dingy tried a shot which Patton saved. In injury time Blantyre defender Graham was red carded, presumably for comments made to the referee. In the end a deserved victory, although not a great performance. Man of the match was Bryan Dingwall , who, although playing on his own up front following Andrew's dismissal, caused endless problems for the visiting defence, and his goal summed up his performance with its blend of close control and determination. MARYHILL-: Black, McCulloch, Baker, Miller, Wardle, Clearie, Murray ( Jones 29 ), McGuinness ( Invincible 87 ), Dingwall, Andrew, Williams. SUBS ( not used) -: Wilson, Gallagher, Inglis. BOOKED-: Dingwall ( 31 ), McCulloch ( 81 ) SENT OFF-: Andrew ( 10 ) BLANTYRE-: Patton, Lynch, Cassidy, Torrance, Bruce(McMillan 75 ), Graham, Dorrans ( Forrester 60 ), Crilly, Shields, Welsh, Jackson ( McDermot 20 ) SUBS ( not used ) -: O'Connor, Smith. BOOKED -: Lynch ( 68 ) SENT OFF -: Graham ( 90 ) |
| STAGECOACH SUPER LEAGUE - PREMIER DIVISION
SATURDAY 8th OCTOBER 2005 Maryhill 4 Auchinleck 2 Scorers-: Maryhill - Dingwall ( 13, 25 ), Jones ( 15 ), Invincible ( 88 ) Auchinleck - Mallan ( pen19 ), Davidson ( 30) Match Report by John Hinshelwood Maryhill earned a deserved and much needed three points in a match in which most of the action and excitement was confined to a stormy and eventful first forty five minutes, which produced five goals, in addition to two red and six yellow cards. Both sides came close to taking the lead in the opening minutes. In the fourth minute a mix up between Miller and Wardle allowed Leitch a clear run on goal, but Black blocked his shoot with his foot. Two minutes later Andrew 's 20 yard shot was well saved by McIntosh. Maryhill went ahead in the 13th minute when Dingwall connected with a Jones corner to hammer home from close range. Two minutes later it was 2-0 with Jones meeting a perfect cross by Andrew to drive the ball past McIntosh. It was almost 3 - 0 in the 18th minute when Dingwall just failed to reach another inch perfect cross from Andrew. The visitors reduced the deficit a minute later with a penalty from Mallan, after the referee decided that Slavin had been fouled by Baker. The deluge of goals continued in the 25th minute when Dingwall controlled a header from McGuinness, turned and fired a great shot into the net to make it 3-1. Five minutes later Auchinleck were back in the game again when Davidson outpaced three Maryhill defenders and placed a low shot past Black to make it 3 -2. That concluded the first half scoring, but not the action. On 39 minutes a midfield clash between Dingwall and Anderson resulted in red cards for both , and an ensuing melee, involving most of the remaining players , produced bookings for Leitch and McIntosh of Auchinleck, and Baker and McGuinness of Maryhill. Just on half time,Slavin had a great chance to equalise for Auchinleck, but from only a few yards out, blasted his shot well over the bar. The second half, by comparison, was a much quieter affair, with Maryhill well on top for most of the time, especially after the dismissal of Auchinleck's Spence for aiming a kick at Jones, after the Hill midfielder had fouled him. Maryhill created countless opportunities, all of which were squandered, until two minutes from the end. Substitute Gino Invincible latched on to a loose ball and headed for goal. His first shot was blocked by keeper McIntosh, but he pounced on the rebound to squeeze the ball home from around six yards. In injury time, Invincible had a chance to make it five, but after beating two defenders, his final shot was just inches too high. Man of the match was Joe Andrew, whose ball skills and accurate passing were a joy to watch throughout. MARYHILL-: Black, McCulloch, Baker, Miller, Wardle, Jones, Clearie ( Inglis 68 ), McGuinness, Dingwall, Andrew, Williams ( Invincible 83 ) SUBS ( not used )-: Wilson, Gallagher, Murray. BOOKED-: Baker ( 42 ), McGuinness ( 42 ), Miller ( 86 ) SENT OFF-: Dingwall ( 39) AUCHINLECK-: McIntosh, Traynor, McVey, Anderson, Collins, Spence, Davidson, Slavin, Leitch, Mallan, Gilmour. SUBS ( not used )-: Boyle, Young, McLuckie, Sloan, Robertson. BOOKED -: Anderson ( 24 ), McIntosh ( 40 ), Leitch ( 40 ), Slavin ( 45 ), Gilmour ( 82 ). SENT OFF -: Anderson ( 39 ), Spence ( 60 ) |
| STAGECOACH SUPER LEAGUE - PREMIER DIVISION
SATURDAY 29 th OCTOBER 2005 Maryhill 2 Larkhall Thistle 2 Scorers Maryhill-: Andrew ( 38 ), Murray ( 80) Larkhall-: Ferguson ( 7 ), Bruce ( 92 ) Match Report by John Hinshelwood An injury time goal denied Maryhill the victory they deserved in a performance which, although not quite back to their best, was a considerable improvement from the Kilsyth game last week. The visitors took an early lead with a freakish goal in the seventh minute. A harmless looking cross into the Maryhill penalty area took an awkward bounce on the slippery surface, struck McCrae, then rebounded off Ferguson and ended up in the net. Maryhill dominated the remainder of the first half with Dingwall, Andrew and Williams combining to good efect, but Larkhall, with seven or eight men behind the ball at times, defended well. Just as it was looking like it might be a day where nothing would come off for Maryhill, Joe Andrew equalised with a great chipped shot from the edge of the six yard box, only a few feet from the bye line. They continued to press for the remaining seven minutes , but Larkhall came close in a breakaway when McFadden connected with a Watson cross, but Black pulled off a good save. Just before half time, a thundering Kevin Murray shot flew inches over the bar with keeper Marshall beaten. Four minutes after the break Bryan Dingwall hit a tremendous shot on the drop from around 25 yards, but Marshall made a superb diving save. Dingwall again came close to scoring when he met a Clearie corner, but his shot went narrowly past. Two minutes later a serious of incredible misses in quick succession from Murray, Andrew and Wiliams again let the visitors off the hook. It was not all one way traffic, however, and on two occasions Black again made good stops from McFadden efforts. Wardle missed a close range opportunity when he delayed his shot just too long, then good play by Andrew wide on the right ended with a fierce twenty five yard shot which was well saved by Marshall. Maryhill finally made the breakthrough with ten minutes remaining. A Baker free kick was punched clear by Marshall, but Kevin Murray was on hand to head the ball into the net despite despairing attempts by various Larkhall defenders to stop the ball crossing the line. Substitute Brown had a chance to equalise two minutes later, but his shot went wide. Larkhall never stopped fighting, and eventually gained an equaliser. A minute into injury time, from a corner on the right, the ball was cleared for another corner. This time, as the kick came over from the left, Bruce rose above the Maryhill defence to head strongly into the net. It was a blow to Maryhill, who appeared to have done enough to gain all three points, but credit must be given to Larkhall who, perhaps mindful of the fact that they gained an injury time equaliser last week, refused to accept defeat and kept battling to the end. There were several good performances from Maryhill. McCulloch and Wardle were impressive in defence, and Joe Andrew again produced some top class moves, but just edging it was Dave Williams for his pace and ball skills. MARYHILL-:Black, McCulloch, Baker, Miller, Wardle, Gallagher ( Invincible 71 ), Murray, Clearie, Dingwall, Andrew, Williams. SUBS ( not used )-: Wilson, Hughes, Johnston, Inglis. LARKHALL-: Marshall, Orr, Wiliamson, Doak, Murray, D.McFarlane ( Brown 80 ), Devlin ( Tyczynski 50 ), Ferguson, McCrae, McFadden, Watson ( Bruce 70 ). SUBS ( not used )-: A.McFarlane, Barnes. BOOKED-: D.McFarlane ( 37 ), Murray ( 40 ), Ferguson ( 85 ). |
| SCOTTISH CUP - SECOND ROUND
SATURDAY 5th NOVEMBER 2005 Maryhill 5 Kirriemuir Thistle 1 Scorers-: Maryhill-: Andrew (45,89 ), Murray ( 51 ), Dingwall ( 66 ), Miller ( 87 ) Kirriemuir-: Scott ( pen 71 ) Match Report by John Hinshelwood Maryhill progressed to the third round of the Scottish Cup with an emphatic victory over their Tayside League opponents. It was a comfortable win in the end, but few would have predicted such a huge winning margin at half time, as a plucky Kirriemuir side more than held their own for the first 30 minutes or so. The visitors were first to threaten when Farquarson set up a good opening for Scott, but he was marginally offside. Hill responded with good efforts from Dingwall and Miller, both of which were well saved by keeper Sturrock. It was a fast and keenly contested match at this stage and Kirriemuir, with Farquarson and Morrice impressing, always looked dangerous. Around the half hour, however, Maryhill began to gain the upper hand with Murray and Clearie dictating play from midfield, and efforts from Baker, Dingwall, and Andrew all came close to opening the scoring. They did eventually take a deserved lead in the second minute of injury time , when a low cross from McCulloch was well controlled by Andrew. He turned and shot for goal, and although Sturrock managed to touch the ball he could not prevent it from crossing the line. Maryhill dominated the second half , playing some very neat and controlled football, and it was no surprise when they went 2-0 ahead in the 51st minute. Dingwall passed to Murray whose surging run ended with a crisp, low right foot shot into the corner of the net. It was mainly one way traffic now, with efforts by McCulloch and Murray narrowly missing, before the third goal arrived in the 66th minute. Murray's cut back was met by Dingwall and his low shot from 15 yards gave Sturrock no chance. Only several good saves from Sturrock, and some bad luck prevented Hill increasing their lead, but Kirriemuir reduced the deficit nineteen minutes from the end. In a rare foray upfield, Farquarson, who had been the visitor's best player, beat two Maryhill defenders before being brought down by Hughes inside the box. Scott scored from the resultant penalty, and Hughes was shown a yellow card. There were a couple of anxious moments in the Maryhill defence before they regained control , and added two more goals in the final three minutes. After intense pressure, a Dingwall shot from just outside the penalty area was blocked, but Miller followed up to smash a great shot high into the net. Two minutes later Andrew got his second and Maryhill's fifth, when he fired home a low shot from a Dingwall cut back. A comprehensive and convincing win, with choice of man of the match proving difficult. Everyone played well, and there were some impressive performances again from Andrew, McCulloch, Miller, Baker and Murray, but Alec Clearie put in a tremendous performance in a central midfield role, and his distribution and positional sense were of a standard that just gets him the nod ahead of sterling displays from most his team mates. MARYHILL-: Black, McCulloch, Baker, Miller, Gallagher, Hughes, Murray, Clearie, Dingwall, Andrew, Williams. SUBS ( not used )-: Wilson, Wardle, Invincible, Inglis. BOOKED-: Hughes ( 70 ) KIRRIEMUIR-: Sturrock, Massie, Morrice, Russell, Mulholland, Paterson, Kettles, Raffael, Scott, Smith, Farquarson ( Penman 71 ) SUBS ( not used )-: Batchelor, McIntosh, Dyce. BOOKED-: Penman ( 77 ) |
| STAGECOACH LEAGUE - PREMIER DIVISION
SATURDAY 12th NOVEMBER 2005 Glenafton 3 Maryhill 1 Scorers-: Glenafton - Blair ( 34 ), Johnstone ( 37, 89 ) Maryhill - Dingwall ( 57 ) Match Report by John Hinshelwood Some things never change - if it's mid November, it must be a trip to New Cumnock, and a bleak, dismal, rainy day. For four successive seasons this has been the case, but just as I was commenting that maybe the fixture planners could send us down here in August or May next season, a knowing smile from a local was followed by the comment, "Naw it's just the same then ". There was at least some respite as the rain relented in the second half, affording the visiting support the opportunity to explore the horticultural delights of the far side terracing. Anyway , the match. Well , this was a game of two halves, and Maryhill totally dominated both of them. How they managed to lose is destined to become an all time mystery. From the first minute when a Brian Wardle header hit the bar, there was only one team in it. Two more headers from Wardle produced top class saves from Glenafton keeper Matthews, and he made further great stops from efforts by Invincible and Andrew. A header from Johnstone which was well held by Black was the only threat posed by the home side before they took the lead from a classic counter attack in the 34th minute. Agnew played a long ball to Blair, who controlled it just outside the penalty area before blasting a high shot past Black . Incredibly, they increased their lead in what was , effectively, their third attack, and again it was from a move initiated by Agnew. His accurate pass found Miller on the right, and his cross was headed home by Johnstone from close range. Maryhill continued to dominate until the break, but bad luck, and inspired goalkeeping kept them out. Six minutes after the interval, Glenafton were awarded a penalty, when Baker bundled Agnew off the ball, but Deeny's spot kick was well saved by Black. Five minutes later Dingwall scored for Hill from close range from a William's cross , following some wonderful play from Joe Andrew. This looked like it may be the break that Maryhill had been looking for, and they continued to pound the visitor's goal in search of the equaliser that their play merited. Andrew, Williams and Invincible were all in top form , but the home defence held out, and in the last minute, a long ball from defence found Johnstone unmarked , and he put the ball past Black to finish the match. Man of the match was undoubtedly Glenafton keeper Matthews, but Hill's top man was again Joe Andrew. His leading up play and distribution which resulted in Dingwall's goal was, in itself, almost enough to justify this, but his play throughout the ninety minutes was again outstanding. GLENAFTON -:Matthews, Mac Aninsh, Stewart, Paterson ( Clelland 64 ), Joyce, Murphy, Miller ( Bingham 40 ), Blair, Deeny (Howie 62 ), Johnstone, Agnew. SUBS ( not used ) -:Gemmell, Murray. BOOKED -: Paterson ( 30 ), MacAninsh ( 52 ), Stewart ( 74 ), Johnstone ( 90 ). MARYHILL -: Black, McCulloch, Baker, Miller, Wardle, Hughes, Murray, Invincible, Dingwall, Andrew, Williams. SUBS ( not used ) -: Wilson, Gallagher, Inglis. BOOKED -: Dingwall ( 44 ), Murray ( 51 ), Black ( 54 ), Miller ( 74 |
| Stagecoach Premier League 26th November 2005 Maryhill 1 Arthurlie 2 Scorers -: Maryhill-: Murray ( 4 ) Arthurlie -: Waddell ( 29 ), McKeown ( 36 ) Match Report by John Hinshelwood A disappointing display from Maryhill saw them sustain their fifth League defeat in nine matches, leaving them perilously close to the relegation zone. A great start saw Hill take the lead after only four minutes. Joe Andrew kept possession despite the attempts of three Arthurlie defenders to stop him by various means. He passed to Kevin Murray, who hammered the ball into the net from around ten yards. Despite this , Arthurlie began to dominate and impressed with some excellent football with Waddell, in particular, causing havoc in the home defence. Their midfield superiority saw Ryan and McGarvey dictate play with good service to Waddell and McKenzie, whereas the Maryhill midfield failed to display any consistent cohesion.The visitors scored twice in a seven minute spell, and were well on top until the break. In the 29th minute, some dreadful defending allowed Waddell to tap home from a few yards out, and seven minutes later McKeown was left all on his own to run in and shoot past Black to make it 2-1. The half time whistle came as a relief to Maryhill, and they took the field for the second half with two line up changes. Stuart Wilson took over at right back with Greg McCulloch moving to central defence to replace Stevie Miller. In midfield Billy Jones replaced Dave Williams.There was a bit more urgency about their play at this stage, and a fight back looked a possibility. A penalty claim was surprisingly dismissed by referee Hilland, when a Jones shot was stopped by Allison using not one, but two hands. Howls of protest from Hill fans and players left the ref unimpressed. The visitors regained the upper hand and should have put the game well beyond Hill's reach on several occasions. Efforts by Ryan, Waddell and McGarvey ( twice ) all came within inches of increasing their lead , but good saves from Black, bad luck, and the goalpost, all combined to keep the score at 2 -1. McGarvey did manage to get the ball in the net nine minutes from the end, but was ruled offside. Maryhill rarely threatened, and the visitors' defence coped easily with their rare attacks on goal. Arthurlie were almost made to pay for failing to cash in on their superiority in a stormy last few minutes. With four minutes remaining Andrew connected with a Murray cross, and his low shot scraped the post with keeper Robertson beaten. In the final minute another penalty claim was denied when Andrew was brought down inside the box . Bryan Dingwall was shown a red card for comments made to the referee. In the third minute of injury time , a Martin Baker free kick crashed off the crossbar and Kevin Murray appeared to have salvaged a point for Hill when he headed home the rebound. The goal was disallowed, however, as the assistant referee indicated offside, a decision which provoked fury amongst the Hill players. In the end Arthurlie, although having dominated the match, were slightly fortunate to emerge with all three points. Hill's man of the match was Martin Baker, who was solid and reliable throughout the ninety minutes, whereas many of his team mates failed to produce their best form. MARYHILL-: Black, McCulloch, Baker, Miller ( Wilson 45 ), Wardle, Clearie ( Invincible 69 ), Murray, Hughes, Dingwall, Andrew, Wiliams ( Jones 45 ) SUBS -:( not used ) -: Gallagher, Inglis. BOOKED -: Miller ( 14 ), McCulloch ( 74 ), Baker ( 77 ), Hughes ( 83 ). SENT OFF -: Dingwall ( 90 ). ARTHURLIE -: K.Robertson, McShane, Wilson, S.Jack, Allison, McKeown, Ryan, McGarvey, McKenzie ( Convery 64 ), J.Jack ( Rhodden 69 ), Waddell ( Hobbs 76 ). SUBS ( not used )-: Kerr, Montgomery. BOOKED -: Wilson ( 80 ), McShane ( 88 ), Allison ( 90 ) |
| Shotts Game Postponed (Weather) 19th Nov |
| SCOTTISH JUNIOR CUP - THIRD ROUND
SATURDAY 3rd DECEMBER 2005 East Kilbride 0 Maryhill 2 Scorers -: Andrew ( 15 ), Murray ( 70 ) Match Report by John Hinshelwood Goals by Joe Andrew and Kevin Murray gave Maryhill a comfortable passage into the 4th round of the Scottish Cup. Steven Inglis made his first start for Maryhill, replacing the suspended Bryan Dingwall, and he almost scored after only three minutes. A one two with Joe Andrew split the home defence leaving Inglis a clear run on goal. His low shot beat keeper McDonald, but struck the post. East Kilbride seemed intent on using the long ball tactic, but it failed to make any great impact on a vulnerable looking Maryhill defence. A header from Queen came close in the eighth minute, but despite having more possession than Maryhill in the first half, they did not pose much of a threat. Hill , on the other hand, played a passing game, which always looked threatening. It paid off after fifteen minutes with a magnificent goal by Joe Andrew. After some good play involving Wilson and Murray, Andrew took possession of the ball near the touchline. He turned and outpaced two defenders before cutting inside and firing a low left foot shot past McDonald from 18 yards.Ten minutes later, a neat move involving five players ended with a McGuinness header coming close. Williams was causing the home defence problems with his pace, but his final pass at times let him down. The home side had a penalty claim turned down when Kelly was impeded, but arguably the game should have been stopped immediately before when a rash challenge by Paterson on Miller saw the midfielder's elbow make contact with Miller's face. Just before half time McGuinness again came close , outjumping the home defence, and heading Murray's cross just over the bar. The second half was pretty much a non event with Inglis and Andrew always looking menacing. They both had good efforts on goal before the decisive second goal arrived twenty minutes from the end. Good work by Andrew saw him keep possession, before taking the ball to the byline. His low cross was met by Murray who shot high into the net from close range. Maryhill were in control until the end, and although East Kilbride continued to press, the Hill defence coped easily, apart from a shot by Conway which produced a good stop from Scott Black. Once again man of the match was undoubtedly Joe Andrew. His ball control and accurate passing created many openings, and his goal and leading up work to the second goal were both of exceptional quality. EAST KILBRIDE -: McDonald, Schoneville, Roome, Matthew, P.Watson, Kelly, Bain (S.Watson 55 ), Queen ( Fellowes 71 ), Strain ( McClung 60 ), Conway, Paterson. SUBS ( not used ) -: Fay, Mitchell. BOOKED -: Schoneville ( 36 ), Kelly ( 38 ). MARYHILL -: Black, Wilson, Baker, Miller, Wardle, Jones, Murray, McGuinness, Inglis, Andrew, Williams. SUBS ( not used ) -: Gallagher, Hughes, Clearie, Invincible. BOOKED -: Jones ( 42 |
| STAGECOACH SUPER LEAGUE - PREMIER DIVISION
SATURDAY 10th DECEMBER 2005 Shotts 2 Maryhill 1 Scorers-: Shotts - Murray ( 11 ), Mackie ( 12 ) Maryhill - Dingwall ( pen 18 ) Match Report by John Hinshelwood A cold, damp Saturday afternoon in Shotts ( is it ever anything else ? ) saw Maryhill suffer yet another defeat in a hard fought match in which both sides missed many chances. After only five minutes a Billy Jones free kick struck the bar with keeper Banks stranded. The home side then went on the offensive and, with Jack dictating play from midfield ,mounted a series of attacks on the Maryhill goal. They took the lead in the 11th minute when Murray headed home a corner from close range, and a minute later it was 2-0. Shoddy play in the centre of the Maryhill defence allowed Mackie to run in on goal and score with a low shot from around 15 yards. It should have been three a couple of minutes later when a great run down the left wing by Brown saw him outpace several Hill defenders. His low cross found Mackie unmarked inside the box. He seemed certain to score, but delayed his shot just long enough to allow Dave Williams to block his effort. Maryhill hit back, and Kevin Murray was unlucky as he saw his shot strike the post with the keeper well beaten. The pace was fast and furious at this point ,and a good move involving Jones and Andrew concluded with the latter's shot producing a good save from Banks. Maryhill deservedly reduced the deficit a minute later when Bryan Dingwall scored from a penalty after Stevie Miller's long range shot had been handled inside the box. Maryhill dominated for the next twenty minutes, but despite sustained pressure including a Jones overhead kick saved by Banks, and a Wardle header which scraped the bar, could not find the equaliser. Indeed, the best chance fell to the home side three minutes from the break when, following further poor defensive play, Mackie rounded Scott Black, then blasted the ball over the bar with an empty goal facing him. The second half was a much quieter affair with both sides missing chances. Jones and Clearie both had good efforts for Hill, and substitute Kirkwood squandered two good opportunities for Shotts.Jones had a great chance to equalise for Maryhill with four minutes remaining, but he shot wildly over from ten yards. In the end, Shotts just about merited their victory. For Maryhill, the defence continues to look vulnerable, particularly in the centre. The midfield lacked cohesion, despite tireless displays from Murray and Jones, and the front two Dingwall and Andrew were far from their best. The most solid and reliable performance came from Martin Baker, who defended well, and linked well with the midfield, earning him the man of the match award. A big improvement overall is required if Maryhill are to extricate themselves from the relegation zone. SHOTTS-: Barnes, Herriot, Murray, McInulty, Gaffney, Jack, Stewart, McLintock, Brown ( McCheyne 72 ),Mackie ( Kirkwood 72 ), Boyack. SUBS ( not used )-: White, O'Keane, Wallace. BOOKED-: McLintock ( 68 ), Kirkwood ( 89 ). MARYHILL-: Black, Wilson ( Inglis 75 ), Baker, Miller, Wardle, Jones, Murray, Clearie, Dingwall, Andrew, Williams ( Invincible 45 ). SUBS ( not used )-: Gallagher, McCulloch, Hughes. BOOKED-: Baker ( 43 ), Miller ( 70 ), Wardle ( 74 ). |
| SCOTTISH JUNIOR CUP - FOURTH ROUND
SATURDAY 14th JANUARY 2006 Maryhill 0 Neilston 1 Scorer-: Smith ( 85 ) Match Report by John Hinshelwood A late goal by substitute Gordon Smith was enough to knock Maryhill out of the Scottish Cup , in a tense and hard fought match. There were two early bookings for Murdoch of Neilston and Hughes of Maryhill before the first clear cut chance of the match fell to Neilston striker Cochrane, but with only Scott Black to beat, he shot past. Neither side was able to dominate for any length of time as play swung from end to end throughout the first half. A Jones free kick rebounded from the defensive wall, and McGuinness shot narrowly over. Further good efforts from Murray and Baker came very close to putting Hill in front, but although they had more of the play, it was the visitors who created the better chances, and they should have been ahead by the interval. Canning and Cameron both had good opportunities, but blocks by Wilson and Black respectively averted the danger. Seconds from the interval a good run and cross by Kennedy was met by Cameron , but his shot struck the post before being retrieved by Black. The second half saw Maryhill have the bulk of the pressure, but they found it difficult to penetrate a solid Neilston defence. Midway through the half two great shots by Martin Hughes came within inches of giving Hill the lead, and a powerful run by Kevin Murray ended with a shot which was well saved by keeper Hewitt. Neilston always looked dangerous on the break, but the central defensive partnership of McCulloch and Wardle coped admirably. It was beginning to look as if a replay would be required when Neilston struck with only five minutes remaining. A long ball from midfield found substitute Smith unmarked. He advanced on goal, took the ball round Scott Black, and shot into the empty goal to put his side into the fifth round. In the end, neither side really deserved to win as they were very evenly matched. As the game progressed , it looked more and more likely that one goal would be enough to settle it, and that eventually proved to be the case.There were good performances in defence , particularly from Wardle and Baker, but man of the match award goes to Kevin Murray, whose surging runs constantly provided a threat to the Neilston defence. MARYHILL-: Black, Wilson, Baker, McCulloch, Wardle, Jones ( Williams 86 ), Murray, McGuinness, Dingwall, Andrew, Hughes. SUBS ( not used )-: Inglis, Invincible, Gallagher, McQuade. BOOKED-:Hughes ( 9 ), Dingwall ( 45 ). NEILSTON-: Hewitt, Sheridan, Keys ( Smith 72 ), Duncan, Anderson, Whiteford, Murdoch, Cameron, Cochrane ( Gordon 72 ), Kennedy, Canning ( Madden 81 ). SUBS ( not used )-: Johnston, Peebles. BOOKED-: Murdoch ( 2 ), Sheridan ( 34 ), Keys ( 46 ) |
| There was no match report for the friendly against Rob Roy on the 27th Dec |
| STAGECOACH SUPER LEAGUE - PREMIER DIVISION
SATURDAY 21st JANUARY 2006 Renfrew 0 Maryhill 0 Match Report by John Hinshelwood On a bumpy, and very difficult pitch on which even Chelsea would have struggled to play good football, a draw was probably a fair result. Maryhill took the initiative early on , and Kevin Murray had two good scoring opportunities in the opening six minutes, but a bad bounce of the ball, and a bit of over enthusiasm denied him. Bryan Dingwall was looking lively, and he had a shot well saved by keeper Meechan, then set up Stuart Wilson with a good chance, but again Meechan saved well. The home side's only reply at this stage was a well struck free kick by Cameron which was just inches too high.Smith had a good run and cross, but there were no takers, then the same player was through and seemed certain to score, but Scott Black made an excellent stop. Maryhill had a penalty claim just before the half hour mark when Cameron appeared to impede Dingwall, but the referee awarded a free kick to Renfrew. Steven Inglis then missed two great chances in the space of a couple of minutes, and good positional sense from Scott Black prevented Miller from scoring for Renfrew. Just before half time McLay was unfortunate to be the only player booked in the first half, as he collided with Jones in what seemed like an accidental challenge.The same sympathy cannot be afforded to his team mate Barr, however, whose reckless over the ball challenge on Martin Baker early in the second half deserved at least a yellow card. The ref, however, thought otherwise, and did not consider the challenge even worthy of the award of a free kick. There were fewer clear cut chances in the second half, but Dingwall , unmarked on the six yard line , managed to head past , then there was an amazing double miss from Renfrew's Colsh and Barr following a goalmouth stramash. Smith and McLay then missed easy chances for the home side, but Maryhill finished strongly and a spectacular shot on the drop by Dingwall, and a 25 yard rocket from Murray both produced good saves from Meechan. Unlike many 0 - 0 draws, this was a fast and entertaining game, in spite of the pitch, and a bit more accuracy in front of goal could easily have produced a 5 - 5 scoreline. A draw against the league leaders away from home can always be considered a good result, and there were several solid performances from Baker, Wardle, Murray, and McCulloch. Man of the match, however, was Scott Black for several good saves at vital moments in the match. RENFREW-: Meechan, Hammond, Brogan, Cameron, Miller, Harvey, Colsh, McLay ( Robertson 83 ), Barr, Smith, Chisholm. SUBS ( not used )-: Hilland, Gallacher, Elrick, Thomson. BOOKED-: McLay ( 41 ), Barr ( 81 ). MARYHILL-: Black, Wilson ( S.McCulloch 72 ), Baker, G.McCulloch, Wardle, Jones, Murray ( Williams 76 ), McGuinness, Dingwall, Inglis ( Andrew 58 ), Hughes. SUBS ( not used )-: Invincible, Gibson. BOOKED-: Baker ( 55 ). |
| STAGECOACH SUPER LEAGUE - PREMIER DIVISION
SATURDAY 28th JANUARY 2006 Maryhill 1 Kilsyth 1 Scorers-: Maryhill - Dingwall ( 90 ) Kilsyth - Dunbar ( pen 32 ) Match Report by John Hinshelwood A goal by Bryan Dingwall in the second minute of injury time earned Maryhill a valuable point in their fight to escape from the relegation area. The visitors dominated the opening fifteen minutes and should have gone ahead. Several good opportunities were missed, notably by Dunbar and Black, and Scott Black had to be on top form in the Maryhill goal to keep his side on level terms. Having survived the early onslaught, Hill started to mount some good attacking moves, and with new signing from Cumnock Steven McCulloch looking impressive, began to threaten the visitors' goal. A curling free kick from McCulloch went just past, a penalty claim was dismissed by the referee when Galloway impeded Williams inside the box, and further good efforts from Dingwall and Steven McCulloch came within inches of giving Maryhill the lead. Kilsyth continued to look the better side, however, and they went ahead in the 32nd minute.Martin Baker was penalised for "climbing", and although this appeared to be the correct decision, it could be argued that the wronged Kilsyth player was in fact guilty of "backing in" to Baker previously, and that a free kick should have been awarded to Maryhill. Such thoughts proved to be academic, however, as Dunbar scored from the penalty to put Kilsyth in front, and they held this lead until the break. Steven Inglis, who had been having a difficult time, was replaced by Joe Andrew, but it was the visitors who continued to look more impressive. Scott Black made another good stop from a McLaughlin effort , and Kilsyth's Black, a recent signing from Kelty, had another shot brilliantly blocked by his namesake in the Hill goal. Maryhill were finding it difficult to make any impression on a solid looking Kilsyth defence, but nevertheless came close to equalising on a number of occasions, most notably from a Wardle close range header and another Steven McCulloch free kick. Fourteen minutes from the end, the visitors appeared to have sealed their victory, but Campbell saw his shot strike the inside of the post, before Black managed to retrieve the ball in the ensuing melee. It was beginning to look like yet another defeat for Maryhill, when a harmless looking Williams cross in injury time saw some indecision for once in the Kilsyth defence. Dingwall nipped in between two defenders and shot home from close range. Over the ninety minutes Kilsyth were clearly the better side, but Maryhill's determination and refusal to accept defeat, allied to the arguably dubious nature of the visitor's goal, perhaps meant that their point was ultimately deserved. For Maryhill the positive aspects were that the central defensive partnership of Brian Wardle and Greg McCulloch looks more solid with every game, new signing Steven McCulloch seems like he could prove be a valuable addition to the squad, and Scott Black, who again gets the man of the match award showed that there are few, if any, better goalkeepers playing at this level. MARYHILL-: Black, Wilson ( Invincible 68 ), Baker, G.McCulloch, Wardle, Hughes, Inglis ( Andrew 41 ), McGuinness, Dingwall, S.McCulloch, Williams. SUBS ( not used )-: Gibson, McQuade. BOOKED-: Baker ( 31 ), Williams ( 42 ) Hughes ( 54 ), Dingwall ( 58 ). KILSYTH-: Chalmers, Galloway, McManus, Prunty, Low, McLaughlin, Campbell, McStay, Black ( Carberry 74 ), Welsh, Dunbar ( Williamson 90 ) SUBS ( not used )-: Feeney, Kelly, McKenna. BOOKED-: Low ( 60 ), Galloway ( 73 ), McStay ( 86 ). |
| SATURDAY 4th FEBRUARY 2006
STAGECOACH LEAGUE - PREMIER DIVISION Maryhill 1 Glenafton 0 Scorer-: Dingwall ( 2 ) Match Report by John Hinshelwood An early goal by Bryan Dingwall was enough to give Maryhill three much needed points in their first League victory for four months. The game got off to a flying start with Maryhill taking the lead after only two minutes. Joe Andrew held the ball well, and saw off two challenges from Glenafton defenders near the byline, before cutting the ball back to Dingwall, who thundered a low shot past Matthews. If the crowd thought at this point that an exciting game was to unfold, they were to be disappointed. For the remainder of the first half, the visitors had by far the majority of the possession, but apart from a 20 yard shot by Chiesa in the 34th minute which Scott Black saved, they failed to create any real scoring chances. At the other end, headers from Wardle and Andrew which both missed the target, were the closest Maryhill came to increasing their lead. New signing from Bellshill ,Kevin O'Neill, replaced Dave Williams at half time, but it was Glenafton who looked the livelier side in the early stages of the second half. Stewart set up Allen , and his curling long range shot went narrowly past Black's right hand post.There were certainly more clear cut chances for both sides in the second period, but it was proving to be a dull match , with little creative play on display from either team. For Hill, a long range lob by Dingwall with keeper Matthews stranded came very close, as did a 20 yard shot from Martin Hughes, and the nearest we got to another goal came when Andrew's looping header struck the bar, and Dingwall's follow up shot was just too high.Glenafton came close to equalising on several occasions, most notably when Houston blasted a shot over the bar from only six yards out, then the same player just failed by inches to connect with a Bingham free kick. Overall, there was very little between the teams, and a draw would probably have been a fair result, but keeping in mind the fact that Maryhill outplayed Glenafton at New Cumnock earlier in the season, only to lose the match, perhaps it could be considered that justice had been done.Greg McCulloch was outstanding in the Maryhill defence and gets an overdue Man of the Match award, having come close on several occasions.His tackling, positional sense, and distribution were first rate throughout, and he is shaping up to be a more than adequate replacement for Stevie Miller in central defence. His successful partnership with Brian Wardle, and the top class displays from keeper Scott Black, are the main reasons why only one goal ( a penalty ) has been conceded in the last three matches, all against teams who can be considered serious contenders for the League title. MARYHILL-:Black, Hughes, Baker, G.McCulloch, Wardle, S.McCulloch, Murray, Andrew, Dingwall, McLauchlan, Williams ( O' Neill 45 ). SUBS( not used )-: Gallagher, Wilson, Jones, Invincible. GLENAFTON-: Matthews, Paterson, Stewart, McGregor, McCaig, Howie, Bingham, Chiesa (Miller 60 ), Allen ( Murphy 85 ), Houston, Agnew. SUBS ( not used )-: McAninch, Mitchell, Kennedy. BOOKED-: Howie ( 32), McGregor ( 70 ). |
| SATURDAY 11th FEBRUARY 2006
STAGECOACH SUPER LEAGUE - PREMIER DIVISION Maryhill 1 Cumnock 4 Scorers-: Maryhill -: Andrew ( 2 ) Cumnock-: Farrell ( 7 ), Dempster ( 55, 78 pen ) Henderson ( 60 ) Match Report by John Hinshelwood A dire performance saw Maryhill sustain their heaviest defeat of the season, and in the end, they were fortunate that the margin of the defeat was not even greater. The game had started brightly for Maryhill, and they repeated last week's feat of going in front within the opening two minutes. A mix up in the Cumnock defence allowed Joe Andrew to shoot home from 20 yards with Cumnock keeper Potter stranded.The visitors were extremely fortunate not to go 2 - 0 behind a minute later. McLauchlan outpaced the Cumnock defence, but his shot struck Potter's foot and rebounded to Dingwall. The Hill striker would have put this way nine times out of ten, but on this occasion he blasted the ball over the bar.They were to regret this four minutes later when the visitors equalised. Terrible marking allowed Farrell enough time to have gone for his tea, before he thumped the ball past Black from close range. It was a fairly even game for the next twenty minutes or so. Dingwall headed home a cross from Andrew, but was just offside, and the visitors were starting to impress with their neat one touch football. Towards the end of the first half, Maryhill fell out of the game and Cumnock should have been ahead by the break. A combination of poor finishing, the post, and great goalkeeping from Scott Black, however, ensured that the score remained level at half time. Cumnock totally dominated the second half. The Maryhill defence, clearly missing Martin Baker and Brian Wardle, who had been replaced at half time by Dave Williams, had no answer to the pace of the Cumnock attack, and they failed to mount even one serious attack on the visitor's goal throughout the entire 45 minutes. In the 55th minute McGrady, probably just onside, ran through and shot, but Black made a great block. The ball broke to Dempster, who thumped it into the net from around six yards. Five minutes later it was 3 -1, when Henderson shot home from the edge of the penalty area, and twelve minutes from the end Dempster again, this time from the penalty spot, completed the scoring. It has to be said, however, that the penalty award bordered on the farcical. The Cumnock player , possibly McGowan - (the crowded penalty box, and the excess of mud on the jerseys made it difficult to tell ! ) executed a clumsy dive when tackled by Greg McCulloch. The anticipated yellow card for "simulation" did not materialise, as referee McDowall pointed to the penalty spot. Fortunately , it made no difference to the outcome of the match, as over the 90 minutes, Cumnock thoroughly deserved their victory.Scott Black was the only serious candidate for Hill's man of the match. A series of superb stops prevented a comprehensive defeat from becoming an embarrassing rout, in what was probably Maryhill's worst performance of the season. MARYHILL-: Black, Hughes, O'Neill, G.McCulloch, Wardle( Wiliams 45 ),Gallagher, Murray( Jones 75 ), S.McCulloch, Dingwall, McLauchlan, (Wilson 51 ), Andrew. SUBS ( not used )-: Invincible, Inglis. BOOKED-: Hughes ( 64 ), Dingwall ( 82 ), G.McCulloch ( 86 ) CUMNOCK-: Potter, Murray, Walker, Farrell, McEown, McGowan, Gardner( Hughes 82 ), Moan( Muir 84 ), Dempster( Nimmo 82 ), Henderson, McGrady. SUBS( not used )-: Campbell, Quinn |
| . WEST OF SCOTLAND CUP - THIRD ROUND
SATURDAY 25th FEBRUARY 2006 Maryhill 2 Lanark United 0 Scorers-: Dingwall ( pen 35 ), Andrew ( 83 ) Match Report by John Hinshelwood Maryhill progressed to the Quarter Final stages of the Whyte and McKay West of Scotland Cup with a comfortable victory over their Central Regional League opponents. The margin of victory should have been more emphatic as Hill missed a catalogue of good chances, especially in the first half. An amazing double miss by Bryan Dingwall, then Joe Andrew from close range after only nine minutes, set the tone of the game. A Billy Jones corner then struck the bar with the Lanark defence in disarray, then Martin McLauchlan blasted over from a couple of yards out, after connecting with a Dingwall cross.Lanark did create a couple of chances when first Scott Black made a good save from a Johnston shot, then Stark met a cross from Davies , but his header was just too high. Hill continued to dominate, however, and Dave Williams, Joe Andrew and Bryan Dingwall were ruthlessly exposing the lack of pace in the visitors' defence. Williams had a great 20 yard shot well saved by keeper Smith, and further close range efforts from Dingwall and Andrew, which seemed certain to result in goals, were somehow blocked by the keeper. Ten minutes from the break Maryhill eventually took the lead. Williams outpaced the home defence but was brought down by a clumsy challenge from Paul Hughes. A clear cut penalty from which Dingwall did his usual efficient job. The least said about the second half , the better. The swirling wind made constructive play difficult, and few clear cut chances were created. Fifteen minutes from the end a Dingwall shot struck the bar with Smith well beaten, and three minutes later a long ball from Black left Joe Andrew in the clear, but his shot was blocked by the keeper then cleared. The decisive second goal arrived with seven minutes remaining, when a low cross from Williams was met inside the six yard box by Andrew whose shot deflected off a couple of defenders before ending up in the net. The only other incident of note in the second period was a rather unsavoury melee in the 70th minute, which resulted in deserved bookings for Dingwall of Maryhill and Keegans and McGrotty of Lanark. Surprisingly, Lanark striker Johnston who ran a good twenty yards to become involved, seemingly intent on swinging punches at anyone within range, escape |