Pollok secured back to back wins for the first time since November with a one-goal victory over champions Beith Juniors, with goals from Stephen Docherty and Adam Forde.

The home side were the first to threaten with a short corner routine in the sixth minute. Bain working some space to fire in a cross which Gow headed wide at the near post.

Another corner five minutes later also found the head of Gow whose goal bound effort was palmed up in the air by Stott. Before the rebound could be knocked home the referee blew for a foul on the keeper. Pollok were definitely in the ascendancy at this point and a clever backheel by Docherty sent O’Donnell down the right wing. His low cross was cleared by the Beith defence at the second attempt.

A minute after Docherty had a goal ruled out with a very tight offside call, Beith threatened with a long-range effort from Monti which Fry did well to tip round the post. Beith then won another corner moments later and saw a decent chance spurned with a header over the bar.

The Southsiders took a merited lead on the half hour mark. A long kick out by Stott was met by Gow whose header reached the halfway line where Forde headed it into the path of Docherty. He raced clear of the Beith defence and coolly slotted past Stott for the opener.

A good passing move up the left involving Duncanson, Lapsley, Forde and Docherty got Pollok up the pitch and into a dangerous position. When Docherty cut it back to Faulds he was slightly impeded by the referee and mishit his shot wide.

The half ended with panic in the Beith defence. Bain swung in a free-kick towards Forrester and it hit off a defender a couple of yards from goal. Forde gathered the loose ball and saw his low cross deflected up in the air and away to safety.

HALF-TIME: POLLOK 1 – 0 BEITH JUNIORS

Pollok’s half time lead was merited and Beith made three substitutions at the break as they looked for a way back into the contest.

With the hour mark approaching the away side were seeing more of the ball and gaining a territorial advantage. A good bit of hold up play by Lovering allowed him to slip the ball to Frize. He jinked past one man before prodding his shot just wide. This was quickly followed by a cross-field pass from Monti which allowed Brown to take a strike at goal. It was well hit and Fry had to punch away.

With 66 minutes gone, a throw in by Duncanson found Forde and he flicked it on to Docherty. The striker then powered forward before releasing a pass to O’Donnell whose low strike was well saved by Stott’s right boot. Pollok were having their best spell of the second half and in the 71st minute, Docherty won a free-kick out on the left. Bain swung in a tempting cross and Forde produced the most accurate of glancing headers which went in off the inside of the far post to double the lead.

Frize was presented with a golden opportunity to get his side right back in the game after an error in the Pollok defence but Fry stood up brilliantly and made the save. He did the same a minute later when a sweeping Beith move put Monti through but his low shot was saved.

Monti was thwarted by Fry once again when he hit a vicious free kick from twenty-five yards which swerved and dipped but the Pollok keeper was able to punch it away. A Bain free kick at the other end led to a more comfortable save for Stott.

With five minutes to go Black picked up a misplaced pass and looked set to lead Pollok on a dangerous counter attack but he then also misplaced a pass. Two passes later the ball was at O’Donnell’s feet and the Beith sub looked up and hit a superb shot into the bottom corner. Not even the in-form Fry could stop it.

The home side saw out the remaining minutes fairly comfortably to make it two wins out of two and ensure that fears of relegation have all but gone. All involved had played their part in a good team performance but a special mention for the ground staff. The pitch took a real hammering with those three home games in eight days at the start of February and weather conditions have not been kind since. The driving rain on Saturday meant the pitch was very different from Wednesday but the fact the games are getting played is a credit to those who give their time and effort in trying circumstances.

FULL-TIME: POLLOK 2 – 1 BEITH JUNIORS

 

Man of the Match: Ben Fry

Match report by Peter Thomson

Photos from James Graham