Juniors

Pollok 1 Petershill 2…It is no secret that Benburg’s home game with Lanark during the last ever month at Tinto Park lured me to Scotland’s second city, Glasgow. After it fell victim to a waterlogged pitch, a first-ever trip to Pollok became the logical alternative [thanks to tweets on Twitter] and, to be honest, I couldn’t have asked for a better reintroduction to Scottish Junior football. Played in a type of stadium all too frequently lost in England to either redevelopment or demolition, old rivals Pollok and Petershill served up a thrilling derby in the West of Scotland Cup, settled in favour of the visitors. By the time the late winner hit the back of the net, Petershill had been reduced to nine men, against the ten men of Pollok, which makes their win more remarkable.

Scottish Junior football thrives throughout Scotland and is completely separate to the league structure most of us are familiar with of the Premiership, Championship, Divisions One and Two, with the Highland and Lowland League below. Junior clubs play in regional leagues and regional cup competitions and also compete for the national Scottish Junior Cup (similar to the FA Trophy or FA Vase).

The term ‘Junior’ bears no relevant to the age of the players, as this is ‘adult football’, and many of the leading clubs have a far bigger following than familiar names like Albion Rovers, Berwick Rangers and East Stirlingshire.

Pollok FC are based in Glasgow to the south of the River Clyde and just 11 minutes by train from Glasgow Central. Their rich history dates back to 1908 and they have won the Scottish Junior Cup on three occasions most recently in 1996/97. Pollok also won the Scottish Juniors West Premier League four times between 2002/03 and 2007/08. The long-standing West of Scotland Cup, of which today’s game was a second round tie, was last won by Pollok in 1999/2000.

While Newlandsfield Park doesn’t possess seats or floodlights, it none-the-less has that wow factor I often write about. The focal point is the huge covered terrace on the south-west side of the ground which protected the bulk of a 400-strong crowd protected from the elements with plenty of room to spare. Open terracing and flat elevated standing surrounds the other three sides with the main club building in the corner nearest to turnstiles. Programmes were on sale both outside the main club entrance and inside the ground, with a teamsheet pinned up next to the club shop [pin badges at £3].

The teams met in the league at Newlandsfield Park two weeks ago with Petershill recording a resounding 5-2 win, a game ‘packed with incidents’. In what was Pollok Interim Manager Rab Sneddon’s first game in charge, Stephen McGladrigan scored twice for the visitors and Pollok had goalkeeper Johnny Murdoch sent off. In terms of the Stagecoach Super League Premier Division table, Petershill stood 9th in the 12-team division with 13 points from 13 games with Pollok one place and two points worse off through with two games in hand. For the record, Auchinleck Talbot topped the table with 26 points, three points clear of Irvine Meadow with a game in hand.

The tie got off to an explosive start as Pollok took an early lead with less than two minutes played. From fully 40-yards out, Richie Barr hit a swerving right-foot free-kick which flew past the helpless Steven McNeil into the left side of the net. The Petershill goalkeeper scrambled across to his right but the shot had far too much power and swerve.

I started to notice the more-frequent sound of the referee’s whistle, mostly for petty fouls, and the home fans started to voice their annoyance towards their side being the one penalised.

Pollok, with their one-goal advantage, continued to create all of the chances. Barr latched on to a ball down the right and as the flag stayed down he fired a low shot towards the near post which flow off NcNeil’s at the expense of a corner.

It took 26 minutes for Petershill to create their first decent chance. Graham Girvan’s free-kick-kick from the right into the area flew of a defender and Chris Mackie sent an acrobatic bicycle kick wide of the target.

As the interval approached, Pollok’s Chris McGowen headed wide and Petershill’s Richie Burke forced a save out of the diving Stephen Robertson. Moments before the half-time whistle, Ross McCabe became the third player to pick up a booking, this one for manhandling Barr.

A nice and unexpected gesture saw me invited into the Committee Room for tea and biscuits. One plaque on the wall stood out: Pollok Football Club opened by Mr Frank McElhone M.P. Under Secretary for Scotland 30th July 1978.

The second half, like the first one an hour earlier, started with a goal in the shape of Petershill’s equaliser. McCabe powered a headed clearance upfield to the edge of the Pollok area where Stephen McGladrigan fired a first-time shot past Robertson into the far right-hand corner of the net.

Roberston produced a decent save midway through the second half. McGladrigan cut in from the left and exchanged passes with Liam Finnegan before unleashing a shot which the Pollok goalkeeper turned round the near post.

Wille Patterson, the Petershill joint manager, said something out of turn within earshot of the referee, as he was ordered from the dugout in the 74th minute.

Perhaps the game’s main talking point occurred moments later.

Jordan Murch, already booked, picked up a second yellow card for handball which sparked a bit of pushing and shoving which resulted in Pollok’s Graeme McLaren and Petershill’s Paul Woods both receiving straight red cards. Both assistants rushed onto the field and the referee attempted to restore order by repeatedly blowing his whistle while carrying the red card in his left hand.

The whole unsavoury incident occurred on the opposite side of the field to me [I was stood under the stand] and the subsequent video on YouTube showed it be not as unsavoury as first thought.

Shortly after play resumed following a three-minute delay, Kieran McAleenan delivered a free-kick into the Petershill area where Willie Howie saw a close-range shot blocked on the line.

The visitors went close as well. Defender Jordan Chisholm sent a bullet header crashing against the bar from Paul McQuilken’s left-wing corner.

It was McQuilken who turned out to be the match winner with an amazing goal scored in the 84th minute. Receiving a cleared corner out on the right, the substitute delivered an inswinging corner back into the area which beat everyone and ended up in the far-left side of the net.

Pollok threw bodies forward in search of an equaliser but the visitors went closest to scoring in stoppage time on the break. McQuilken found Kenny Hadden who saw his well-struck shot blocked by a defender.

For those looking for an old-fashioned ground with one of those wow! factors, then Pollok’s Newlandsfield Park is very much the place to head.

Determined to visit Tinto Park, I returned to Glasgow Central then took the Subway to Ibrox. Walking via the iconic Rangers FC stadium, my original destination was soon reached and I did get to see that historic huge covered terrace, admittedly in fading light.

Highlights from Pollok v Petershill with Goals at 0:38, 7:00 and 13:12, triple sending-off at 10:20 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNQg5Wkw4Dg&feature=youtu.be

Saturday 21st Deceember 2013
Pollok 1 Petershill 2
New Coin Holdings West of Scotland Cup Second Round
At: Newlandsfield Park, Newburgh Street, Glasgow
Kick-off: 1-30 pm
Admission: £5; Programme: £1-50 (36 pages)
Weather: mild, cloudy, showers

Pollok (black and white stripes . white / white): 1. Stephen Robertson, 2. Mark McLennan, 3. Liam McVey, 4. Chris McGowan, 5. Graeme McLaren, 6. Willie Howie (capt), 7. Marco Andreoni, 8. Kieran McAleenan, 9. Richie Barr, 10. Ian Diack, 11. Willie Easton. Subs: 12. Reece McGillion (for Andreoni, 66), 14. Steven Reilly (not used), 15. Kevin Bradley (for McGowan, 85), GK. Chris Fitzpatrick (not used). Interim Manager: Rab Sneddon.

Petershill (blue/blue/blue): 1. Steven McNeil, 2. Graham Girvan, 3. Kenny Hadden, 4. Ross McCabe (capt), 5. Jordan Chisholm, 6. Jordan Murch, 7. Paul Woods, 8. Stephen O’Kane, 9. Stephen McGladrigan, 10. Chris Mackie, 11. Richie Burke. Subs: 12. Ryan Smillie (for McGladrigan, 86), 14. Liam Finnigan (for Burke, 67), 15. Paul McQuilken (for Mackie, 78), 16. Jamie McCluskey (not used), 19gk. Michael White (not used). Managers: Scott Smith and Willie Patterson.

Referee: David McKniff.
Assistants: Mark Kane and Blazej Staniszewski.

Attendance: 400 (headcount)
Duration: first-half: 45:29; second-half: 49:27

Goals:
1-0 Richie Barr (2)
1-1 Stephen McGladrigan (47)
1-2 Paul McQuilken (84)

Cards:
Pollok: Liam McVey (YC, 26), Graeme McLaren (RC, 76)
Petersfield: Jordan Chisholm (YC, 28), Ross McCabe (YC, 45), Jordan Murch (YC, 72), Willie Patterson (sent from dugout, 74), Jordan Murch (YC/RC, 75), Paul Woods (RC, 76), Liam Finnegan (YC, 82)