Five-star Greenock secure promotion

Published 17 May 2010 14:00 0 Comments

THE champagne flowed at Ravenscraig on Saturday, as Greenock got the result they needed to gain promotion to the Central League First Division.

In the end, they won at a canter, but it took a three-goal blitz in the space of six minutes to calm the early nerves.

It was honours even in a tense opening period as, for the first 20 minutes or so, Forth gave as good as they got in a bid to spoil the party.

But when Ryan MacDonald then put Greenock ahead with a header, the visitors' resistance collapsed.

Just 60 seconds later, David McClure made it 2-0, despite claims of offside from the Forth defence, and a rampant Greenock got a third in 26 minutes when MacDonald squeezed another header under the body of Forth keeper Ross Hendrie.

The onslaught continued in the second half.

A McClure shot was blocked on the line by what Greenock claimed was a hand, but ref William Cowie deemed to have been a chest, but the fourth goal did eventually come in 64 minutes.

Ross Kearns was the scorer, netting from close range after a goalmouth scramble.

With all three subs now on, Greenock continued to press, and it was one of the replacements who got number five on 73 minutes with the best goal of the game.

Kenny McKay collected the ball on the edge of the box and curled a beauty past the keeper and into the net to complete the scoring.

Forth almost snatched a consolation goal near the end with a shot which hit the bar, so Mark Monk kept a clean sheet and the Greenock defence ended with the best record in the league, conceding an average of just over one goal per match, but scoring twice as many at the other end.

As the final whistle went, the celebrations began.

GREENOCK: Monk, Irvine, McCormick, B. McLaughlin, Fabiani, Docherty, Kearns, Crawford, McClure (J. McLaughlin 62), MacDonald (McKay 62), Gilmour (Bell 67). Sub not used: Mooney.

Greenock Juniors are sponsored by Regents Vehicle Sales, Greenock, Kingsley Wood Solicitors and Notaries, and the Lighthouse Bar.

FOR FULL STORY, SEE TODAY'S TELE

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This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 17 May 10

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