Last-gasp strike puts Port top

Gary Pews • Published 6 Sep 2010 10:30 0 Comments

Share this

PORT GLASGOW’S amazing league run continued on Saturday, as they stormed to the top of the table after this win at Johnstone.

The victory was all the more creditable given the Port were ravaged by injury and unavailability, and Kevin McKay struggled out of his sick bed to come on as a late sub.

But McKay became the match winner with a last-gasp penalty to make it three wins out of three for the Port and leave them as the only team with a 100 per cent record in the Central League First Division.

In an evenly-contested first half, the Burgh hit the bar on 30 minutes, while at the other end Jonathan Donnelly looked to have put the Port ahead on the stroke of half time but a late whistle from referee David Munro for a tight offside decision curtailed the celebrations.

Port striker Scott Nugent replaced Joe Donnachie after 67 minutes and made an immediate impact with a pile-driver from 25 yards out which flew into the net.

But the lead lasted just three minutes when John Sherry scored for Johnstone. Sherry should then have put the home team ahead, but from just four yards out his effort was cleared off the line by Eddie Joyce.

Port Glasgow made the most of the reprieve in the dying minutes when Nugent latched on to a poor back-header and was brought down by the keeper.

McKay’s penalty was his third goal from the spot in the last two games.

A delighted Port boss Craig Brown said: “I was really pleased with the performance. The game was more of a battle than free-flowing football, so it was good to see that we can compete in, and win, those sort of matches as well.”

PORT GLASGOW: Tucker, C. McEwan, Joyce, Brown, McGarrigle, F. McKay, B. Stanton (Nugent 67), Wilson, Donnachie (K. McKay 77), Donnelly, A. McEwan. Sub not used: Kidd.

l Port Glasgow Juniors are sponsored by 5 Star Plasterers, EMG Construction (Ltd.), and WJ.

A POOR first-half performance left Greenock with too much to do, as they tumbled to defeat at Ravenscraig on Saturday.

There was a surprise before the match even started, with assistant manager Martin Campbell, in charge while Stevie Mooney is off on honeymoon, sitting in the stand.

Campbell had been notified late last week of a ban from the dug-out following a row with the referee during Greenock’s league cup defeat to Shotts.

He soon moved down to the spectators area at ground level, but could only watch on in despair as Neilston dominated the first half and eventually took the lead after 33 minutes.

Andrew Irvine clipped the heels of visiting striker Robert Graham in the box, and Charlie Hobbs netted with the resultant spot kick.

Greenock almost equalised straight away but Kenny McKay’s shot from 25 yards thundered off the bar.

Neilston immediately broke upfield to double their lead when an unmarked Robert Cameron scored from close range.

Greenock came out fired-up for the second half and were given the perfect opportunity to get back into the game when they were awarded a penalty of their own in the opening minute after Jason McLaughlin was felled in the box. But skipper Thomas Docherty’s spot-kick flew well over the bar.

Docherty made amends of sorts when he got on the end of an Alan Jamieson cross to head home after 64 minutes, and Greenock almost levelled four minutes later after an almighty scramble in the box.

But when the ball broke free, they were caught with the classic sucker-punch when Neilston stormed to the other end and Hobbs got his second to complete the scoring.

A disappointed Campbell, right, said: “The first half killed us, and was possibly the worst we have played this season.

“We have had a great start to the season, but a result like this will make the lads realise that this league will not be all roses and will be tough.”

GREENOCK: Monk, Irvine, Stirling, B. McLaughlin, M Docherty, Fleming, Bradley, J McLaughlin (K Docherty 57), McKay (Brown 45), T Docherty, A Jamieson. Subs not used: McCormick, Crawford, Quigley, Waterson.

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

This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 06 Sep 10

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

Follow @greenocktele