Richie Newall (7)
Bryan Dingwall (25, 45)

Pollok claimed a further three points in their pursuit of the Stagecoach Super Premier League title as they dismissed already relegated Neilston by a 3-0 margin at Newlandsfield Park.

Andy Essler continued in an unfamiliar left-back role for Pollok as Shaun Dillon served the final game of a four-match ban, but offered an attacking threat in the fourth minute. Essler latched onto a long clearance from goalkeeper Kris Robertson and hooked a cross towards Bryan Dingwall that the striker just failed to reach. Ally Murray offered up Neilston’s first attempt when shooting over from a tight angle, and his side would concede the opening goal in the seventh minute. Calum Hardie was toppled just outside the penalty area, and RICHIE NEWALL stepped up to stroke a precise free-kick into the bottom-left corner of the net. Neilston retaliated straight from the kick off, with Murray again firing over from a similar position to his first effort. Matt Shields then tested Robertson when collecting a rebound from a free-kick, but the Pollok ‘keeper made a simple save to keep his shot out. Newall lifted a strike over the crossbar from 18 yards out before Pollok scored a second goal in the 25th minute. Neilston failed to clear their lines properly, with possession arriving at the feet of Davie Turnbull. He picked out Calum Hardie in space, who flicked the ball with the outside of his boot to BRYAN DINGWALL, with the hitman guiding a shot beyond Brian Hewitt to make it 2-0. Pollok almost added a third two minutes later when Newall sent a scissor-kick over from 16 yards out. Hardie showed great control in the 42nd minute to create space in the area, but he could only stab the ball wide of target. Neilston’s closest effort came in the 44th minute when Gary Flemming launched a fierce strike from the edge of the penalty area that Robertson parried superbly. ‘Lok would score again two minutes into first half injury time when Dingwall seized upon a long ball and played in Turnbull. He held the ball up before returning it to BRYAN DINGWALL, who turned his marker inside out before firing home.

With a hectic fixture load looming Harry Erwin took the chance to give Alan Waddell some match practice as he replaced Turnbull at half-time. Pollok continued to dominate proceedings, and Dingwall almost claimed his second hat-trick in as many games with a powerful header from a corner that was blocked by Mark Stinson on the line. From the resultant set-piece Dingwall tried his luck again, but again Stinson made a goal-line clearance. Waddell then fired a shot on the turn narrowly wide before Murray floated a cross just over for the visitors. Brian MacKay replaced Newall for Pollok, who had Dingwall needlessly booked for a foul on Paul Gabel. Neilston substitute Jamie Gilliland volleyed over from close range after 73 minutes before Pollok made their final change, with John Sweeney taking the place of Andy McClay. Neither side threatened in the final quarter of an hour however, with Neilston resigned to their fate and ‘Lok happy to conserve energy for the title run-in.

Next up for Pollok is a meeting with Kirkintilloch Rob Roy at Newlandsfield on Monday evening, with the winners set to travel to Neilston in the quarter-finals of the competition.