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

Saturday 28th January 2006: Stagecoach Premier League, att: 600
Pollok 2 (Dave Turnbull 50, Frankie Haggarty 52 pen) Johnstone Burgh 0

Pollok moved back to the summit of the Stagecoach Super Premier League with a two goal victory over struggling Johnstone Burgh at
Newlandsfield Park. Home fans were greeted with the news that Stevie Miller had completed his move from Maryhill and found a place on the bench, while Kevin Budinauckas, trialist Richie Buckley and loan signing David Turnbull all made their debuts for `Lok at the expense of Robert Burns, Martin McLauchlan and the injured Andy McClay.

Pollok could have had the lead within two minutes of kick off when a slack Johnstone free-kick across their own defence was pounced upon by Gavin Friels, but he sliced the opportunity well wide of the post. After six minutes neat work from Simon Black released Turnbull on the left hand side of the park, and he forced Donahue into making the first save of the match. Joe Murray then tested Budinauckas twice in quick succession, firstly with a shot from a tight angle and then from a header which was saved on the line. After 20 minutes Turnbull played an excellent trough ball for Friels, but he dragged his shot wide from the edge of the penalty box. Turnbull himself then had a weak effort saved before Black volleyed over with a speculative effort. Black then released Andy Essler down the left wing, and although his shot was off target
Friels wasn't far away from directing the ball into the net. Burgh offered little in the way of a threat at the other end, although Danny McKelvie did have a strike at goal that he sliced well over the crossbar.

Chris Wozencroft had picked up a head knock during the first half and was unable to continue after the interval, with new signing Vincent Conway from East Kilbride Thistle replacing him. `Lok again had a chance within two minutes of the restart, with Turnbull having a powerful header saved from a Frank Haggarty corner. Three minutes later, however, and the home side found the breakthrough they had been searching for. Haggarty played in a free-kick from the right hand side of the park and DAVID TURNBULL side-footed the ball home for a debut goal. The second goal was not far behind, and it was the other outfield debutant who was involved this time. Chris Cruickshank put in a deep cross from the left hand side and Buckley was shoved in the back by Conway, with referee McDowall having no hesitation in his award of a spot kick. FRANK HAGGARTY stepped up to confidently send Donahue the wrong way and double the lead.

Turnbull and Friels both had shots saved before Stevie Aitchison had to make a last ditch tackle to deny McKelvie, who was injured in the process. He picked up a further injury five minutes later and had to leave the action, with Ryan McDonald taking his place. Burgh's Stevie Miller then played in a dangerous cross which Joe Carruth had to head away from under his own crossbar, with Budinauckas looking uncertain at the resultant corner. Tommy Turner then headed just wide as Burgh started to come into the game as an attacking force. Miller fired an 83rd minute free-kick off the top of the crossbar for the visitors, and Turner had a shot cleared off the line by Aitchison. Budinauckas then had to look sharp after a `Lok back-header almost sneaked over the line. Rab Sneddon could have introduced Stevie Miller to fray when Derek Heaton picked up a nasty facial injury, but the big stopper was able to see out time with the aid of some cotton wool. The last two chances of the match both fell to the home team, with a flowing move that involved Haggarty and Friels eventually ending with Cruickshank putting the ball wide before Carruth went on a surging run from his own half, only for Donahue to deny him his first goal for the club.

With Renfrew dropping points the league race seems sure to go to the wire, while Burgh can only look on as they themselves try to fight the threat of relegation.

Pollok – Budinauckas, Carruth, Cruickshank, Aitchison, Heaton, Haggarty, Buckley (McKeever 84), Black, Friels, Turnbull, Essler (Currie 70). Not used: Stewart, Miller, Burns.
Booked: Haggarty (26)
Johnstone – Donahue, Wozencroft (Conway 46), Robertson, Gayne, Carson, Ferris, Jordan, Turner, Miller, Murray, McKelvie (McDonald 66). Not used: McShane, Harvie, Sexton.
Booked: Wozencroft (24), Ferris (77)
Ref: Paul McDowall

Saturday 14th January 2006: Stagecoach Premier League, att: 400
Cumnock 3 (John Dempster 21, Ross Currie OG 77, Gareth Campbell 88) Pollok 4 (Simon Black 17, Davie Walker OG 54, Frankie Haggarty 64, Andy Essler 80)

Pollok took the points after a seven goal thriller at Townhead Park on a day when attackers coped better than defenders with tricky underfoot conditions. `Lok manager Rab Sneddon took advantage of the transfer window to tweak his squad, with left winger Andy Essler arriving from Ayr United and goalkeeper Kevin Budinaukas providing cover for Robert Burns. Essler was given a starting role and along with Simon Black was one of two changes to the eleven that had started in the draw with Glenafton, with Bryan Smith dropping to the bench and Derek Paterson missing out through injury.

Cumnock opened brightly with Dean Muir heading just wide in the first minute and Stewart McGrady having a fierce shot saved low by Burns after 14 minutes. It was the isitors who opened the scoring against the run of play, however, and the new boy was involved in the build up. Essler's cross from the left found it's way to Frank Haggarty on the right, and he returned the ball across the park where it was met by the head of SIMON BLACK to give Pollok the lead.

It was a short lived advantage, however, as `Nock were level within four minutes. Jamie Moan and Darren Henderson worked the ball to the left hand side of the park, and when the cross came in JOHN DEMPSTER gave Burns no chance with his header to bring the scores level. Ex-`Lok player Davie Walker had a weak free-kick saved, while another ex-`Lok player, Graham Potter, did well to save from an Essler cross that was touched goalwards by Gavin Friels. `Nock nearly took the lead in bizarre circumstances when Haggarty made a tackle inside his own box, only to see the ball ricochet back over his head, but also over the crossbar. Dempster then hit the side netting after a weak Derek Heaton back header gave him a sight of goal.

A much improved second half performance from Pollok started with them taking the lead nine minutes into the second half. Frank Haggarty's low corner wasn't cleared, with Simon Black applying a touch to put the ball in the net, although not before it came off Davie Walker's boot. At the other end Henderson forced a magnificent save from Burns after meeting a corner perfectly before Dempster broke free of the `Lok defence, only to be denied by another terrific save from the veteran goalkeeper. Potter then denied Black a hat-trick when brilliantly saving from a volley, but `Lok were not to be denied a third. FRANK HAGGARTY picked up the ball at the edge of the Cumnock box, and no-one was able to stop him as he advanced and curled the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

`Lok took off Martin McLauchlan as they tried to shut up shop, but his replacement was the man who brought the deficit back to one for the home side. Cumnock were able to cross from the right hand side, despite the presence of three Pollok defenders in the area, and ROSS CURRIE could only slice the ball beyond Burns, who was unable to prevent the ball crossing the line and was booked for his subsequent protests. The game should have been over three minutes later when the visitors re-established a two-goal lead. Frank Haggarty crossed from the right hand side and the ball was met by a sliding ANDY ESSLER, who capped his debut with the first goal of his Pollok career.

The scoring was not over, however, as `Nock grabbed a lifeline with two minutes left on the clock. A long ball over the top caught out the visiting defence and GARETH CAMPBELL slid in to connect with the ball before Burns could reach it to bring the score to 3-4. Burns then caused some panic for the away support when he spilled the ball twice in quick succession, but the home side couldn't capitalise on his errors. As the game moved into injury time Joe Carruth tried to take the ball to the corner in an attempt to run down the clock, but he was cynically taken out of play by Darryl Nimmo, who received a second yellow card to become the second `Nock player sent off in stoppage time versus `Lok this season. It was therefore Pollok who emerged with the points, although both managers will be concerned by the defensive frailties displayed at times by their sides.

Cumnock – Potter, Nimmo, Walker (Cochrane 74), McGowan, Murray, Farrell, Muir, Henderson, Moan (Haswell 74), Dempster, McGrady (Hughes 85). Not used: Gardiner, Campbell.
Booked: Muir (53), Murray (65), Nimmo (71)
Sent off: Nimmo (90)
Pollok – Burns, Carruth, Cruickshank, Aitchison, Heaton, McClay, Haggarty, Black, McLauchlan (Currie 67), Friels, Essler (McKeever 85). Not used: Tinney, Smith, Budinaukas.
Booked: Aitchison (24), McClay (55), Friels (65), Essler (67), Burns (77), Currie (90)

Saturday 7th January 2006: Stagecoach Premier League, att: 700
Pollok 2 (Derek Paterson 15, Frankie Haggarty 16) Glenafton Athletic 2 (Willie Howie pen65, Zander Allan 77)

Pollok dropped a further two points at home to Ayrshire opposition in the league this season as they failed to hang on to a two goal lead at home to Glenafton and had to settle for a share of the spoils. The new year started with a much altered line-up from the one that saw out 2005, with Robert Burns, Derek Paterson, Stevie Aitchison, Bryan Smith and Andy McClay replacing Willie Stewart, Ross Currie, Simon Black, John Tinney and Ian Wilson, who was seriously injured in a car crash over the festive period. His replacement Burns had to look sharp after only two minutes when a cross from the right hand side of the park was met by Willie Howie, but the `keeper saved low to his left.

Craig Bingham then tried his luck from long range, but his shot was easily taken by Burns. `Lok took the lead after 15 minutes, and the goal came from a set piece. After Chris Cruickshank's header had been deflected wide for a corner Frank Haggarty played in a dangerous ball and DEREK PATERSON, 34 on Friday, timed his run perfectly to glace a header beyond Matthews in the visitors' goal.

`Lok doubled their lead a minute later in spectacular style when FRANK HAGGARTY tried his luck from the left hand touchline and fired home an effort that gave Matthews no chance. The home side were starting to take control of the game, although Glens did have a chance in 28 minutes with a free-kick on the edge of the box, but rather than Stevie Agnew shooting he tried to tee-up Davie Stewart, giving the `Lok defence time to block the danger. Agnew and Gavin Friels both wasted chances before Paterson became the first booking of the match after a handball.

The `Lok man was to take no part in the second half due to a hamstring pull, and he made way for Mark McKeever. For Glens Peter McAninch was replaced by Paul Deeney as Gerry Collins gambled to try to take something from the game. It was the home team, however, who had the first chance of the second half when Friels flashed a header past the post from a Haggarty corner. Bingham should have done better when a poor ball from Burns left him through on goal, but he could only fire over the crossbar. Cruickshank then blocked an effort from the same player inside the six-yard box.

`Lok really should have extended their lead after 62 minutes when Martin McLauchlan was released by Aitchison, but he could only hit the `keepers legs from a one-on-one situation. `Lok did have the ball in the net a minute later, but Friels saw his effort disallowed for offside. The Afton were then presented with an opportunity to claw their way back into the game when referee Hugh McIntyre adjudged Aitchison to have fouled Agnew inside the box, and although Burns managed to touch WILLIE HOWIE's effort onto the bar the ball bounced back down and into the
net.

Derek Heaton then headed wide from a corner and McLauchlan had a shot saved low at Matthews' near post before Glenafton levelled the scores in the 77th minute. Agnew's cross from the left was touched home by the boot of ZANDER ALLAN to bring the score to 2-2. `Lok still had opportunities to reclaim the lead, notably when a McLauchlan effort was blocked into the path of Friels, but his fierce effort was struck straight at Matthews. Substitute Black also had a chance but he was unable to pull the trigger under heavy pressure from two Glens tacklers. Pollok had an injury time penalty appeal turned down when the ball made contact with a defender's arm inside the box, but referee McIntyre waved away the appeals.

`Lok therefore slip further behind in the title race with leaders Renfrew recording a victory on their travels, while Glens still seek a first Super League win over the champions after seven attempts.

Pollok – Burns, Paterson (McKeever 46), Cruickshank, Carruth, Heaton, Aitchison, Smith, McClay, McLauchlan (Black 87), Friels, Haggarty. Not used: Currie, Tinney, Jordan.
Booked: Paterson (44), Heaton (84)
Glenafton – Matthews, McAninch (Deeney 46), Stewart, Patterson, McGregor, Howie, Miller (Allan 62), Blair, Bingham, Murphy (Chiesa 82), Agnew. Not used: Murray, Halpin.
Booked: Stewart (72), Chiesa (86)
Ref: Hugh McIntyre