East Stirlingshire vs BSC Glasgow

Report

EAST STIRLINGSHIRE 3 BSC GLASGOW 0

At the full-time whistle Shire emerged 3-0 winners over BSC Glasgow in the team’s fifth straight league win at Ochilview this season.

By the latter stages Shire were playing some flowing football and creating a crowd-pleasing number of scoring opportunities. They might have scored more than three but the scoreline doesn’t tell the full story of the match on its own.

In truth, Shire had to defend well for large parts of the first half in particular and keeper Jamie Barclay was responsible for a few decent saves as BSC Glasgow, bright and enthusiastic and determined, set out their stall.

Coach John Sludden named the same starting eleven that had turned in such a wonderful display of attacking football seven days earlier against Gretna 2008. But this was another day and a different set of opponents. The old adage that no two games of football are ever alike most certainly applied.

There was no picking up where Shire had left off against Gretna. Instead the team had to think about staying in the game as the visitors applied pressure while Shire found it hard to get their own game going.

To be fair, this was not the Shire defence that found itself three goals down in no time at all after a poor opening at Selkirk. Instead the rearguard was composed and did its job of keeping their opponents as far as possible from their goal.

The only efforts BSC Glasgow managed were from distance; Arnault Bembo fired one over the bar after seven minutes although Tom Wood did force Barclay into a save with another effort from outside the area six minutes later.

Slowly, Shire eased themselves into the game. Derek Ure’s free-kick was saved by visiting keeper Joe Wilton and Paul Sludden cracked a 25 yarder just wide of the post.

Then, after 18 minutes, Shire’s first incisive attacking move of the game brought a goal. Andy Rodgers ran at the defence, played the ball in to David Grant who turned and played a perfect pass for Kris Faulds to run on to and finish in brilliant fashion.

But that was the high point of the opening period. After 26 minutes David Grant ran clear but his sight of goal was shut down and although he offloaded to Simon White the midfielder shot wide. A minute later Faulds played David Grant in but his shot was blocked.

With eight minutes of the half to go Shire’s leading scorer this season had a great chance to make it two but shot wide and a minute after that Faulds forced the keeper into a fine save.

The visitors started the second half with a renewed sense of purpose. After 48 minutes they were unfortunate not to equalise when Shaun Bowers saw his header from Gerard Traynor’s corner cleared off the line by Connor Greene and Matthew Beckett, who picked up the loose ball, then had his shot saved by Jamie Barclay.

The Shire keeper had to look busy to divert Bembo’s long-range effort over the bar with a fingertip save just two minutes later.

The game might have changed direction with those moments. Instead, it swung the other way, and decisively towards Shire after 52 minutes. Graeme MacGregor fed Rodgers on the right and the Shire striker cut inside, exchanged passes with Paul Sludden on the edge of the box before sliding a expertly-directed first-time shot past Wilton for the second home goal.

That finally unleashed the headlong rush towards the BSC Glasgow goal that the Shire fans had been hoping for. Five minutes after scoring Rodgers grazed the top of the bar with another great shot and barely a minute later David Grant crossed for Faulds whose effort was just off target.

Then David Grant found himself clean through on goal but Wilton made a fine save before Sludden was also denied by the keeper.

MacGregor tried to get in on the act but his 67th minute effort was just too high. After 77 minutes David Grant was fouled inside the box and although Wilton saved Rodgers’ penalty kick, the keeper parried the ball straight back to the spot kick taker who accepted his second chance to find the back of the net.

With ten minutes to go Barclay kept the clean sheet intact with a spectacular flying save to keep Traynor’s 20 yard free-kick out.

But Shire finished with a flourish; substitute Dylan McGuigan might have added a fourth goal on 87 minutes but was denied by a great leg save from Wilton and, with the final kick of the game, David Grant’s 20 yard effort struck the base of the post.

SHIRE : Barclay, MacGregor, Ramsay, A. Grant, Greene, White(Murray 76), Rodgers, Ure, D. Grant, Sludden(McGuigan 76), Faulds(Peddie 83).

BSC GLASGOW : Wilton, Bowers(Dryden 80), Traynor, Toner, Bell, Cunningham, Beckett(Duncan 60), Bembo(Newlands 70), Jones, Wood, Ferris.