Weekend junior football previews

Gary Pews • Published 27 Jan 2012 13:00

Greenock Juniors

CAN anyone stop Glasgow Perthshire's relentless march towards the league title?

That's the question on everyone's lips, as Greenock travel to Possil tomorrow, bidding to become the first team to inflict defeat on the league leaders this season.

After struggling to avoid relegation during the previous two seasons, Perthshire's transformation in the current campaign has been nothing short of amazing.

Having now played every other team in the Central League First Division bar Shettleston, they have racked up an astonishing 13 wins and one draw, with Larkhall Thistle the only side to have come close to a win, with a 1-1 draw a few weeks ago.

During their run the lethal strike force of John Paul Craig and his cousin Paul Craig have been banging in the goals for fun, while at the back their miserly defence, with former Greenock player Sean Stirling at centre-half, has conceded just nine goals in 14 matches.

So the task facing Greenock tomorrow is clear.

But they can take hope from the fact that they ran Perthshire close when the sides met at Battery Park last October.

Then, the game looked like heading for a goalless draw until a defensive slip allowed the Glasgow club to grab a late goal to snatch the three points.With Greenock manager Stevie Mooney out of the area this week on a work-related training course, his assistant, Martin Campbell, has been 'looking after the shop'. Campbell reports a clean bill of health with the squad after this week's training sessions, with one exception.

Ross Kearns was unable to train on Monday, but after some physiotherapy he took part in some of Wednesday's session, giving Campbell hope the midfielder will be available for selection tomorrow.

Meanwhile, from his temporary base in the east of the country, from where he will return in time for tomorrow's game, Mooney gave his thoughts on the match to the Tele.

He said: "There's no doubt this is a massive game for us, but we will try to treat it just like any other.

"I actually think Perthshire stole the points when we played them at the Battery, and a good result on Saturday gives us the chance to turn our season round after a couple of defeats in our last two matches."

With the longer days gradually returning, fans should note that kick-off times are now back to 2pm.

Greenock Juniors are sponsored by Regents Vehicle Sales, Greenock, and the Lighthouse Bar.

Port Glasgow Juniors

PORT Glasgow's stop-start season faces being more of the 'stop' variety tomorrow.

The Port are scheduled to travel to Tollcross to face Vale of Clyde, but the Vale's Fullarton Park surface is not known for being able to cope with the kind of weather conditions we have had to endure this week.

And it has had the added problem of also being the temporary home venue of Bellshill Athletic, whose search for a ground in their own Lanarkshire area goes on.

Apart from the three points on offer, Craig Brown's men will be anxious for tomorrow's match to go ahead, if only to get the opportunity to prove that the result the last time the teams met was a freak one.

In the early part of the season, Vale of Clyde came to Battery Park and ran out convincing 5-2 winners.

But five months on, that remains their only league win this season, with a poor run of results now seeing them anchored at the foot of the table and facing relegation into the Second Division.

So after coming out of cold storage with a fighting 2-2 draw at Vale of Leven last week, the Port can head to Tollcross in good heart.

Assistant manager Scott Jackson said: "We all remember that game against Vale of Clyde at the Battery.

"It was one of those matches where every shot they had seemed to fly into the net, so we will be going all out for a different outcome tomorrow.

"We have an away game the following Saturday as well, so we could be on the road for a few weeks, with no suitable grounds available in Inverclyde at the moment.

"But that holds no fear for us, as we often do quite well away from home."

David McGarrigle, who missed last week's game at Vale of Leven due to a groin injury, has been unable to train this week and looks set to be on the sidelines again tomorrow, while work commitments rule out striker Ryan MacDonald.

Kick-off at Fullarton Park, Tollcross, is scheduled for 2pm.

Port Glasgow Juniors are sponsored by Regents Vehicle Sales, Greenock, and WJ.

This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 27 Jan 12

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