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

Saturday 17th September 2005: West of Scotland Cup 1st Round. Att: 418
Pollok 1 (Chris Cruickshank 19) Whitletts Victoria 0

Pollok edged through to the second round of the West of Scotland Cup with an unconvincing one goal victory over Whitletts Victoria at
Newlandsfield Park. Andy McClay and Martin McLauchlan were still missing for `Lok, but Derek Heaton was once again available, and he returned to the starting eleven in place of Ross Currie as the only change from the side that faced Maryhill the previous week. The big centre-half nearly had his side in trouble after only four minutes, however, when a poor header fell to Ross McCulloch 16 yards from goal, but he dragged his effort wide. Further slack defending allowed Bobby Kelly a sight of goal seven minutes later, but although he managed to prod his effort through the legs of Ian Wilson the ball ran wide of the post.

Bryan Smith saw a snapshot go wide for the home side after 15 minutes before Dominic Booth had to make way for Stuart Morrison in an early change for the visitors. `Lok were to take the lead shortly afterwards when Smith flicked the ball through to Gavin Friels. His shot was charged down, but CHRIS CRUICKSHANK was on hand to place the ball into the net with his left foot from 12 yards out. Cruickshank nearly turned provider five minutes later when his cross was met by the head of Friels, but he couldn't find the target from close range. Whitletts had an opportunity to draw level after 27 minutes, when Heaton fouled McCulloch just outside the box. Chris Skippen stepped up to take the free kick, but Wilson was able to hold on to his well directed effort.

Pollok could have extended their lead after 31 minutes when hitting on the counter-attack. Friels released Simon Black at the halfway line, and after taking the ball forward he played in Smith, but his prod at goal was stopped by Darren Wilson. `Lok had the ball in the net a minute later when Friels fired home after losing a boot during the build-up play. With Law 4 stating that footwear is compulsory referee Mulvaney pulled play back and awarded an indirect free kick to the visitors. Cruickshank then headed wide from a Joe Carruth cross, and Friels shot over after receiving the ball from a Carruth throw in.

`Lok could have doubled their lead within 20 seconds of the resumption when a searching ball from Heaton found Friels, but Wilson saved his strike. Graham Longair became the first booking of the game when he tripped Martin Nelson after 49 minutes, and Morrison saw a 35 yard shot sail over the bar seven minutes later. Friels headed over from a Nelson corner shortly afterwards, and Black curled an attempt wide from the edge of the box as the home side tried to kill off the game. Scott Weir replaced Kelly for Whitletts while Frankie Haggarty came on in place of Willie Stewart for the home side. While the gap remained at just one goal Whitletts were by no means out of the tie, although they were rarely troubling Wilson in the Pollok goal. Their best chance came from a long range shot from James Davidson, but the `Lok `keeper dealt with it comfortably.

Jeff Howe was booked for a foul on Nelson before both teams made further changes. Gavin Sim was introduced to the action in place of Ricky Ryland, and Nelson and John McAulay made way for Peter Jordan and Mark McKeever as Rab Sneddon made a double substitution with 12 minutes to go. The final chance of the match came as the game moved towards injury time, when Smith crossed from the right only for Black's header to come back off the crossbar.`Lok can therefore be satisfied to be in the draw for the next round, but more will be required if they are to overcome Arthurlie in their next match in the first round of the Scottish Junior Cup.

Pollok: Wilson, Carruth, McAulay (Jordan 78), Aitchison, Heaton, Nelson (McKeever 78), Stewart (Haggarty 65), Smith, Black, Friels, Cruickshank. Not used: Paterson, Burns.
Whitletts Victoria: Wilson, Ryland (Sim 74), Longair, Dunlop, Howe, Booth (Morrison 16), Skippen, McCulloch, Lymburn, Kelly (Weir 65), Davidson. Not used: Millar, Moyles.
Booked: Longair (49), Howe (71)
Ref: A. Mulvaney

Maryhill and Pollok shared the points in a proverbial "game of two halves" at Lochburn Park in the Stagecoach Super Premier League. After defeat by Arthurlie the previous week Pollok manager Rab Sneddon made only two changes, with neither Martin McLauchlan nor Derek Paterson fit enough to even make the bench. Bryan Smith and Ross Currie were the players making the step-up to the starting eleven, while ex-`Lok players Martin Baker and Brian Wardle featured for the home side who were missing suspended Billy Jones and Martin Hughes.

Maryhill were first to try their luck in front of goal, with ex-Dundee United youngster Joseph Andrew having a near post effort saved by Ian Wilson in the second minute. The first booking of the match came in the 14th minute when 'Hill's summer signing from Stenhousemuir Greig McCulloch was booked after a lunge at Chris Cruickshank, and from the subsequent free-kick Simon Black headed wide of goal. At the other end Wardle was off target with a weak volley that sailed over the bar from 8 yards out. The best move of the half for the visitors came in the 23rd minute when Smith and Black linked well down the right hand side of the park, but when Black fired his cross low across goal Gavin Friels was narrowly unable to connect with the ball. A goal wasn't far away, and it was to be the home side who took the lead. A long ball from Scott Black was controlled by BRYAN DINGWALL with his back to goal, and he showed his quality by turning and firing an excellent shot into the top corner of the net.

Maryhill deserved to be ahead at this stage, and could have extended their lead after poor communication between Wilson and Joe Carruth allowed Wardle to prod the ball goalwards, but off target. Kevin Murray then had a weak effort saved and Dingwall shot just off target before having a wonderful chance to double the lead. Wardle played in Andrew on the left hand side, and when Dingwall connected with his cross a goal seemed certain, but Wilson made a fabulous stop to keep the deficit at one. Pollok finished the half with a Currie mis-hit landing in front of Black, who was just beaten to the ball by his namesake in the home goal, and with a Friels effort being easily dealt with by the `keeper.

The second half started with Smith going close for the visitors with a deflected effort that spun just wide, while sloppy defending nearly allowed a second goal for `Hill in the 55th minute. Alex Clearie found space on the right-hand side of the `Lok defence, and Wilson couldn't hold his shot. Cruickshank tried to clear up the danger, but only succeeded in finding Wardle, who could only put the ball over the unguarded goal as hestretched to reach it. Martin Nelson then rattled the crossbar from 25 yards out as Pollok started to become more threatening. The equaliser arrived in the 63rd minute, and it came in some style with a length of the park move. Cruickshank took an overhit Maryhill cross and brought the ball forward before passing to Black on the halfway line. He showed excellent control when turning his marker and played the ball to Friels on the left-hand side, who held the ball up long enough to allow his strike partner to get into the box. Friels then picked him out with a precise pass, and SIMON BLACK made no mistake with his finish to bring the scores level.

This sparked a five-minute spell during which Friels had opportunities to give Pollok the lead, but the best chance of the game fell to Black. Currie had a shot spilled by the home `keeper straight into the path of Black but he wasn't able to convert the one-on-one as the `Hill custodian stopped his shot at goal. Although `Lok were on top by this stage the danger posed by Dingwall couldn't be ignored, and he looked to have won his side a penalty in the 76th minute after being brought down by Wilson, but for the second week in a row Pollok were saved by an assistant's flag, this time indicating that the home hitman had been offside prior to the foul. Both teams made changes towards the end of the game, the most notable of which was the return of Frankie Haggarty for the first time since sustaining a serious injury last December. Neither side could find a winner, however, although Dingwall did find his way into the referee's notebook for dissent.

Both teams then fall further behind pacesetters Renfrew in the league, and will have to wait for the opportunity to make up ground as both have West of Scotland Cup ties for their next fixture.

Maryhill: Black, McCulloch, Baker, Miller, S Gallagher, Wardle (P Gallagher 66), Murray, McGuinness, Dingwall, Clearie, Andrew (Johnston 85). Not used: Wilson, Inglis, Invincibile
Booked: McCulloch (14), Dingwall (89)
Pollok: Wilson, McAulay, Cruickshank, Aitchison, Carruth, Nelson, Smith, Currie (McGinty 88), Black (Sinclair 80), Friels, Stewart (Haggarty 82). Not used: Tinney, Jordan

Saturday 3rd September 2005: Stagecoach Premier League
Pollok 1 (Mark McKeever 50) Arthurlie 3 (Stevie Convery 14, 72, Zander Ryan 28) att: 950

Pollok saw their 100% league record disappear as they were beaten at Newlandsfield Park by local rivals Arthurlie. Home manager Rab Sneddon was without the services of Andy McClay, suspended after being dismissed against Auchinleck Talbot, with Derek Paterson being brought in as the only change to the eleven that started at Beechwood Park. Arthurlie meanwhile had four changes to the side that was defeated when the sides clashed in the Carlsberg League Cup three weeks previously.

`Lok nearly took an early lead when Marc McShane was short with a pass back in the first minute, but Gavin Friels couldn't capitalise after charging down Kris Robertson's attempted clearance. It was to be the visitors who struck first with a well worked goal in the 14th minute. A through ball from midfield was flicked perfectly into the path of STEVIE CONVERY, and he gave Ian Wilson no chance as he curled a perfectly placed effort beyond the reach of the `keeper. Pollok were offering little at the other end, their closest effort being when Simon Black hit the side netting with a free-kick.

`Lie were to double their lead in the 28th minute. ZANDER RYAN headed for the bye-line, but rather than cut the ball back across goal he drilled a low effort into the bottom left-hand corner of the net from a tight angle. Pollok brought on Mark McKeever to replace Paterson as they went in search of a goal to get back into matters, but Arthurlie continued to look dangerous and thought they had a penalty in the 33rd minute. Martin McGarvey was fouled amid confusion in the `Lok box, but as referee Hugh McIntyre pointed to the spot his assistant flagged to indicate that the visiting midfielder had handled the ball prior to being fouled, and the decision was reversed. Stuart Allison then had a header stopped on the line by Martin Nelson as Arthurlie continued to dominate proceedings.

The second half started on a much brighter note for the home fans, with `Lok getting a goal to bring themselves back into the game in the 50th minute. McLauchlan crossed from the right hand side and although his ball was just too high for Friels, MARK McKEEVER arrived at the back to bury a volley beyond Robertson. Within a minute Stevie Jack had nearly restored the two-goal advantage, but his thumping 30-yard effort was touched over by Wilson. Black then saw a looping header land on top of the net after a Nelson corner.

The game had opened up by this point, and Brian McKeown was the next to have a go, but he mis-hit his volley wide from a McShane cross. Joe Carruth had taken up a more advanced role for `Lok, and it was one of his forward runs that released McLauchlan on the right, but his cross was glanced wide by Friels. Charlie Hobbs and Mark Travers came on in place of McKeown and David McKenzie after 62 minutes, and Hobbs was to be
heavily involved in the goal that put the game beyond the reach of Pollok. His cross was met by the head of STEVIE CONVERY, who made no mistake under little pressure from the home rearguard.

Derek Sinclair replaced John McAulay in an attempt to salvage at least a point, while two-goal Convery took the acclaim of the visiting fans as he
was replaced by Alan Waddell for the last 14 minutes. Nelson saw a free kick well saved by Robertson before the final change of the game, Bryan Smith replacing Willie Stewart. The ex-Arthurlie man injected a little bit more life into the home side, firstly with a mishit shot that landed in the path of Chris Cruickshank, but his lifted effort towards goal was easily cleared. Smith then got his head to a McKeever cross, but Robertson saved easily. In injury time Smith also hit the post, again with a header, but the truth was that over the 90 minutes Arthurlie had deserved their two goal victory.

The result still leaves Arthurlie adrift at the foot of the table due to the 12 point penalty imposed on them at the start of the season, while Pollok slipped three points behind unbeaten Renfrew at the top of the table.

Pollok: Wilson, Carruth, Cruickshank, Aitchison, McAulay (Sinclair 72), Paterson (McKeever 31), Stewart (Smith 79), Nelson, McLauchlan, Friels, Black. Not used: Currie, McGinty
Booked: McLauchlan (32), Aitchison (76)
Arthurlie: Robertson, McShane, Wilson, S Jack, Allison, McKeown (Travers 62), Ryan, McGarvey, Convery (Waddell 76), J Jack, McKenzie (Hobbs 62). Not used: Kerr, MacKay