Pollok’s longest away trip of the league season saw them travel to New Cumnock to take on Glenafton on match day six of the West of Scotland Premier Division. The hosts had started the season with two wins and two defeats in their four games.

Manager Maxwell had looked to start the same side who began the midweek win over Irvine Meadow but those plans were disrupted when Kerr picked up an injury in the warm-up and Forde stepped into the side.

Glenafton were quickly on the attack and Fry had a save to make inside the opening minute. At the other end Christie had a go from outside the box which appeared to be deflected wide but no corner was given. However there was to be no deflecting Christie’s next effort in the fourth minute which was volleyed into the corner of the net from twenty yards after a Forde flick on from an Allan long throw.

A couple of minutes later former Northern Ireland internationalist Paton, playing at sweeper, pinged a beautiful pass over the top of the Pollok defence and Mullen was fortunate that the striker didn’t go down after his tug.

Play was quickly back down the other end and a Mullen corner was headed down by Forrester to McKenzie whose effort on the turn went narrowly wide. McKenzie was involved again in the ninth minute when excellent wing play by Gallacher presented the unmarked striker with a golden opportunity but he headed wide from six yards.

Pollok were looking dangerous every time they had the ball and the second goal duly arrived in the eleventh minute. Mullen tried a speculative effort from thirty yards and the ball bounced just in front of the keeper but Markey will still feel he should have held the ball. Forde was on hand to smash the rebound into the top corner.

And two minutes later it was 3-0 and it came from route one football. Fry’s goal kick was controlled by Forde whose quick shot took a touch off Paton before going into the net.

Glenafton showed they still posed an attacking threat midway through the half when a long-range effort went dipping over the bar then a corner was flicked on but there were no takers at the back post.

Pollok really should have got their fourth in the thirty-eighth minute. Mullen released McKenzie down the right and he burst past a defender before a low cross found Forde sliding in to deflect it goalward. Markey saved but the rebound fell to Gallacher. He could probably have put it in the net himself but opted to set up the onrushing Main. He was thwarted by a despairing defender somehow getting a toe to the shot to deflect it wide.

Pollok started the second half in the same fashion as they had ended the first – with attacking intent. A long ball by Fry was headed down by Forde for Gallacher but his curling effort went over the bar. The fourth goal however arrived a couple of minutes later. A sustained period of pressure on the Glenafton goal was started by a nice run and switch of play by Main to Gallacher with the winger’s shot deflected wide of the post. The corner was never fully cleared and when the ball came back out wide to Christie he made a half yard to clip in a perfect cross for Forde to glance in a header from six yards. For the second time in four days Pollok had a hat-trick hero.

Glenafton got one back in the fifty-sixth minute when they won a penalty. A corner was headed up in the air and as it came down Allan was judged to have fouled a Glen’s player right on the edge of the box. The experienced Moffat made no mistake from twelve yards with a cooly taken penalty into the bottom corner.

This setback did nothing to knock the flow of Pollok’s attacking play. Gallacher ran from his own half before a low drive from outside the box was tipped round the post. Forde then chased down a long ball out of defence before making room for a shot which was well saved by Markey with his feet. Main then missed another sitter after more good work by Gallacher and Forde set up the chance which went over the bar.

With just over ten minutes to go Main got the goal his overall play had deserved. Substitute Burns made an overlapping run down the left and crossed for Forde at the near post. His shot was saved but Main was on hand to lash home the rebound.

The scoring was completed at the other end when O’Kane was allowed to dribble inside past a couple of challenges before finding the top corner with a tremendous strike.

So a five-goal, five-star performance meant it was a much happier away day for the large Pollok support than the previous Saturday.

Goals

Glenafton: Moffat (56′), O’Kane (83′)

Pollok: Christie (4′), Forde (11′, 13′, 52′), Main (79′)

Man of the Match – Adam Forde

Report by Peter Thomson

Photographs by Finlay Thom

Full Match Highlights from Mark Donnelly

Stewart Maxwell’s Post-Match Interview