Greenock Telegraph | Sport | Coyle double takes Port into cup semi

Friday, 9th January, 2009

Published: Thursday, 5th June, 2008 12:00

Coyle double takes Port into cup semi

By Gary Pews

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HURLFORD 0 PORT GLASGOW 2

Image related to story, see caption or article text

Twin strike: Two goals from Paul Coyle, above left, took Port through to a cup semi-final.

Pic by: George Munro

A TWIN-STRIKE from Paul Coyle saw Port Glasgow progress to the Cup-Winners Cup semi-final last night.

But the Hurlford groundsman could also have been a contender for the man-of-the-match award.

The Ayrshire team could be regretting having prepared such a lush surface, which compared starkly to the bobbles and bumps of Ravenscraig and allowed the Port to play free- flowing football.

And how Brian Heron’s men took advantage of the bowling-green like pitch. Solid defending, with neat passing interchanges from the back setting up raids down either flank, was the key to success in this game.

Yet it took all of 41 minutes for Port to take the lead. Adam Taylor’s run carried him into the box, where he was crudely brought down for a stick-on spot kick. Coyle sent Hurlford keeper Alan Smith the wrong way to put the Port ahead at the interval.

The Ravenscraig men came out for the second half determined to get the early counter which would put the tie to bed, and they almost got it in 55 minutes. A Jim Brown drive from 10 yards out looked a sure-fire goal until the Hurlford goalkeeper pulled off a magnificent reflex save.

But the clincher did come just 10 minutes later. Joe Beckley swung in a corner to find Coyle unmarked in the box, and a powerful angled header beat both the keeper and a defender on the line to put the Port on easy street, and give the left-back his second brace of the season.

A deflated Hurlford then resorted to long-range shots, which barely troubled the commanding presence of Sean Graham in the Port goal, while at the other end Joe Beckley almost made it three with a shot that went just over the bar.

The scenes of joy at the final whistle confirmed Heron’s pre-match message that the Port were taking the Cup-Winners Cup very seriously.

A glamour semi-final tie at Ravenscraig is their reward, with the opponents to be either Arthurlie, who last night won the Central League Cup, or Cumnock or Kilwinning, who do battle tonight in the final of the Ayrshire Cup.

Heron was delighted with the performance. He said: “No disrespect to Hurlford, who have had a fantastic season, but I thought we were in total control from the first minute to the last.

“The condition of the park gave us an opportunity to play football, so that was a pleasure.”

With Scott Nugent failing a late fitness test, the boss teased that Coyle might be making a late bid to steal the top scorer’s crown. He joked: “Paul’s starting to think he’s a goalscorer. He has got a few with his head, and takes a good penalty as well. We are in another semi-final, and it just adds to what has been a tremendous season.”

Port Glasgow: Graham, A. Banks, Coyle, Walton (Temporal 89), S. Banks, McEwan, Flynn, Taylor, Brown, Beckley, Monaghan. Subs not used —Jack, Walker

l Port Glasgow Juniors are sponsored by Renfrewshire Electronics and the Senit Group. Kit sponsored by Swordfish Signs and Remax Gourock.

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