McBookie Premiership

IRVINE MEADOW 0

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC

By Frank Cassidy

THE second half of this match was delayed to enable a repair to the net Meadow had been attacking in the opening 45 minutes.

How it got damaged is a mystery as it wasn't due to a non-stop pummelling by the home side.

Their best chance had fallen to Darren Jones who tried to chip keeper Brian McGarrity but the ball continued rising and out of play.

At the opposite end, Meadow to defend in numbers as Glens fired in four shots in rapid-fire fashion, all blocked including the first attempt which Shaun Newman got a foot to.

Joe Andrew had been foiled initially, while his team-mates Mick McCann, Dale Moore and Leon Murphy were also denied by some brave defending.

Newman then saved well from a Murphy free-kick before the last chance of the half fell for Jones but, with his back to goal, he was unable to get a clean shot on target.

Within minutes of the second half, Meadow had engineered almost as many chances as they had in the entire first half.

Ben Carson had mended the net, thanks to Newman giving him a punt on his shoulders.

Carson was also involved in the other goalmouth when his cross was headed narrowly past by Callum Gow.

Andy McLaughlin then shot past before McGarrity intercepted a cross from Ryan Carnwath.

Glenafton were threatening every time they crossed the halfway line and, in 52 minutes, Murphy set off on a run which took him past several defenders.

James Latta then brought him down in the box, getting a yellow card as a punishment, with Mick McCann scoring from the resultant penalty.

Carnwath was a lucky man to stay on the park after he elbowed Moore, but he joined Latta in the ref's book.

A few of his decisions were angering the visitors as tempers boiled over on several occasions.

Back to the football, though, and Murphy took off on another run and sent in a dangerous cross which Jared Willet got to first.

A flurry of substitutions disrupted the flow of the match although one of the subs, Meadow's Jordan McGuire hit the side netting in 83 minutes.

Glens finished the match with 10 men after Kyle McAusland was sent off for violent conduct.

IRVINE MEADOW: Newman; Latta, Willet, Miller, Gow, Devlin, Carnwath (Pearson), Spence (Smith 61), Jones, Carson, McLaughlin (McGuire 70). Subs not used: Wells, Bannister (gk).

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC: McGarrity; Park (McLean 30), Cairns, McAusland, McChesney, Moore, Lynass (Orsi 62), Frye, Dallas (Andrew 20), McCann, Murphy.

Subs not used: Menzies, Burns (g/k)