Seven-goal cup thumping for Port

Published 11 May 2010 14:00 0 Comments

Share this

DEFEAT: Craig Brown.

PORT GLASGOW were unceremoniously dumped out of the Central League Cup last night, with this crushing defeat at the hands of Pollok.

Weakened by the loss of some key players as the season nears its end, and with an ill Stewart Jack as the only viable outfield substitute, it was always going to be an impossible task to keep the Premier League club at bay

But, strangely enough, the Port managed to do that for the opening 28 minutes, until Joe Connolly opened the scoring for the Glasgow side.

The match turned in the next 60 seconds. Jonathan Donnelly was clean through on goal but took one touch too many and the chance was lost. Pollok then broke downfield and won a corner, from which Shaun Dillon bulleted home a header to make it 2-0.

The goals then rained in, with a double from Brian Dingwall sending Port Glasgow in four behind at the interval.

Dingwall got his hat-trick within 10 minutes of the restart, as it became a damage limitation exercise for the Port.

The Pollok striker was causing no end of bother to the Port defence, and won a penalty for the home side when he was brought down in the box by Paul Stanton in 67 minutes, and Dillon converted the spot-kick.

The irrepressible Dingwall made it 7-0 with two minutes left, but right at the death, Donnelly almost got what would have been a just reward for his non-stop effort, but his thunderous shot from 25 yards crashed back off the bar.

And so Pollok completed the double over the Inverclyde clubs in this tournament, having beaten Greenock at Ravenscraig in the previous round.

But Port boss Craig Brown feels the defeat has to be put in context.

He said: ''Of course I am disappointed with the result, but our numbers were depleted and we had to patch a team together tonight, with even one or two who played not being fully fit.

"It was a harsh lesson for our younger players, but one I hope they can learn from and gain from the experience.''

Due to the cup rules, Brown was not able to field any trialists to boost his squad numbers.

But that does not apply to the two remaining league matches, and it looks likely a few youngsters from the Port Under 21s team could make an appearance at Ravenscraig on Wednesday evening, when Port Glasgow play Blantyre Vics, with a 7.15pm kick-off.

PORT GLASGOW: Graham, McCann, Coyle, Brown, Stanton, K.McKay, F.McKay, Wilson, Nugent, Donnelly, Beckley. Subs not used: Piggott, Kidd.

Port Glasgow Juniors are sponsored by 5 Star Plasterers, and WJ.

This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 11 May 10

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

Follow @greenocktele