Two hundred and ninety-four days after a trip to Portland Park to take on Troon, Pollok ended their West of Scotland Premier Division campaign with a home match against Auchinleck Talbot.

Maxi made two changes to the team which had drawn with Largs in midweek – Black in for the injured Bain and Tran replacing the suspended Docherty. It was, however, one of the substitutes who got tongues wagging around Newlandsfield as Maxi named himself on the bench.

A minute’s applause for Pollok stalwart Fergie Watt rang round a sun baked Newlandsfield before Talbot almost got off to the perfect start in the opening seconds when a deep cross from the right was volleyed at the back post and Truesdale had to push behind for a corner. From the corner Pollok struggled to get a decisive clearance and Auchinleck volleyed just over.

Pollok’s first decent attack came in the ninth minute. O’Kane did well to get an up and under cross into the box. Armour dropped it but Lapsley couldn’t quite manage to drive the ball home. Talbot then sprinted up the other end and Truesdale had to dive to his left to keep out a low shot.

With quarter of an hour gone Faulds let fly from the edge of the box and Armour did well to push it round the post. From the corner O’Kane got free but headed over the bar.

The away side took the lead in the twenty-eighth minute when Nimmo got a break of the ball on the edge of the box and made the most of it by dribbling past a couple of defenders before squaring for Boyd to tap home.

Pollok’s response was a long-range drive from Black which Armour once again tipped round the post. Forde then floated in a free-kick which saw Black’s header take a nick on its’ way past the post. From the corner Faulds headed over.

 

The home side continued to search for an equaliser as half-time approached with Duncanson finding the side-netting after a clever pass by Tran and then the winger digging out a fine cross which Forrester headed over at the back post.

HALF-TIME: POLLOK 0 – 1 AUCHINLECK

 

The second half started with a Lapsley effort from distance which went a couple of yards wide. Pollok were starting to exert a bit of pressure and a couple of inviting crosses from Forde looked dangerous but Armour remained untroubled in goal. There was a penalty appeal after Forde tried to flick the ball round a defender but the referee quickly dismissed handball claims.

Just after the hour mark the away side doubled their lead. Pollok had been in a threatening position on the edge of the Talbot box when Gaffney played a poor pass. The away side took full advantage to flood forward at pace and when a cross from the left was laid off to Clark he made no mistake in drilling home.

Langan saw a cracking strike go just wide before O’Kane volleyed well over. Langan was having an increasing influence on the game and he was put thru on goal but fired over with only Truesdale to beat.

With fifteen minutes to go Auchinleck secured the three points. A miscommunication between Forrester and Truesdale saw a cross lobbed into the danger area. Just as it looked like the Pollok defence had dealt with the situation admirably the ball fell kindly for Talbot and as they tried to get to the bye-line Duncanson put in a tired challenge and the referee pointed to the spot. McAvoy made no mistake from twelve yards.

Howe and Lapsley had decent efforts at grabbing a consolation but it was not to be.

So a sad ending for Pollok legend Adam Forde who couldn’t add to his goals tally in his last game for the club. His enthusiasm, work-rate and hold up play as well as his goals will all be missed. 

A season of ups and downs ended with Pollok ninth in the table. The best word to sum up the season is probably inconsistent. Some great displays mixed in with some shockers. Here’s hoping Maxi can recruit some gems over the summer and keep the Pollok faithful happy and entertained in season 2025/26.

FULL-TIME: POLLOK 0 – 3 AUCHINLECK

Attendance: 623

Report by Peter Thomson

Photographs from James Graham

 

Pollok’s final away day of the season was a midweek trip to Largs. It was a balmy, sunny evening at the seaside although the wind would get up as the match wore on.

Maxi made one change from the chastening weekend defeat to Glenafton – Lapsley coming in for Gaffney.

Lapsley got a shot away in the opening seconds against his former club but dragged it wide. The Southsiders came much closer after good work by Docherty created a chance for O’Donnell but his well-struck drive went narrowly over the bar. O’Donnell then had another go from further out which whistled just past the post.

After another long-range effort from Lapsley which was just too high Largs got a header on target from a free-kick but it was a comfortable save for Truesdale. Some crisp passing then set up a chance for Forde but he too was off target.

Just after the half hour mark Stracey had a decent chance for the home side but it was well blocked. Then in the thirty-seventh minute came the first half’s major talking point. Already on a booking Docherty just failed to keep the ball in play and in frustration kicked a water bottle which went in the direction of the assistant referee. The referee had no hesitation in reaching for yellow then red.

HALF-TIME: LARGS TH 0 – 0 POLLOK

The second half started with a trademark acrobatic volley from Forde but once again the effort failed to trouble McNeill. Largs nearly snatched the lead in the forty-eighth minute. A sweeping move down the left appeared to have been snuffed but O’Donnell was dispossessed in his own box by Bradley whose shot on the stretch came back off the post.

The eleven men of Largs were now the team having the shots at goal but they too were having trouble finding the target. Deas seeing efforts go wide and over.

The ten men then took the lead with twelve minutes to go. A corner from the left found O’Kane in space and he bulleted a header a home.

Largs search for an equaliser began with a curling free-kick from wide on the left which appeared to evade everyone before striking the post. McGrath then got header on target but it was a comfortable save for Truesdale.

Substitute Gaffney then brought out a tremendous save from O’Neill as the away side looked for a killer second goal with seven minutes to go. And just as it looked like the ten men had secured a hard-earned three points Largs swung in a wind assisted corner. Truesdale was blocked off as he tried to go and claim it and McCreath headed home an injury time equaliser.

A much-improved Pollok performance from the weekend’s display was tinged with a feeling of disappointment as for the second time this season they lost an injury time equaliser to Largs.

FULL-TIME: LARGS TH 1 – 1 POLLOK

Pollok Man of the Match: Chris O’Kane

 

Report by Peter Thomson

Photographs from James Graham

Pollok travelled to Meadow Park to take on Irvine Meadow on match day twenty-four of the West of Scotland League Premier Division. After three home wins on the spin the Southsiders were looking to take their good form on the road to North Ayrshire.

The manager made one change from the side which secured a satisfying derby win the previous weekend – Barr coming in for Lyon in the centre of midfield. Lining up in the opposition ranks were of course former Lok players Wharton and Graham who both scored in the reverse fixture earlier in the season.

The game started in heavy rain and with the home side quickly on the attack. A ball over the top had the Pollok defence turned and after some hesitation between goalkeeper and defence Menzies cleared.

Pollok’s first attack saw Christie pick up on a loose pass and drive forward. His shot from twenty yards was dragged wide of the post.

Meadow then forced a series of corners in which their movement was good but they couldn’t muster an effort on target. However their pressure was to pay off in the seventeenth minute. A move down the middle saw Boyd slipped in behind the defence. Longmuir came racing out to close down the angle, Boyd went round him but saw his shot blocked by Rumsby. The rebound fell kindly for him and he showed great composure to make a square pass to Graham who slotted home.

Pollok’s response was a Christie floating free-kick which was touched behind and from the resultant corner Forde got a shot in from closerange but it was well blocked by Waters.

Meadow doubled their lead just before the half hour mark. A cross from the right was expertly laid off to the edge of the box where Urquhart met it sweetly with a left foot drive that fairly fizzed into the top corner.

With halftime approaching Pollok almost found a route back into the game. A goal bound Gary McCann shot was deflected out wide. Forde retrieved it and passed to Barr to cross. Stuart McCann got up to meet the cross with an acrobatic scissor kick which Waters spectacularly tipped over the bar. From the corner Brownlie headed wide.

The second half started with Pollok shooting into an ever-strengthening breeze and incessant rain as they looked to get themselves a foothold in the game. Barr sprayed the ball out to Christie whose cross was cleared to the edge of the box where Gary McCann got a shot away but it finished well wide.

The game’s major talking point arrived just before the hour mark. A clearance out of defence by Pollok appeared to have the Irvine Meadow defence stretched. Stuart McCann got a touch to it but it was headed away from him. As he turned and stretched for the ball he caught an incoming defender. The referee  was quick to produce a red card. Even some of the Meadow players showed their surprise at the severity of the punishment for an accidental coming together.

Despite their man advantage the home side were happy to sit on their two-goal cushion and rarely threatened in the second half. Longmuir having to punch away one angled drive. At the other end Pollok had two great chances to set up a grandstand finish. With fifteen minutes to go a Mullen corner found Rumsby at the far post but he didn’t manage the connection he was looking for and the keeper saved. Then with time running out the ever-willing Docherty chased a ball into the inside right channel. Just as he entered the box his heels were clipped and the assistant referee flagged for a penalty. Substitute Mullen fired the spot kick over the bar.

A disappointing day out in wet North Ayrshire for the Pollok faithful. Whilst the harsh red card may have been the major talking point the performance did not merit anything against a solid Irvine Meadow side who completed the league double over the Southsiders.

 

Full Match Highlights

Post Match with Maxi

Match Report by: Peter Thompson
Photos by: Nathan Bonnar
Videos by: Mark Donnelly