Highlights from Mark Donnelly

Full-time:Congratulations to Lanark who secure their place in the final.

64 – Lanark take the lead for the first time in the game (2-3)

61 -Another equaliser, thistime Josh GRACIE (2-2)

42 -Another Shaun FRASER penalty restores the Lok lead. (2-1)

32 – Lok’s lead didn’t last long. Hugh KERR has the visitors level.

27 – Lok go ahead from the spot and it would have to be Shaun FRASER!

Att: 437

att: 437

As Pollok took on Kilsyth Rangers in their third home game in five days the pitch looked in superb condition despite the heavy workload and the persistent downpours of recent times. Much credit should go to all those involved who have worked so hard in recent years to improve the surface. It has been a job well done.

The first half produced few chances with Forde firing just wide from a great McCann flick on and Fraser missing a good opportunity when following up a Forde drive which came back off the keeper being the most noteworthy bits of goal mouth action. The main talking points come half time were some of tackles launched into which had gone beyond meaty and crept into the naughty category.

What the 1st half lacked in goals the 2nd half made up for. It started in the 50th minute when Forde intercepted a square pass in the Kilsyth defence and fired home an unerring shot to give Pollok the lead.

It was a lead which would only last for two minutes as Kilsyth?s Higgins responded with a truly magnificent strike. Picking up the ball not too far from the home dugout he set himself and unleashed an unstoppable right foot drive from fully thirty-five yards into the top right hand corner. A diving Lumsden never stood a chance. It was the goal of the match and an early contender for goal of the season.

Kilsyth were not level for long though as five minutes later good work by McKenzie and Morton down the left led to an inviting cross which Fraser converted from an acute angle at the back post. Pollok kept their foot on the accelerator and a few minutes later Henry produced a great bit of ball winning in the middle of the park and set off on a decoy run which helped Morton to exhibit some great close control in twisting and turning the defence before firing home from the edge of the box.

Pollok were now starting to dominate and another bit of ball winning in the opposition?s half ? this time by Esplin ? allowed Morton to once again show off his creativity and his low, driven cross was converted with ease by Forde. Then in the 72nd minute Fraser stepped up to expertly place a twenty yard free kick into the bottom corner. 5-1 to Pollok. The sixth goal in a frenetic twenty two minute period.

Although that was to be the end of the scoring it was not the end of the talking points. Fraser managed to get himself booked twice in the space of ten seconds ? first for kicking out whilst being held after the ref had already blown and then for a bit of back chat to the ref.?

Kilsyth?s Reid joined Fraser in taking the early walk off the pitch after picking up his second yellow in giving away a penalty for a mistimed challenge on Forde just inside the box. Forde stepped up confidently but his shot from twelve yards hit the base of the left hand post. Forde had one further chance of his hat-trick after another good McCann flick on but his powerful drive was well blocked by the goalkeeper.

So Pollok moved on to a semi-final with Lanark after a resounding victory brought about by an up-tempo second half display. Kilsyth battled hard and although their goal only turned out to be a consolation it will live long in the memory for all who were there to witness it.

Att: 289

Goals from Davie Brown & Mark Donnelly

Highlights from Davie Brown & Mark Donnelly

72 – Shaun FRASER rounds off the scoring and 21 crazy goal-packed minutes (5-1) though he is later sent off

64 – As the goals fly in, FORDE makes it 4-1

62 – Jordan MORTON makes it 3-1

57 – Shaun FRASER restores Lok’s lead (2-1)

52 – Kilsyth immediately back on level terms (1-1)

51 – Adam FORDE opens the scoring for Lok (1-0)

Goalless at half-time

Full quarter-final draw is:

Auchinleck Talbot v Whitletts Victoria
Lanark United v Rutherglen Glencairn
Pollok v Kilsyth Rangers
Renfrew v Beith Juniors

Pollok continued what is going to be a very busy week with a 2nd round Sectional League Cup tie against Clydebank on Monday night. Despite the quick turnaround from Saturday?s win over Troon in the league the manager only made two changes to the team which finished Saturday?s game ? Forde in up front and Longmuir given some game time in goal. With the McCann brothers off celebrating a joyous new arrival to the family the selected eleven looked to carry on from where they left off on Saturday.

Despite a couple of early efforts from Forde it was Clydebank who took an early lead. A clever ball through the inside right channel had Hepburn one on one with an outrushing Jordan Longmuir. The former Pollok man dinked the ball over the keeper whose momentum meant he caught the striker. Danny Boyle showed great awareness and athleticism to clear the ball off the line but it was to no avail. The referee deemed Longmuir?s challenge illegal and awarded a penalty. The penalty was despatched into the top right hand corner by Nicky Little ? another ex-Pollok man ? giving Longmuir no chance.

Pollok had slightly more in the possession stakes but as the half progressed Clydebank always looked dangerous on the break. For Pollok Morton just failed to connect properly with a cross at the back post and Clydebank had a shot straight at Longmuir after capitalising on a poor clearance. A disappointing half ended with a number of yellow cards ? as the referee clamped down on some poorly timed challenges.

The second half was similar to the first. Clydebank were looking very dangerous on the break whilst the play was becoming increasingly fractious and fiery. The yellow cards kept on coming and it started to seem inevitable that a red was on the horizon.?

Shaun Fraser went close for Pollok with a low angled drive which Dallas just failed to connect with at the back post whilst Longmuir was kept occupied with a couple of routine saves.

Hepburn left the pitch to warm applause from both sets of fans on the hour mark as Pollok stepped up their search for an equaliser with a switch to a 4-3-3 formation. From a corner the Pollok players were already appealing for a penalty when Shelvey fell on the ball and appeared to gather it in with his hand. Chris Dallas despatched the ball from the penalty spot into exactly the same top corner as Nicky Little had found in the first half and the tie was level. Both teams had just over ten minutes to find a winner.?

And it was Clydebank who came closest with Longmuir being required to pull off a number of quality saves including a superb reflex save from a close range shot. The by now expected red card arrived with a few minutes remaining as Danny Boyle picked up a second yellow and Pollok saw out the rest of the game with 10 men.?

So as the sun set the tie was decided by penalties. After a successful first round of penalties ? Esplin scored for Pollok ? Duff saw his effort saved to allow Clydebank into the lead and the driving seat after the 2nd round. But from that point on it all went Pollok?s way with Henry (rather fortuitously as the keeper got a lot on it) and Dallas both converting whilst McClair hit the bar and Munro saw his effort saved for Clydebank. That left the way clear for Shaun Fraser to slam home the winning penalty and then he appeared to have to explain to his teammates it was all over before the celebrations could begin in earnest.

So the fans went home having seen the ball hit the back of the net 8 times and all 8 shots hit from exactly the same spot on the pitch. The home fans could look forward to a quarter final tie with Kilsyth, the away fans could look back on a missed opportunity and feel more than a little unlucky it wasn?t their team in the quarter finals.?

Att: 451

Goals and shootout highlights from Davie Brown and Mark Donnelly

Match highlights from Davie Brown &? Mark Donnelly

Lok win the shootout 4-2!

Full-time… it’s penalties!

Lok see out the game with 10 men following a second yellow for Danny Boyle.

80 – A Chris DALLAS penalty has Lok level! (1-1)

A 9th minute penalty by Nicky Little has the Bankies ahead.

All the goals from Davie Brown

FT Maryhill 0 Pollok 8 – The Lok advance to the next round of the competition where they will face the winners of Group 9 at Newlandsfield on Monday 12th August with a 6:45pm kick off.

86′ It’s 8-0! Adam Forde acrobatically gets his second of the evening.

84′ Fraser makes it 7-0 from a free kick. That’s his 5th goal of the season.

81′ Shaun Fraser makes it 6-0 from close range

66′ Iain Russell completes his hat trick and makes it 5-0.

55′ A howitzer from Russell makes it 4.

HT Maryhill 0 Pollok 3

44′ Jordan Morton makes it 3-0 just before the break.

35′ It’s 2-0 as Iain Russell scores his first Pollok goal from the penalty spot.

6′ Pollok take the lead through Adam Forde

Att: 263

All the goal from Davie Brown

Att: 434