Report: Renfrew 3-3 Pollok (Pollok win 5-4 on penalties) (05/05/2012)
Tuesday, May 8, 2012 at 17:43 Match photos from Kathryn MacLeod to follow
Match stats from Davie Brown HERE
click on the scorer’s name to see the goal
Pollok booked a D&D Programmes Central League Cup semi-final spot after a late comeback against Renfrew at Western Park on Saturday.
With a vital league game against Largs Thistle looming on Monday evening John Richardson chose to leave some key players on the substitutes bench whilst giving a debut to midfielder Billy Jones, signed earlier in the week from Drumchapel United Amateurs. The first chance of the game fell to the visitors when Alain Kinney nodded the ball into the path of Paul McQuilken, but his shot was charged down by Jamie Crowhurst. Renfrew took the lead in the 11th minute when Clinton Maxwell flighted over a corner kick and ANTON HEFFRON rose highest to head home despite the efforts of Michael O’Hara on the line for Pollok. They doubled their advantage seven minutes later, again from a corner kick. This time Alan Prentice was the taker, and JAMIE CROWHURST was allowed to head home unchallenged for the hosts. Danny McLeay then saved a McQuilken 22-yarder, while at the other end his ‘Lok counterpart Graham Black denied Willie Sawyers with his legs. Sawyers glanced a Colin Forbes cross wide from close range before Pollok grabbed a lifeline three minutes from half-time. Peter McMahon swung over a searching cross from the left and RODDY HUNTER bulleted a fine header into the net.
‘Frew almost restored their two-goal cushion four minutes after the restart when a ball over the top found Sawyers, but his lobbed effort fell narrowly wide of the target. Alain Kinney headed over from a Gavin Lachlan cross before Renfrew made it 3-1 after 61 minutes when WILLIE SAWYERS applied the finishing touch to sweep home a cross from the right. Black then tipped a Maxwell free-kick around the post before Pollok found a way back into the game in the 72nd minute. Lachlan showed excellent skill on the right to evade his marker, and his low cut-back was planted into the net by substitute CARLO MONTI. Black made another good stop to deny Crowhurst after the midfielder had dummied both McMahon and Steven McGregor, and his side capitalised by drawing level after 82 minutes. Pollok were awarded a free-kick 22 yards from goal and CARLO MONTI stepped up to stroke the ball beyond the reach of McLeay. He almost completed his hat-trick one minute into injury time with a curling low effort that McLeay touched round the post at full stretch. Two yellow cards in added time saw David Gordon sent off for the home team as the tie went to penalty kicks.
Pollok took the first kick in the shoot-out, with Monti beating McLeay. Mort squared things up at 1-1, and parity remained until the score reached 4-4, with McMahon, McQuilken and Jones on target for ‘Lok and Forbes, Prentice and Crowhurst replying for ‘Frew. Brian McGinty then made it 5-4 in favour of Pollok, and the game was clinched with the next kick as Maxwell dragged his effort wide of the right-hand post to send the Newlandsfield side into a semi-final meeting at home to Shotts Bon Accord.
Before that Pollok have a crunch clash with Largs Thistle in the Stagecoach Super Premier League. Kick-off at Newlandsfield on Monday evening is at 7pm.
RENFREW: McLeay, Prentice, Heffron, Nicholson, Campbell (Smith 66), Moore (Mort 62), Forbes, Crowhurst, Sawyers (Upton 62), Maxwell, Gordon. Not used: Zok, Currie, Quigley, Wilson.
POLLOK: Black, Lachlan, McMahon, Gupwell, McGregor, McQuilken, Nichol (Monti 59), Jones, Kinney (McGinty 84), Hunter (Bradley 59), O’Hara. Not used: Carter, Davies, Morrison.
BOOKED
RENFREW: McLeay (24), Crowhurst (31), Campbell (38), Gordon (90+2, 90+3, off), Mort (90+3)
POLLOK: Hunter (37), Gupwell (45+1), McMahon (67), Bradley (84)
SENT OFF
RENFREW: Gordon (90+3)
GOALS
RENFREW: Heffron (11), Crowhurst (18), Sawyers (61)
POLLOK: Hunter (42), Monti (72, 82)