Cambuslang Rangers triumph over Larkhall Thistle

Feb 10 2010 by Kenny Smith, Rutherglen Reformer

CAMBUSLANG travelled to Gasworks Park on Saturday in search of league points and came away with their objective achieved.

But they gained their victory only after a superb second half fightback after a string of errors saw the visitors trailing at the interval.

Both team managers must have been tearing their hair out as they watched their sides play some fine attacking football only to shoot themselves in the foot with basic defensive mistakes, writes Gordon Clark.

Larkhall were first to threaten in the fifth minute when a long range drive from Carr rattled the Rangers crossbar.

However it was Cambuslang who drew first blood when Smith turned onto a Donnelly pass and curled a shot into the top corner from 20 yards.

However the lead did not last long as a Larkhall free kick eluded the Rangers defence and ex-Cambuslang striker Davie Menelaws fired Thistle level.

In the 20th minute a high ball was only partially cleared by Rangers and when it was played in again Menelaws was unmarked at the back post to head Larkhall into the lead.

Five minutes later and the match was again level when Donnelly was tripped in the box and he dusted himself down to slot home the penalty kick.

Disaster struck Rangers in the 32nd minute when Connolly made a hash of taking a cross and Shiels glanced the ball home.

Larkhall’s number one earned his corn when he made an amazing save from a Donnelly volley and Rangers were cursing their luck as Thistle broke down field for Carr to steer them into a 4-2 lead at the interval.

Whatever was said in the Lang dressing room during the break seemingly had the desired effect as Cambuslang turned the match on its head with a stunning three goal burst.

In the 50th minute Donnelly latched on to a cut-back from Hoey to fire home from 18 yards and just two minutes later a 50-yard free kick from the striker caught the home goalie out of position and the ball dropped into the net. It was a strange way for Donnelly to complete his hat-trick but he and his side were not complaining.

Rangers striker Kilmartin then lived up to his nickname of Deco as he curled a sweet free kick into the net to put Cambuslang in front once more and complete a three goals in a six minute spell for the Lang.

Cambuslang then took off Kilmartin and Hoey with McCrae and Sweeney coming on, the later making his return to Rangers after a spell in Australia.

Cambuslang made the points safe with a sixth goal in the 67th minute McCrae and Donnelly both had their efforts blocked but Smith was on hand to force the ball home from close range.

As Rangers ran down the clock Connolly made a fine save from Carr then substitute Sweeney had the last chance of the match when he broke clear but saw his parting shot blocked by the Larkhall keeper.

It may have been a cold day but with such a hot display from both sides on the pitch the fans barely seemed to notice the chill.

Cambuslang: Connolly, Doak, McFarlane, Inglis, Bishop, Hoey (Sweeney 65), Thomson, Smith, Donnelly,

Kilmartin (McCrae 60), Ferguson (Irvine 75). Subs not used, Templeton, Dunn, D Matthews, Kerrigan.