Greenock lose out in ten-goal thriller
Gary Pews • Published 16 Jan 2012 13:00
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GOALS GALORE: Despite scoring four times, Greenock lost out to Yoker in a ten-goal classic.
GREENOCK lost out in a ten-goal thriller at Holm Park on Saturday in a match which had absolutely everything.
As well as the feast of goals, there was a red card, two penalties and incidents galore, with Greenock manager Stevie Mooney raging at the performance of referee Martin McCarthy.
The drama began with just 90 seconds on the clock, when Kenny Mackay latched on to a through pass from John Carter and fired under Yoker keeper Craig Winslow to give Greenock an early lead.
But their advantage lasted only two minutes.
A Mark McManus cross into the Greenock box hit Tam Jamieson high on his chest, but to everyone's astonishment - including the Yoker players and bench - referee McCarthy deemed it a hand ball and awarded Yoker a penalty kick, from which Stephen Wedlock levelled the scores.
A stunned Greenock were reeling, and it took two fines saves from keeper Mark Monk to stop Yoker from going ahead.
But the home team eventually got their noses in front from another spot kick in the 31st minute.
Jamieson was involved again, this time bringing down Gary Arbuckle just inside the box as the striker bore down on goal.
The defender was shown a red card for preventing a clear goalscoring opportunity, but bizarrely, was still making his way off the park as Wedlock netted again from the spot.
The Greenock defence was exposed six minutes later as Michael Rogers had a virtual tap-in from just six yards out to put Yoker 3-1 up, but the ten men fought back just before the break.
A magnificent long ball from Keiron Pettigrew found John Carter in the clear, and the striker neatly slotted the ball into the net to go in at half-time 3-2 behind.
The second-half began with yet another goal blitz.
Yoker restored their two-goal advantage within three minutes of the restart, when Rogers again scored form close range.
But Greenock refused to lie down, and two minutes later a Carter header made it 4-3.
With the goals raining in, Yoker netted again on 57 minutes, when a free-kick took a deflection to beat keeper Monk.
But astonishingly, Greenock pulled one back just 60 seconds later when a Pettigrew shot from 20 yards out went in off a post.
Greenock still believed they could take something from the game, but were finally beaten when Ryan Frew made it 6-4 to Yoker after 69 minutes, and this time there was to be no way back.
However, there was no shortage of incidents in the last 20 minutes as tempers flared and a few skirmishes broke out.
Greenock boss Mooney felt referee McCarthy was responsible for much of the tension in the game.
He said: "The referee didn't know how to control the game and was the worst I have seen for some time.
"He was just as bad for Yoker as he was for us, but the decisions against us came at crucial times in the game. Frankly, I don't think he was good enough for this level.
"But I was proud of the boys. They fought hard to keep getting back into the match, but when Yoker went 6-4 up that was it all over.''
GREENOCK: Monk, Irvine (Boyd 83), M Docherty (Begley 70), T Jamieson, Scott, Kearns (Smythe 24), Dallas, Fleming, Carter, Mackay, Pettigrew. Sub not used: McCormick.
This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 16 Jan 12
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