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

Saturday 25th March 2006: Whyte & Mackay Cup Quarter-Final att: 550
Maryhill 1 (Bryan Dingwall 48) Pollok 1 (Simon Black 40) (Maryhill won 6-5 on pens)

Maryhill progressed to the semi-finals of the Whyte and Mackay West of Scotland Cup as they overcame Pollok in a controversial game at
Lochburn Park. With Joe Carruth unavailable and Stevie Miller cup-tied Rab Sneddon was forced into making two changes, with the welcome return of both Frankie Haggarty and Dave Turnbull from recent periods of injury. Also included on the bench was new signing Ross O'Donoghue, formerly
of Aberdeen. Maryhill's numbers were somewhat depleted, with only four substitutes named, including coach John McQuade. Among their number were ex-Pollok players Brian Wardle, Martin McLauchlan and Colin Giles.

Pollok had a decent chance to open the scoring after only two minutes when Simon Black set up Turnbull to cut the ball across goal, but Gavin Friels was unable to connect. Turnbull himself then fired over after confusion in the Maryhill defence, but that was to be his final contribution to the match as he had to limp off after only 18 minutes of the contest, with Ross Currie taking his place. Maryhill were rarely threatening at this point, although Greg McCulloch did manage to break from defence and release Bryan Dingwall on the right, but his cross was just too high for McLauchlan.
Dingwall was then off target after a cross from Dave Williams was headed into his path by Eddie McGuinness. At the other end Wardle had to make an excellent block to deny Black. He was not to be denied in the 40th minute, however, as `Lok took the lead. Currie's perfectly weighted pass down the right-hand side of the park was collected by Friels at the bye-line, and his cut-back left SIMON BLACK with the easiest of finishes to give the visitors a deserved half-time lead.

Maryhill came out for the second half in a far more positive fashion, and were presented with an opportunity straight away, but Dingwall was miles off target after being gifted possession. Kevin Budinauckas then had to push over an excellent turn and shot from McLauchlan. From the resultant corner Wardle headed the ball into the path of BRYAN DINGWALL, and his finish low into the bottom left corner of the net gave Budinauckas no chance. Currie nearly restored Pollok's lead after 53 minutes, but his 30-yard effort clipped the outside of the post after passing Scott Black in the home goal. Black then made a great save to deny Haggarty.

Budinauckas had to be alert to deny Dingwall a second goal after Williams dispossessed Mark McKeever and cut the ball back to the diminutive striker. Usual roles were reversed in the 78th minute when Dingwall had to block a goalbound Derek Heaton drive after a Pollok corner. The final two efforts of the match both came from Maryhill players, with Joe Andrew having a volley saved and Dingwall also forcing a stop from Budinauckas.

With no extra-time in this competition the game went to spot-kicks and things couldn't have started any worse for Pollok when Black flung himself to his right to stop Haggarty's effort after Dingwall had converted the first kick. Substitute Kevin Murray and Friels both scored with their attempts before parity was restored when Budinauckas denied Stephen Gallacher. Black, McGuinness and John Tinney scored the next three kicks to leave the score at 3-3 after four penalties each before the game's main talking point arrived. Budinauckas made a magnificent save to deny McCulloch, only for referee Gary Hilland to order a retake. This time there was no mistake from the `Hill player, nor was there any mistake from Currie as he levelled matters again. In sudden-death Williams, Andy McClay and `keeper Black all hit the net, and it was to be Black who was the hero as he stopped a weak effort from Chris Cruickshank to take his side into a semi-final meeting with Arthurlie.

`Lok will be left to rue the decision of Mr. Hilland that perhaps cost them a semi-final place, but will look to bounce back with a trip to Forth Wanderers looming in the Central League Cup.

Maryhill – Black, Wilson, Williams, G. McCulloch, Wardle, Gallacher, Hughes, McGuinness, Dingwall, McLauchlan (Murray 80), Andrew. Not used: Giles, Inglis, McQuade.
Booked: Wardle (41), Dingwall (89)
Pollok – Budinauckas, McKeever, Cruickshank, Aitchison, Heaton, McClay, Black, Haggarty, Friels, Turnbull (Currie 18), Essler (Tinney 83). Not used: Kinney, McWilliams, O'Donoghue.
Booked: Currie (59)

Saturday 18th March 2006: Stagecoach Premier League att: 517
Pollok 4 (Simon Black 12, 19, Chris Cruickshank 25, Gavin Friels 83) East Kilbride Thistle 2 (Paul Watson pen 45, James Strain 90)

Pollok progressed to the second round of the Central League Cup with a comfortable victory over visitors East Kilbride Thistle at Newlandsfield
Park. There were two changes to the Pollok side that had drawn at Glenafton the previous week with Ross Currie and Willie Stewart dropping
to the bench to make way for Mark McKeever and Andy Essler. Thistle showed six changes from the side that had run `Lok close when the sides clashed in October, including John McAulay, an unused Pollok substitute that day, returning to Newlandsfield for the first time since his transfer
in the January window.

The first chance fell to the home side after six minutes when Joe Carruth crossed to the back post for Chris Cruickshank, whose goalbound side-footed effort was cleared over his own bar by Ross Matthew. `Lok were not to be denied for long however, and duly took the lead after 12
minutes. There seemed little danger when Gavin Friels played the ball to SIMON BLACK with his back to goal, but he spun and curled a shot beyond the dive of Peter Keegan from the edge of the penalty box to open the scoring. Shortly afterwards Neil Schoneville had to be alert to reach a McKeever cross just before Andy McClay could get to it. The hosts doubled their lead after 19 minutes when the ball was played to SIMON BLACK from a throw-in, and he fired home a terrific strike from 25 yards out to make the score 2-0. The visitors could have got themselves back into
the match almost immediately when James Strain found himself clean through on Kevin Budinauckas, but he could only fire his shot against the `keeper.

Ryan Kelly then saw an effort deflected just wide before `Lok extended their lead further. Black crossed from the right-hand side of the park and CHRIS CRUICKSHANK slid in to put the ball through the legs of Keegan for the third goal of the game. Fans were nearly treated to an action replay fifteen minutes later, this time with Carruth putting over the cross, but McKeever put the ball wide from a position similar to that which Cruickshank had scored from. Paul Bain had a header easily saved before Thistle were handed a lifeline. Referee Hugh McIntyre awarded a penalty kick for an apparent infringement by Derek Heaton, and PAUL WATSON stepped up to stroke the ball beyond Budinauckas and reduce the deficit.

Bain and McAulay were taken off at half-time for East Kilbride, with Martin Fellowes and James Fay taking their places, but Pollok were still creating the better chances. Friels had an effort saved and Essler just missed the target twice before John Brogan made his final change, with David Roome replacing Kelly. Roome was to pick up a booking for handball, as was Schoneville for a foul on Stevie Miller before `Lok made their first change, with Alain Kinney coming on for Essler. It was to take Pollok until the 83rd minute before they put the game beyond doubt, and the goal arrived from a familiar source. GAVIN FRIELS cut in from the right-hand side of the park past the East Kilbride defence and curled his shot into the roof of the net
beyond Keegan for his 19th goal of the season and his 51st in Pollok colours. Currie and John Tinney came on for Carruth and Black, and Currie immediately released Friels with an excellent through ball, but his snapshot was well saved by Keegan. The last word was to go to the visitors, however, when the home defence were caught out by an excellent pass through the middle of the park by Roome. Budinauckas came to the edge of his box to meet the ball, only to be left as a spectator as JAMES STRAIN took the ball around him and stroked it into the vacant net.

It will be Pollok, however, who make the trip to Forth Wanderers later in the season when the second round ties are played.

Pollok – Budinauckas, Carruth (Tinney 85), Cruickshank, Aitchison, Heaton, McClay, McKeever, Miller, Friels, Black (Currie 86), Essler (Kinney 81).
Not used: McWilliams, Stewart.
East Kilbride Thistle – Keegan, Schoneville, P. Watson, Matthew, McKinnon, McAulay (Fay 46), Bain (Fellowes 46), Paterson, Strain, Smith, Kelly (Roome 59). Not used: McClung, McDonald.
Booked: Smith (16), Schoneville (67), Roome (71)

Saturday 11th March 2006: Stagecoach Premier League att: 250
Glenafton Athletic 0 Pollok 0

Pollok dropped a further two points in their quest for the league title as they played out a goalless draw with Glenafton at a blustery Loch Park. Rab Sneddon made two changes to his starting eleven, with Alain Kinney and John Tinney dropping out to make way for Stevie Miller and Willie Stewart. They took their place on the substitutes bench alongside trialist Alan Colquhoun (formerly of Shotts Bon Accord, Forth Wanderers, Lesmahagow, Dunipace, Cambuslang Rangers and most recently East Kilbride Thistle) brought in as goalkeeping cover due to the departure of Robert Burns from the club. Glens had four changes from their defeat of Renfrew in the West of Scotland Cup, with John McCaig, Brian Blair, Zander Allan and Davie Stewart all returning to the starting line-up.

The home side had the strong wind behind them as the game kicked off, and after three minutes Scott Houston was just off target with a
header from a free-kick. McCaig picked up an early booking after a hefty challenge on Stevie Miller, who went on to record the first shot on target of the game. A clever back-heel from Simon Black allowed Miller a sight of goal from a tight angle, but his shot was saved by Gary Matthews. McCaig then had to leave the field with an injury and was replaced by Stevie Agnew. A flicked header by Houston from a Glens free-kick found no takers, while a Blair header, also from a free-kick, passed wide of the post as the home side attempted to threaten from set plays. Stewart had a great chance in the 31st minute after being set up by some excellent work from Black, but he could only fire over the bar. His miss paled into comparison with a miss five minutes later, however. A through ball caused Matthews to come out of his penalty box, only to be tackled by Gavin Friels. The ball broke to Black with the goal gaping, but rather than hit the target he blazed the ball over the crossbar by a distance. It was to prove a costly miss.

Gerry Collins made another change at half-time, with Houston staying in the dressing room and being replaced by Darren Johnstone. Black missed with his head five minutes into the second half after connecting with a Ross Currie free-kick. Agnew then struck the bar for `Afton with a cross-cum-shot that had Kevin Budinauckas beaten in the visitors goal. Both managers made changes as play became increasingly disjointed, with Stewart and Joe Carruth leaving the action for `Lok to be replaced by Tinney and Andy Essler, while Brian Chiesa took over from Craig Bingham for the home side. Essler nearly provided the breakthrough for `Lok when his cross was controlled by Black into the path of Friels who could only fire wide from a
great position. Kinney replaced Currie for Pollok and was almost immediately fouled by Chiesa who became the second name in referee McWilliam's book. As the game moved towards injury time the home side nearly stole all three points as Agnew and Chiesa broke on the counter attack, and only a last-ditch tackle by Miller prevented them from having the opportunity of recording a shot on target. Deep into injury-time Friels had a header
saved by Matthews, but in truth the `Lok fans in attendance had already resigned themselves to taking no more than a point from the match.

Glenafton have now failed to beat Pollok in any of the eight league encounters between the teams since the inception of the Super League, but that will be of little consolation to a Pollok side who passed up the opportunity to open up a gap between themselves and Scottish Cup semi-finalists Auchinleck Talbot, poised ominously close to the league summit with games in hand over both teams above them.

Glenafton Athletic: Matthews, Mitchell, Mathie, McGregor, McCaig (Agnew 18), Howie, Bingham (Chiesa 76), Blair, Houston (Johnstone 46),
Allan, Stewart. Not used: McAninch, Patterson.
Booked: McCaig (12), Chiesa (85)
Pollok: Budinauckas, Carruth (Essler 59), Cruickshank, Aitchison, Heaton, McClay, Miller, Currie (Kinney 83), Friels, Stewart (Tinney 68), Black.
Not used: McKeever, Colquhoun.
Booked: none
Ref: A. McWilliam