Saturday 29th August 2009

David McGeown (68)
David Turnbull (pen 90)

Pollok were made to fight all the way by newly promoted Kilbirnie Ladeside, but eventually clinched all three Stagecoach Super Premier League points at Newlandsfield Park.

There were two changes to Rab Sneddon’s starting eleven from the game against Bellshill Athletic, with Brian Wardle and Ryan McGregor dropping to the bench to be replaced with Chris Cruickshank and Calum Hardie. Paul McAulay was first to try his luck early on for Pollok, but he could only pull his shot wide from 25 yards out. In the sixth minute hesitancy from Cruickshank allowed Alain Kinney a sight of goal, but Kris Robertson was alert to the danger and made a terrific block with his chest.. At the other end Hardie showed good footwork to cut in from the wing and find space for a strike, but his shot was down the middle and easily taken by Paul McCann. Davie Turnbull then fired narrowly over before Stevie Miller saw a drive headed away by Robbie Cochrane for a corner kick. After 35 minutes a dangerous cross found Kinney in the penalty area, but Joe Carruth managed to get a crucial touch on the ball to divert it for a Kilbirnie corner. Two minutes later Peter Jordan found the target from 30 yards out, but his effort was gathered comfortably by Robertson.

The second half opened with Cochrane positioning himself well to deny McAulay after a low Hardie cross before a moment of controversy in the 51st minute. Jamie Longworth drove the ball at goal and struck the arm of Gerry Joyce, but referee Euan Anderson waved away the visitor’s penalty claims. Longworth then had another two attempts, shooting wide after a short free-kick then sending a tame effort into the arms of Robertson after a Jordan throw-in. Bryan Dingwall made a welcome return as a substitute for ‘Lok after 58 minutes, but he wasn’t involved in the goal that broke the deadlock ten minutes later. DAVID McGEOWN powered out of midfield and played a neat one-two with Turnbull before planting the ball beyond McCann into the corner of the net. Robertson reacted well to save a deflected Davie Anderson shot before McGeown headed just over from a Carruth cross. In the 73rd minute Ladeside spurned three chances to equalise. Ryan Frew burst through the heart of the Pollok rearguard, only to be denied by a superb Robertson save. The ball fell to a Kilbirnie boot, but Joyce made a goal-line block. The rebound again fell to a visitor, but this time Richie Chang blazed over to end the danger. McCann was forced to back-pedal seven minutes later to stop an ambitious 35-yarder from McGeown before Liam McGuinness sent a free-kick just high of the bar. Pollok wrapped the points up five minutes into added time when a McCann kick-out was headed back to Turnbull. As he advanced on goal he was tripped by McCann, and the ‘keeper was dismissed from the action. Defender Paul Bell took over between the sticks for the resultant spot kick, but he was rendered helpless as DAVIE TURNBULL picked himself to despatch the ball into the corner of the net.

A series of postponements and fixture changes has led to Pollok opening their season with four home league ties, the last of which is this Saturday against Lanark United.