A familiar feel for Greenock Juniors
Gary Pews • Published 13 Jan 2012 12:00
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GREENOCK return to Holm Park in Yoker tomorrow for the second time in three weeks.
It was the neutral venue for their much-postponed Scottish Cup clash with Bellshill Athletic, which eventually went ahead on Christmas Eve.
The match saw Greenock crash out of the tournament after a 2-1 defeat, so they will be looking for a happier outcome tomorrow, when Yoker Athletic provide the opposition in a Central League First Division encounter.
The Scottish Cup saga means it is almost two months since Greenock last played a league match, but they remain very much in contention in the promotion race.
Runaway league leaders Glasgow Perthshire finally relinquished their 100 per cent record last Saturday, when they were held to a 1-1 draw at Larkhall. But the Possil men remain overwhelming favourites to claim the league title, leaving the other 13 clubs to fight it out for the one remaining promotion slot.
And Greenock are handily placed in third position, two points behind second-top Shettleston but with a game in hand.
But tomorrow's opponents, Yoker, are far from out of things and will be just as eager as Greenock to jump-start their challenge with three points.
The sides have already met this season, when they fought out an entertaining 2-2 draw at Battery Park back in August.
Greenock boss Stevie Mooney holds no fears about being back at Holm Park, but knows it will be tough.
He said: "Realistically I would say there are about seven teams who can say they are genuine challengers for promotion, of which Yoker and ourselves are two.
"The cup defeat was a blow, but we need to get back to reality and re-focus on the league now, to make the second half of the season interesting.
"Three points on Saturday would help us to pull away a wee bit at the top end of the table, so that will be our aim."
In team news, Mooney reports a positive week, with only the suspended John Forsyth and injured Kearn Docherty ruled out.
Docherty will have unhappy memories of Holm Park, as it was there where he suffered a nasty injury against Bellshill, and spent Christmas Day in hospital for surgery for a broken foot.
The young defender is still in plaster but has taken the first steps on the long road to recovery.
l Kick-off for Yoker v Greenock tomorrow is at 1.45pm.
Greenock Juniors are sponsored by Regents Vehicle Sales, Greenock, and the Lighthouse Bar.
This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 13 Jan 12
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