Blantyre Vics win over Wishaw

Sep 4 2008 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

BLANTYRE Vics produced an improved second half display to rout Wishaw 4-0 and set up a mouthwatering crunch with Dunipace at Castle Park.

At the other end of the table, ‘comeback’ clubs Newmains United and Glasgow Perthshire clash head-on at Victoria Park at the weekend.

Vics boss Willie Harvey wasn’t pleased with his side’s showing despite the result and said:

“It was a good result but a poor performance from the team. We didn’t play at all well in the first half when we were missing out the midfield and at that stage Wishaw were the better team.

“We read the riot act at half-time and it worked, as we scored two goals inside four minutes to grasp the initiative.

“Wishaw lost their shape a bit as they started chasing the game, and we capitalised on the space that created.”

Brian Glancy latched onto a Kris Griffin cross to beat a defender and score, two minutes before Gary Espener pounced on a long defence-splitting ball to round the keeper and net.

On the hour mark of the clash, overlapping left-back Stephen McGurgin linked with Kevin Riley to grab a third, before Espener scored again 10 minutes from time.

Vics’ only injury concern is Paddy Mathieson, who broke down again only 15 minutes into his return from a hamstring injury.

Blantyre have arranged for him to attend the Sports Injuries Clinic at Hampden for assistance and physiotherapy in an effort to speed-up his treatment.

Forth Wanderers drew 1-1 at home to Newmains, with manager Paul Anderson groaning:

“It was horrible – the worst game I’ve been involved in.

“Our decision-making was poor, our attitude was poor, and there was not one positive for us to take out of the game.”

With strikers John Curry, Steve Ferguson, James Mullen, and midfielders Eddie McGuinness and John McShane injured, Forth had to rely on veteran full-back Eddie Halford to score their goal.

In contrast, Newmains boss Ian Rankin was pleased with his result and then point.

He said: “Being away from home, it was a delightful point that gets us off the bottom of the table. I was pleased with our commitment.

“I made a couple of tactical changes for the match which made a big difference in the second half, and that helped to build up a bit of confidence as the side came from behind.”

The equalising goal came from a Steve Clark header.

Rankin added: “Saturday’s game against Perthshire should be interesting, as it’s two teams coming back from scratch.

“We don’t know much about them, I haven’t seen them play, but we’ll try to build on what we showed in the second half at Forth, and take something out of the game.”

A triple injury blow around the hour-mark proved too much of a handicap for Stonehouse Violet to overcome as they went down 2-1 at Dunipace.

Player-manager Brian Martin commented: “For an hour we held our own and were the better team, leading 1-0 through a Stewart Livingstone strike from the edge of the box.

“Then centre-back Neil Reynolds, midfielder John McShane and a trialist centre-forward all went off injured, and we never recovered as Dunipace scored twice to win.”

Martin rested injured Graeme Gallagher and hopes to have him back in the squad for Saturday’s game against Forth, but Reynolds and McShane could be doubtful.

Carluke Rovers lost 3-0 at home to Shettleston and on Saturday host Royal Albert, whose game at Greenock was postponed.