Saturday 27th March 2010

Any slim mathematical chance that Pollok had of claiming the Stagecoach Super Premier League title finally disappeared on Saturday as they played out a goalless draw with Beith at Bellsdale Park.

New manager Willie Irvine took the helm for the first time, and he included new signing Jojo Connolly in his starting eleven. Joe Carruth, Chris Cruickshank and Paul Hyslop all returned, with Craig Baxter, Ryan McGregor, John Sweeney and Andy Essler the men to drop out. Zander Cowie was called into action early on when John Craig fired a free-kick towards goal from the edge of the box, but the young ‘keeper made a comfortable stop. In the eighth minute slack play from Pollok gifted possession to Andy Reid, but as he took the ball around Cowie the striker threw himself to the turf and was promptly booked for simulation by referee Ross Haswell. Martin McGarvey then saw a near post effort saved before Tommy Nolan shot well wide from distance. In the 19th minute Carruth released Paul Hyslop on the right wing, and only a perfectly timed challenge by Derek McCulloch prevented Bryan Dingwall from putting ‘Lok in front. Craig was high of the target again for the hosts before Nolan came within inches of breaking the deadlock, sending a rasping free-kick narrowly wide from 30 yards out. In the 38th minute Carruth found Dingwall with a throw-in, and somehow the striker fashioned a chance out of nothing with a superb piece of control before chipping the ball just over the crossbar. Beith’s best chance of the half came with four minutes left to play when Craig Brittain charged down the notorious Bellsdale slope before sending a shot narrowly wide of the post from 25 yards.

Early in the second half Beith brought substitute Joe Bradley into the action as a replacement for John Spence, and they almost reaped instant dividends. Beith broke quickly from a Pollok corner, and it was Bradley who ended the move with a curling strike that Cowie just managed to parry away to safety. Another Craig free-kick then caused problems in the ‘Lok defence, with Gerry Joyce being forced into a clearance from under his own crossbar. In the 69th minute Shaun Dillon and Calum Hardie combined to send Dingwall through on goal, but a poor touch coupled with a brave dive by Keith Ross smothered the danger. Three minutes later Beith came within the width of the post of taking the lead when Bradley cut inside his man before sending a low shot against the base of the woodwork. With quarter of an hour left to play the home side almost found a fortuitous path to the front when Chris Kerr’s throw-in came off the back of Dillon’s head and spun just beyond the far post. Craig then tried his luck again with a free-kick from distance, but this time was unable to keep the ball even within the confines of the ground. In a game with few clear-cut chances, both sides were happy in the end to settle for a draw.

Pollok’s defence of the Central League Cup begins next Saturday when they travel to Ravenscraig Stadium to take on Greenock, with kick-off scheduled for 2pm.