A gulf too far for Greenock to bridge

Published 8 Mar 2010 14:00 0 Comments

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Stevie Mooney.

IRVINE MEADOW 4

GREENOCK 1

GREENOCK found the gulf of three league divisions a bridge too far on Saturday, as they exited the West of Scotland Cup at the hands of Irvine Meadow.

On a beautiful early spring day, the match was played in excellent conditions, with Meadow's bowling green type surface putting many a senior club, including some in the SPL, to shame.

It was clear from early on that the Super Premier League club were going for the Greenock jugular.

Brian Tucker in the Greenock goal pulled off a fine save from a David Lowing drive in 16 minutes, but Lowing was not to be denied just 60 seconds later, shooting home from just outside the box.

The incessant Meadow pressure brought a second goal five minutes later from a Gareth Turner header, and as the Ayrshire men threatened to run riot, David Hamilton made it three just before the interval.

However, there was still time for Kenny McKay to set up David McClure to pull one back and give Greenock a glimmer of hope for the second half.

That hope, though, was snuffed out just 11 minutes after the restart, when Craig McCormick was booked for a foul. From the resultant free-kick ex-Dumbarton player John Dillon made it 4-1 with a curling effort which beat Tucker at his top left hand corner.

Meadow were given the chance to go nap in 66 minutes when Roland Fabiani was booked for bringing down Gareth Turner in the box, and referee Graeme Stewart pointed to the spot.

As a young Meadow supporter, who could have been no more than 10-years-old, shouted obscenities at the keeper from behind the goal, Tucker responded with a great diving save to turn Robertson's penalty round the post.

And the keeper capped a fine performance with another great stop to deny Lowing his second just before the end.

Greenock manager Stevie Mooney was not too downhearted.

He said: "Meadow are a good side full of quality players, but for the first 20 minutes we held our own and competed well, before they eventually got on top. In the end we were well beaten, but we need to remember that eight of my boys can still play at under-21s level, so it was a big ask to face so many ex-pro's. But they can hold their heads high. There will be Premier League teams who will come down here and lose by 4-1 or even more, so the boys can be proud of themselves."

Greenock: Tucker, Irvine, McCormick, B. McLaughlin, Fabiani, T. Docherty, MacDonald, Kearns (J. McLaughlin 73), McClure (Gilmour 63), McKay, MacLennan (Crawford 70). Subs not used: J Docherty, Gunn, Bell, Monk. Greenock Juniors are sponsored by Kingsley Wood Solicitors and Notaries, and the Lighthouse Bar. Strips sponsored by Regent Vehicle Sales, Greenock.

This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 08 Mar 10

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