All reports © Martin Donnelly & PollokNet, pics © Kathryn MacLeod

Saturday 17th December 2005: Stagecoach Premier League, att: 800
Pollok 1 (Gavin Friels 40) Auchinleck Talbot 2 (Gavin Collins 65, Gary Robertson 90)

Pollok's Jekyll and Hyde season continued as they missed the chance to go top of the Stagecoach Super League when they lost to an injury time goal against Auchinleck Talbot at Newlandsfield. With Stevie Aitchison unavailable for selection due to personal commitments and Bryan Smith out through injury Pollok were forced to make two changes from the side that defeated Johnstone Burgh, with Willie Stewart and Frank Haggarty coming in as direct replacements as Rab Sneddon continued with a 3-5-2 formation.

`Lok nearly took the lead within the first minute, but Stewart couldn't quite reach a Martin McLauchlan cross. As the game settled down, however, it was the visitors who were enjoying the bulk of possession. After 16 minutes Stevie Mallan released David Gillies, and only a last-ditch tackle by Joe Carruth prevented the striker from getting a shot in. Mallan himself shot just wide two minutes later, and Gillies had a long range saved by Wilson. Ross Currie shot over from the edge of the box in the 32nd minute, but it took another eight minutes for `Lok to record their first shot on target – and it was enough to give them the lead against the run of play. McLauchlan crossed from the right hand side of the park and GAVIN FRIELS timed his run perfectly to continue his excellent form against his former club as he finished at the back post.

Unbelievably, Pollok should have been two ahead at the interval. A Talbot corner was cleared to Friels, who released Currie 40 yards from goal with only Stuart McIntosh to beat. The midfielder elected to try to go around the 'keeper, but failed to play the ball wide enough to get past the arms of the former Kilmarnock and Ayr United man, and the lead remained at one at half-time.

The second half opened with Friels winning the ball in midfield and driving down the right hand side of the field, but McLauchlan couldn't quite connect with his cross. Gillies then had a shot on the turn saved by Ian Wilson before `Bot found the net when Colin Spence headed home a Liam McVey free kick, only for referee Law to disallow the goal for a push as the ball was coming in. Haggarty then cracked a terrific effort from 35 yards, but McIntosh pushed the ball over the bar. The scores were levelled a minute later when GAVIN COLLINS met a cross from the left hand side of the park and bulleted a header beyond Wilson for a deserved equaliser.

Two minutes later and Talbot nearly grabbed the lead. When a Black effort was saved the visitors broke quickly and Wilson had to come out of his box to quell the danger. He was dispossessed, however, and Gillies shot goalwards, only to see Carruth get back to block his shot. John McAulay and Mark McKeever came on for Stewart and Currie as Pollok tried to establish a foothold in the midfield, and Haggarty went close twice, firstly with a free kick and then with a shot from the right hand corner of the penalty box. With three minutes to go John Tinney fired a shot across goal, but no-one could apply the killer touch to knock the ball home. Mallan was booked before making way for Gary Robertson in the 90th minute, and the despite the short amount of time left the substitute was to have a massive impact on the game. When the ball bounced over McAulay there seemed to be no immediate danger, but GARY ROBERTSON conjured up a wonder strike from near the touchline that gave Wilson no chance and sent the visiting fans home delirious.

Auchinleck can therefore revel in their first Super League triumph over Pollok in eight attempts, and are certainly going to be challenging for league honours, while the current holders will have to work on their consistency if they are to have any chance of retaining their title.

Pollok – Wilson, Stewart (McAulay 70), Cruickshank, Carruth, Heaton, Haggarty, Currie (McKeever 76), Black, McLauchlan, Friels, Tinney. Not used: McClay, Paterson, Jordan.
Booked: Black (55)
Auchinleck – McIntosh, Henry, McVey, Anderson, Collins, Spence, Davidson, Slavin, Gillies (Leitch 87) , Mallan (Robertson 90), Latta. Not used: Young, Boyle, Gilmour.
Booked: Slavin (76), Mallan (87)
Ref: A. Law

Saturday 10th December 2005: Stagecoach Premier League, att: 400
Johnstone Burgh 0 Pollok 5 (Gavin Friels 14, 71, Bryan Smith 17, John Tinney 40, Ross Currie 73)

Pollok returned to winning ways in an incident packed game at Keanie Park as they triumphed by five goals over hosts Johnstone Burgh. Pollok made three changes to the eleven that started at Gasworks Park the previous week, with Frank Haggarty missing due to work commitments and Andy McClay and Mark McKeever dropping to the bench. Bryan Smith, Simon Black and Ross Currie were the new personnel, while in a tactical change Stevie Aitchison moved into a midfield role with Joe Carruth reverting to a central defensive position.

`Lok nearly had the lead after seven minutes when Martin McLauchlan crossed from the right hand side of the park, only for Currie to hit the crossbar with his header. The visitors did take the lead, however, after 14 minutes and the goal arrived from a familiar source. John Tinney mis-hit a shot into the path of GAVIN FRIELS, who touched the ball past a defender before wheeling to turn a left foot effort across Dean Sexton and into the net. Three minutes later `Lok doubled their lead after some poor Burgh defending. Friels struck a weak shot towards goal where Sexton and Joe Murray seemed to dispossess each other leaving BRYAN SMITH with a tap in for his first league goal for Pollok.

Black had two chances in quick succession to extend the lead further, firstly seeing a long range effort easily saved before volleying over after being set up by a Smith header. At the other end Burgh were rarely threatening, although in the 26th minute Danny McKelvie took the ball inside the Pollok half and drove towards goal only to see his shot rebound off the post from 25 yards out. Ryan McDonald also went close when cutting inside the `Lok defence before firing just wide of the post. Despite these chances it was still the visitors who were in control of the game, and the lead was extended further after 40 minutes from a free-kick. Friels and JOHN TINNEY both stood over the ball, and it was the winger who stepped up and lifted the ball over the home wall and beyond Sexton, who remained rooted to his goal-line, to give Pollok a three goal half-time lead.

The second half opened with Steven Gayne missing the target from a free-kick, and any hopes of a Burgh comeback were dashed in the 48th minute when the same man was sent off for a late challenge on Smith, who was carried off as a result of the challenge, McKeever being the replacement. McDonald shot wide from long range for Burgh before Black played in McKeever, only for Sexton to save his shot. Tinney then dispossessed Brian Smith but squandered the opportunity as he shot wide. On the hour mark Carruth released Friels, who cut the ball across goal but neither Black nor Currie could finish, while McLauchlan headed over from the subsequent corner. McKelvie troubled the visiting defence after a Burgh free-kick in the 67th minute, but his ball across the face of goal found no takers.

Five minutes later `Lok extended their lead with the best move of the match. Play was switched between the right and left flanks before GAVIN FRIELS played a clever one-two to cut open the Burgh rearguard and he made no mistake with his finish. Goal number five arrived soon afterwards,
this time McLauchlan breaking down the right hand side and cutting the ball across for Friels. The ball was just behind the striker, but ROSS CURRIE was in position to finish with the ball nestling in the stanchion of the net. While that brought the scoring to an end it was not the end of the action. As the teams waited for a corner the referee sent off Carson for speaking out of turn. Shortly afterwards Burgh manager George Walker was also asked to leave his dugout area after the assistant referee took umbrage at comments made in his direction. With five minutes to go `Lok should have grabbed a sixth when McKeever and McLauchlan, among others, couldn't finish after a goalmouth scramble. It took 89 minutes for
Burgh to register a shot on target, with Murray releasing Steven Miller, but Ian Wilson rushed out to block and preserve his clean sheet.

With other results going their way Pollok's league challenge is back on track, while Burgh face a long, hard slog at the other end of the table as they seem destined for a relegation struggle.

Johnstone – Sexton, Wozencroft, Smith, Gayne, Carson, Turner, Juttla (Miller 84), Murray, McDonald, J Sherry (M Sherry 75), McKelvie (McWilliam 84). Not used: McShane, Whyte.
Booked: Murray (31), Turner (75)
Sent off: Gayne (48), Carson (77)
Pollok – Wilson, Smith (McKeever 50), Cruickshank (McAulay 79), Carruth, Heaton, Aitchison, Black (McClay 78), Currie, McLauchlan, Friels, Tinney. Not used: Jordan, Burns.
Booked: Black (67), McKeever (84)

Saturday 3rd December 2005: Stagecoach Premier League, att: 350
Larkhall Thistle 2 (Paul Brown 56, 74) Pollok 1 (Frankie Haggarty pen 2)

Larkhall Thistle recorded the first victory of their 2005/06 Stagecoach Super Premier League campaign with a 2-1 victory over reigning league champions Pollok at a muddy Gasworks Park. Rab Sneddon was able to welcome back Derek Heaton from suspension and Stevie Aitchison from injury, with John McAulay and Derek Paterson dropping out from the back four. Mark McKeever was preferred in midfield to Willie Stewart in a third change to the side that had defeated Renfrew the previous week. It could be argued that this was Rab Sneddon's 1st XI, all available for the first time in match 19 of the season.

`Lok got off to a dream start when a John Tinney corner was headed back across goal by Joe Carruth into the path of Derek Heaton. His close range effort was blocked, but he was hauled down before he could get to the rebound and referee Mulvaney pointed to the spot. FRANKIE HAGGARTY stepped up to hammer home the spot kick and give the visitors a 2nd minute lead. Thistle responded with a long range Jamie Bruce effort that passed wide of the post before a dangerous cross that found the head of Andy Williamson, who headed just over with Ian Wilson beaten. At the other end Gavin Friels did well to hold off a challenge before breaking down the right hand side of the park. He cut the ball back for Tinney, but he could only mis-hit an effort tamely wide. Tinney then broke from defence before releasing Martin McLauchlan. The attempted clearance from his cross rebounded off Tinney but flew wide of the target.

Haggarty then made a terrific run from midfield before slotting the ball through to Friels, but his first time effort was hooked just over the crossbar after 23 minutes. The home side were still exposing some weaknesses in the `Lok defence, and Allan Watson nearly capitalised when he lobbed just wide after a ball over the top. Graham Doak became the first booking of the game in the 44th minute after a heavy challenge on Friels, while Haggarty tested Derek Barnes in the home goal with a 30-yard free-kick, but the ex-`Lok custodian was up to the challenge and held well.

Larkhall manager Alan Wardlaw rang the changes early in the second half, introducing Stewart Bovill for Bruce in the 52nd minute, and was rewarded with an equaliser four minutes later. Pollok failed to clear their lines properly, and when Allan Watson crossed from the left hand side of the park PAUL BROWN was left unmarked to head home from close range. Watson was then booked for a late challenge on Heaton.

Pollok had a great chance to regain the lead in 66 minutes when Tinney crossed for McLauchlan, but from the same position from which Larkhall had been so clinical `Lok squandered the chance when the striker headed straight at Barnes. Watson then made way for Alan McCrae for the home side, while Stewart replaced McKeever for the visitors. Brown nearly pounced on uncertainty in the `Lok defence after 73 minutes. Carruth elected to leave a ball played just behind him for his `keeper, but Wilson remained on his line and Brown nipped in between the two `Lok men, but fired his shot against the goalkeeper for a corner. Pollok's reprieve was short lived, however, as from the resultant back post corner the ball was headed into the path of PAUL BROWN who fired home to give Larkhall the lead. Friels had a long range effort easily saved before Haggarty was booked for deliberate handball. Rab Sneddon threw on Simon Black and Ross Currie for Tinney and Andy McClay in search of an equaliser.

Chris Cruickshank picked up the first yellow card of his Pollok career before Friels volleyed over from a deep McLauchlan cross. Steven Tyczynski replaced Watson for the home side and Bovill was booked before a Haggarty free-kick was spilled by Barnes, but the ball was scrambled off the line by his defence. Friels put one final effort wide of the post as time expired, and Thistle were able to celebrate a first league win in 9 attempts this season. While the home side can celebrate a fine result Pollok will be left cursing a result that undoes much of the good work achieved in victories over fellow title contenders Renfrew and Kilsyth.

Larkhall Thistle: Barnes, Ferguson, A McFarlane, Doak, Murray, Bonner, Watson (McCrae 67), Bruce (Bovill 52), Brown (Tyczynski 84), McFadden, Williamson. Not used: Marshall
Booked: Larkhall: Doak (44), Watson (58), Bovill (86)
Pollok – Wilson, Carruth, Cruickshank, Aitchison, Heaton, McClay (Currie 77), McKeever (Stewart 71), Haggarty, McLauchlan, Friels, Tinney (Black 77). Not used: Paterson, Smith
Booked: Haggarty (76), Cruickshank (80)
Ref: A. Mulvaney