Saturday 27th March 2004 - Newlandsfield Park. West of Scotland Premier League. Att: 950 (pics c/o Kathryn MacLeod)
Pollok 0 (0) In front of a bustling crowd that must have been pushing 1000, Pollok and visitors Kilwinning Rangers unfortunately did not serve up the anticipated feast of football. Yes there was entertainment and it will be one of the more memorable 0-0 games that the club have been involved in of late, but neither keeper had a great deal to do.
Kilwinning Rangers 0 (0)
Pollok scorer: -

Kilwinning Rangers scorer: -

Derek Heaton stays close to his man		 Martin Baker found his way into the referee's notebook in the 11th minute for a foul on Armstrong as the heat rose, and Lok should have gone head seven minutes later when McLauchlan sclaffed a shot over Wardrope's bar after Heaton had headed across the goal. Wardrope had another let off when Baker mis-hit a free-kick to such a degree that instead of drifting over to the far post it nearly floated at altitude but without much pace into the opposite corner.
An Armstrong cross then proved dangerous at the other end but no one could pounce and as play swung to the other end, David Hamilton fired in an effort from distance on Wardrope that he dealt with. Ten minutes before the break a blunder from Roland Fabiani let in McLauchlan but he could not hit the target. Lok's last first half chance came in the 39th minute when Logan ghosted in unmarked to head a McLauchlan cross over the bar.
The second half followed a similar pattern, though Lok nearly took the lead in the 57th minute when a McPhee shot hit the post with Wardrope beaten hands down. Baker then laid off a free-kick to Hamilton that he drove low but also wide. Young forward Ian Cashmore belatedly gave the Buffs a bit of bite in the final third and he nearly gave them the lead with a netbound shot from a very wide position on the right wing deflected off Mark McWilliams but fortunately Ian Wilson's hands were with him and he made a very clean save.
Raymond Logan and Mark Cameron go up for a high ball

Raymond Logan and Martin McLauchlan with Roland Fabiani 		Lok's gifted young sub Brendan Crozier then shot over after a corner as the home side pushed for the winner, with Proctor and Wardle joining Derek Heaton upfront for the finale. Buffs however managed one break with Adams getting away from Heaton on the right who managed to prevent him cutting in on goal, but the experienced forward let himself down with a clumsy challenge on Ian Wilson who had gone down to smother the ball as he met him at the byeline. Mr Muir flashed a second yellow card in his direction.
There was only time for Lok to fail to convert another pinballing corner and
the final whistle was greeted with cheers from a healthy Buffs travelling contingent. Lok played some of their best football of the season today but it just didn't go for them.
An impressive view of Newlandsfield
PPollok: Wilson, O'Neil, M, McWilliams (sub 90 for Wardle), Aitchison, Heaton, Baker, Hamilton, Logan, McLauchlan (sub 86 for Proctor), Sturrock (sub 63 for Crozier), McPhee. Not used: Nelson, Giles.
booked: Baker 11, M. McWilliams 38, McPhee 90
Kilwinning: Wardrope, Mason, McTurk (sub 60 for Ferris), Cameron (sub 52 for Burns), Currie, Fabiani, McMillan, Farrell, Adams, Armstrong (sub 67 for Cashmore), Goeghegan. Not used: Biggart, Hornell.
booked: Adams 52, Mason 75
sent off: Adams 90
Saturday 20th March 2004 - Newlandsfield Park. West of Scotland Premier League. Att: 500 (pics c/o Kathryn MacLeod)
Pollok 3 (1) The fans voted with their feet yet again with another uncharacteristically low turnout at Newlandsfield for the visit of a youthful Larkhall Thistle. With Raymond Logan unavailable, Ronnie Lowrie decided to give Gary Sturrock a very rare start though there was no place in the starting line-up for new signing, utility man Brian Wardle who arrives from Vale of Leven.
Larkhall Thistle 2 (0)
Pollok scorers: Martin McLauchlan 22, Jimmy McPhee 68, David Hamilton (pen) 90

Larkhall Thistle scorers: Andy Thomson 58, James McKeever 77

David Hamilton and Co wait for the ball		 Pollok's first effort on goal came from Sturrock in the 7th minute from a free-kick though Andy McFarlane should maybe have scored at the other end ten minutes on when from Watson's cross he shot wide under the very close attention of Derek Heaton. The opening goal came in 22 minutes with a ball from deep finding MARTIN MCLAUCHLAN in space at the edge of the Thistle area. The veteran forward took a touch or two to compose himself before flicking the ball past Marshall and into the net.
The game took a turn away from Thistle in the 27th minute when James McCluskey was shown a second yellow card for fouling
McPhee. Sturrock then fired a shot off the post and O'Neil blootered an effort over the bar as Lok tried to make the extra man tell.
The second half told a different story to the first half though, with the
visitors enjoying the upper hand. Wilson had to deny David McFarlane in the
56th minute but 120 seconds later he was beaten when a tame ball from the
left evaded everyone in black and white - but not ANDY THOMSON whose finish
was exactly what would be expected from a man with his scoring record.
Hamilton's late penalty beats a desparing Marshall

Pollok celebrate the late win		 Marshall nearly carried a Sturrock corner over his own line shortly after the hour point and young sub Brendan Crozier then shot wide for Lok as the home side tried to reclaim the lead. The second Lok goal arrived in the 68th minute when effortless spadework from hard-grafting Lok man Mark McWilliams set up JIMMY MCPHEE and with a bit of fortune the ball spun back off him into the net after an initial shot was blocked by Marshall.
The manner that Larkhall equalised enraged Lok boss Ronnie Lowrie. Ian Wilson's throw out to the right was not what he had been instructed to do, and with David Hamiton caught totally unawares, ex-Linlitgow midfielder MARK MCKEEVER nipped in to pick up the loose ball before running on to blast a superb shot from 25 yards into the top right hand corner. But Pollok got out of jail when Kevin O'Neil won a penalty after a Kavanagh challenge deep into stoppage time, and under immense pressure DAVID HAMILTON converted despite Marshall pawing his effort onto the post.
New signing Brian Wardle
Pollok: Wilson, O'Neill, M. McWilliams, Aitchison, Heaton, Baker, Hamilton, Giles (sub 58 for Crozier), McLauchlan, Sturrock, McPhee (sub 83 for Wardle). Not used: Proctor, Nelson, McMenamin.
Booked: Heaton 82
Larkhall Thistle: Marshall, Brown (sub 79 for McShane), Smillie, Kavanagh, Bruce, McCluskey, McKeever, Bovill, Watson, D. McFarlane, A. McFarlane (sub 45 for Thomson). Not used: Nolan, Faulds, Wardlaw (GK).
Booked: McCluskey 21, D. McFarlane 64
Sent off: McCluskey 27
Ref: S Nichols.
Saturday 13th March 2004 - Newlandsfield Park. West of Scotland Cup 3rd Round. Att: 488 (pics c/o Kathryn MacLeod)
Pollok 1 (0) Sadly there was yet another poor attendance at Newlandsfield for what proved to be a scrappy cup affair that neither side could rightfully claim superiority in. Lok boss Ronnie Lowrie omitted Kevin O'Neil, Jimmy McPhee and Raymond Logan from the previous week, giving games in return to youthful duo Paul McMenamin and Kevin Proctor as well as the experienced utility man Mark McWilliams.
Royal Albert 1 (1) (Lok won 9-8 on pens)
Pollok scorer: Paul McMenamin 49

Royal Albert scorer: Chris Gordon 30

Heaton challenges McKenna for possession		 The visitors opened in the 30th minute through CHRIS GORDON when he was
given a great deal of time to break free from the defence to place a neat shot past Wilson from around 20 yards, but Derek Heaton should have levelled when handed a chance on a plate shortly before half-time after a corner. Unfortunately but perhaps not unpredictably, his centre-half's shot spun wide for a goal kick.
The dedicated home supporters were hoping for a marked improvement in the second half, and not too long after the restart the game was tied once more. the equaliser arrived in the 49th minute when a Martin McLauchlan shot from the right was parried by Royal Albert keeper McKenna into PAUL MCMENAMIN's path and the young Irish wideman made up for some poor crosses beforehand with a firm finish for his first ever Pollok goal.
Nelson seeks out Giles from a free-kick

McKenna is put under pressure by Pollok 		Pollok then proceeded to pass up a number of chances with Royal Albert's defending
becoming increasingly industrial, though they got their reward by achieving penalties. Lok have a fair track record in penalties this season (with shootout wins over Sunnybank, Larkhall Thistle, Shotts Bon Accord and Kilsyth Rangers already) though this one went to the wire.
Every player on the pitch at full-time ended up taking a kick, but the important facts were that despite Baker and Nelson missing for Lok, McLenaghan, Murgan and Brown all sinned for the men in Sweden colours. Huge credit to must go to Albert for a very good performance, and from a Pollok perspective hopefully their town neighbours Larkhall Thistle will not take anything but pride from Saturday's fixture.
Colin Giles looks for a breakthrough
Pollok: Wilson, M. McWilliams, Baker, Aitchison, Heaton (sub 81 for Logan), Nelson, Hamilton (sub 72 for Crozier), Giles, McLauchlan, Proctor (sub 72 for McPhee), McMenamin. Not used: O'Neil, Sweeney.
Royal Albert: McKenna, Crumb, McNally, Clarke, Kennedy, Brown, Newman, McLenaghan, Gordon (sub 59 for Wedlock), Holmes, Murgan. Not used: Pinchbeck, Sheen (GK).
Booked: Crumb 57, Kennedy 70, McNally 86
ref: D Nichols

Saturday 6th March 2004 - Portland Park. West of Scotland Premier League. Att: 300
Troon 2 (1) Pollok's hopes of retaining the West of Scotland Premier League title probably foundered down on the Ayrshire coast against Troon, crushed against their own rocks that manifested themselves in the shape of a hesitant and unsteady rearguard.
Pollok 1(1)
Troon scorers: John Gallagher 7, Stephen Reid 63

Pollok scorer: Martin Nelson 41
Troon took the lead in the 7th minute when Reid broke through down the right with Lok protesting for offside, and as Ian Wilson came charging out to meet the pacey forward, he slipped a pass through to JOHN GALLAGHER who had a very simple task of netting with the goal thus unguarded. Tempers flared in the 12th minute, resulting in at least two bookings, but Lok came back into the game the more the half wore on.

Both McPhee and McLauchlan should have scored from headers before Lok did equalise. In the 41st minute Raymond Logan thundered through Troon's defence, eventually cutting the ball back into the path of MARTIN NELSON who took a touch and drilled beyond Strain for his first goal in the black and white of Pollok. In first half stoppage time, John Nolan saw a good free-kick saved by Wilson.

The second half produced more open football as the game swung from one end of the park to the other, with possession being given away cheaply more often than not. Troon took the lead again in thr 63rd minute, when following some very sloppy Lok defending a cross from Strain found STEPHEN REID who fired the ball past Wilson for the second.

Pollok's bad day was summed up when Raymond Logan stormed off to the dressing room after being subbed, despite playing as well as, if not better than, many others on show. Adam Strain then became the hero for Troon with a succession of top class saves as Lok fought hard to get back into contention. Virtually every Lok player had something denied.

Ian Wilson had to deny Haswell late on also as Troon landed a minor blow in amongst the fairly heavy storm that Lok rained upon the Troon defence but credit to Strain for a couple of classy saves to keep the points at Portland Park.

Troon: A. Strain, Henry, Wilson, Nolan, Strachan, Houston (sub 64 for Graham), C. Strain, Duffy, Reid (sub 85 for Haswell), Davidson, Gallagher (sub 75 for Watson). Not used: McLuckie, Phillips.
booked: Nolan 12, C. Strain 12, Houston 37, Duffy 79, Graham 81
Pollok: Wilson, O'Neil, Baker, Aitchison, Heaton, Nelson, Hamilton, Logan (sub 68 for D. McWilliams), McLauchlan, Giles, McPhee. Not used: M. McWilliams, Proctor, Sweeney, Crozier.
booked: O'Neil 12, Heaton 42, Baker 45, Logan 68, D. McWilliams 90