Pollok Football Club

Recap

Highlights and video courtesy of Mark Donnelly

Match day three of the West of Scotland Premier Division saw a third game in eight days for both sides as Pollok hosted Kirkintilloch Rob Roy.

Maxwell made four changes for the game against his former side. Mullen and Allen returned from suspension and took the places of Burns and the trialist at full-back. Gow came back in for Morgan in the centre of defence and Anderson replaced Kerr at centre forward.

Before the game there was a poignant minute’s silence for Brian McNeil who had served both clubs with distinction before his untimely passing in May.

Pollok were kicking down the slope and started the game on the front foot. An Allan ball over the top was superbly chased down by Anderson. He gathered the ball on the bye line and made his way into the six-yard box before hitting a low shot which was deflected over the bar. From the corner the ball was recycled and sent back in by Christie. Anderson got up highest at the back post and his header was tipped over the bar by Smith.

In the 10th minute Christie made his way across the pitch with a mazy run before slipping the ball to Duff on the edge of the box. His low shot went just wide.

Against the run of play Kirkintilloch took the lead on 22 minutes. A cross field pass by Christie was mis-controlled by Forrester and set up a quick break. One pass found Tierney who unleashed a screamer from just inside the box into the roof of the net.

Pollok were only behind for five minutes. Hutton played the ball into Anderson who swept it wide with a first time pass. Christie took it in his stride and went passed Gilday before sending in a tempting cross. Anderson slid in to give the move the finish it deserved.

Christie then tested Smith with an absolute howitzer after a pass inside by Allan. The goalkeeper doing well to push it out of harm’s way.

Just before half time the home side took the lead. A Mullen corner evaded everyone and came to Duff on the edge of the box. He played a clever pass to Forrester who curled a cross to the far post where his defensive partner Gow rose well to bullet a header home.

The second half began with Ryan McGregor on for Rob Roy but the first significant attack was remarkably similar to the action that had ended the first half. A Mullen set piece made its way beyond the back post where it was retrieved by Forrester who curled in another lovely cross with Gow once again leaping highest to head home. Pollok led 3-1.

A slack pass by Christie was picked up 15 yards inside the Rob Roy half and thumped towards goal. Its trajectory had Fry worried for a moment but in the end the audacious effort went wide. It was the first in a series of long-range efforts on the Pollok goal. A couple going wide and a couple saved by Fry. The home goalie was also called into action to clutch a corner cleanly.
With a number of substitutes on the flow of play had been disrupted with Pollok not as cohesive a unit as they had been earlier in the half and in the 83rd minute Kirkintilloch found themselves right back in the game. A cross was only partially cleared and when it was passed back into Kettings he took his time before curling a shot into the corner.

This gave the away side an obvious boost and when their next attack seemed to be floundering they were able to keep it alive and find Baber on the edge of the box. He was afforded plenty of time to line up his shot which he dispatched into the top corner for what had seemed an unlikely equaliser.

The Southsiders attempted to raise their game again to find a winner and came desperately close in injury time. A Mullen cross was brilliantly brought down by Kerr who turned and volleyed towards goal. With the keeper beaten it capped a disappointing second half for Pollok when the ball crashed off the junction of post and bar.

The elation of beating Talbot the previous Saturday was replaced with frustration and disappointment at two points dropped. There had undoubtedly been positives in the performance but ultimately it’s the result that matters – and the home support left disgruntled and disillusioned.

Match Report by Peter Thomson

Photos courtesy of James Graham & Finlay Thom

The first week of the 2023/24 WoSFL fixtures have taken place, with Pollok opening with a 1-0 win over Auchinleck Talbot, followed by a 2-2 draw away to Cumnock.

This week, we welcome Kirkintilloch Rob Roy to Newlandsfield. Rob Roy opened their season with a 1-0 loss away to champions Beith and then a midweek home 3-2 win over Arthurlie. The Rabs new signing Ryan Tierney scored a double.

Rob Roy were formed in 1878, one of the oldest clubs in the WOSFL, the club were based at Adamslie Park for many years but have been sharing with Cumbernauld since 2014 as they await a new stadium in Kirkintilloch. The Rabs have won the scottish Junior Cup on 3 occasions, 1921, 1943 and 1962. Their last trophy was the Central League Cup in 2017. Former Pollok player Chic Charnley had a short spell at Rob Roy, as did Marvin Andrews, Stevie Chalmers, Joe McBride and George Young to name a few former professional players who have wore the red and black.

Our manager Stewart Maxwell was a long-term Kirkintilloch Rob Roy manager before moving to Newlandsfield. Stewart took over the Rabs in 2013 and was there until he moved to Pollok in November 2022.

Pollok won both fixtures last season, starting with a 2-0 away win last December followed by a 6-2 win in March at Newlandsfield.