Greenock eye up victory chance

William Dick • Published 6 Aug 2010 11:59 0 Comments

Share this

click to enlarge
RETURN: Skipper Kevin McLaren is back for Greenock.

IT may be a case of now or never if Greenock are to achieve a second win in this troubled SNCL campaign.

Certainly, with three tricky games to follow in the run-in, they will never have a better chance than against tomorrow's visitors to Glenpark, McCrea FS West.

Like Greenock, West have hit on hard times, having lost their New Zealand professional Leighton Burtt to injury halfway through the season and regularly having to play without a clutch of star players.

Not only are the Hamilton Crescent outfit the only team to have lost to Greenock this term, they are also sitting just above today's hosts in second bottom place.

A home win this afternoon would not quite be enough to see Greenock leapfrog West, but it would raise genuine hopes they could avoid this season's wooden spoon.

There may greater optimism in the camp ahead of this game than most but, following defeats to Watsonians and the National Academy last weekend, club president David Campbell warned: "We will have to play better than we have been.

"Last Saturday against Watsonians was a major disappointment when the guys just didn't perform.

"Clearly West are not in the same class as Watsonians this season but we will have to step things up and earn anything we are to get from the game."

There was a little more encouragement from Sunday's performance against the Academy when Willie Rowan in particular put Greenock in a position of strength.

However, familiar failings returned to haunt them as they let their rivals off the hook.

Richie Berrington is once again away on Saltires duty as is coach Tony Judd, the national team's video analyst and assistant coach.

However, skipper Kevin McLaren, pictured, having missed the defeat to the Academy, returns and Roddy Kelso retains his place after an encouraging debut.

West, meanwhile, will be without their three Saltires stars - Gordon Goudie, Moneeb Iqbal and Dougie Lockhart.

On a lighter note Campbell advised that the club is staging a fun day tomorrow to mark the recent 60th birthday of Greenock stalwart Bill Gunn.

Gunn played for the Glenpark club throughout five decades from the 60s and his Golden Oldies will take on a President's XI.

Campbell added: "There will be some familiar faces from the past taking part and it should be a great day which will hopefully attract a good crowd."

Campbell himself will play for Gunn's team along with the likes of Roger Hardie, Tom Black and Peter Hempsey, while the President's team will contain a mix of current Greenock and Inverclyde players.

Greenock Cricket Club is grateful for the support of the following: Presidential Suite - Blair & Bryden Solicitors; Match Sponsor - Derek MacFeate; Ball Sponsor - Charles Briggs.

This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 06 Aug 10

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our Sport archives.

Follow @greenocktele