Football: Wee Glens keep great run going

Nov 7 2012 by Kenny Smith, Rutherglen Reformer

Glencairns 21s side saw off Harestanes to go back to the top of the premier league.

After the call-off the week before, the weather shone brightly on the Clyde Gateway Stadium for a good game of football.

The first 40 minutes were probably the best the young Glens had played all season.

The team were creating opportunities with ease, with the central midfield of Del Esplin and Wullie McCulloch pulling the strings, while 17-year-old Alan McLenaghan was making his debut in goals for the Glens, having been released from Airdrie.

The Glens went ahead after only six minutes when Thomas Houston played a delightful through-ball, which Ross McNeil controlled before driving past the defender into the box and finding the net 1-0.

It was 2-0 on 29 minutes when Calum McRobbie fed Wullie McCulloch who made no mistake.

The Glens then had two great chances to extend the lead firstly when Austin Reid created a chance for himself which brought out a tremendous stop from the Harestanes keeper, and then Calum McRobbie struck a shot off the bar.

There then followed a horrible two minutes just before half-time which saw the game turn on its head. On 41 minutes confusion in the Glens area allowed the opposition player to nip in and cut the deficit.

And a minute later the game was level after a good stop by Alan McLenaghan, the rebound fell in front of goal and it was an easy tap in.

There followed a very heated debate in the dressing room at half-time and the Glens returned to the park hoping to rectify the last five minutes.

But on 52 minutes it got worse when a shot from 30 yards through a crowd of players struck a Harestanes player on the edge of the area and it flew into the opposite corner of the net.

The Glens made a double substitution on 54 minutes with Paul McGuire replacing Thomas Houston and Kevin McFarlane replacing Nad Zeb.

On 60 minutes Kieran Chalmers replaced Austin Reid and a minute later it was 3-3.

Ross McNeil picked up a ball on the right side of the Harestanes area and curled a great shot into the top left hand corner.

The Glens regained the lead with nine minutes to go when a shot was parried by the Harestanes keeper and Johnny Boal was on hand to force the rebound in for 4-3.

Stephen Sideserf then replaced the injured Jordan Dalzell and with two minutes to go Calum McRobbie ended the game as a contest firing low into the net for 5-3.

All in all ,a credible performance and a good three points against a well-organised Harestanes team sending the young Glens to the top of the Premier League.

The sides next fixture, a Scottish Cup third round trip away to Neilston Juniors on Saturday, was called off because of the recent wet weather.

Team: Alan McLenaghan, Thomas Houston (Paul McGuire), Johnny Boal, Jordan Dalzell (Stephen Sideserf ), Euan Conroy, Del Esplin, Nad Zeb (Kevin McFarlane), Wullie McCulloch, Ross McNeil, Calum McRobbie, Austin Reid (Kieran Chalmers ). Subs not used: David Quinn, Jason McCarthy, Andy Bargh, Ryan Hay (gk).