WHAT’S NEW

Willie Fleming now looks favourite for the runner-up spot after he drew level on points with Tom Burns tonight. Both lie seven points behind Malcolm Lees. Fleming still has his sights set on the title but even if he defeats Lees in their remaining league match he would still be four points adrift. He must rely on others taking points from Lees. Unfortunately for Fleming those most likely to do this, Dave Butler, Barry Corr and Colin Day look as if they will withdraw from the league. It might be argued that Fleming is returning to the form which saw him become Glasgow’s number one many years ago. Fleming’s game is built on a sound defence which is the best in the league. After 16 games his goals against column is still in single figures. Tonight he demonstrated that solid defence again, with no goals conceded in victories over Burns and Ronnie McKenzie. He was able to severely limit his opponents’ chances and also to score at critical times. Against McKenzie few chances were created by either player but Fleming cruelly exploited a poor block flick to score the only goal of the game. Against Burns, after a goal-less first half, Fleming showed winning mentality to come out on top.

Ronnie McKenzie had few chances against Fleming and it had been the same story when he played Dave Houston earlier, in their first encounter of the season. If Fleming has single figures in his goals against column, Houston is still in single figures in his goals for column and so it remained after tonight. It is interesting that half of Houston’s league goals have been against Dave Gladman.

What a night it was for Fraser McKenzie! He hasn’t been able to get many points on the board but his games have certainly been much more competitive than last season. First tonight, he managed a 1-1 draw with Dave Gladman. McKenzie’s formation was reminiscent of those of Craig Levein but it proved to be effective. Gladman did dominate this match and had more than enough opportunities to win comfortably but it was McKenzie who took his chance to lead 1-0 at half-time. An excellent pick up from distance created the opportunity and he made no mistake. Eventually Gladman found an equaliser, a difficult shot after missing much easier chances. Then came McKenzie’s shock victory over Tom Burns. The match was not without controversy as Burns thought he’d found the net with the ball passing right through the goal. The referee did not see it that way and could not give the goal. Burns, perhaps still despondent after losing to Willie Fleming, allowed this to distract him from focussing on winning the game. It was joy for McKenzie, however, as he recorded the best win of his career.

League

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Malcolm Lees took a step closer to the league title with a 4-2 victory over John Halpin. Lees had a narrow 1-0 lead after a first half in which Halpin felt unlucky to be behind. The second half saw a glut of goals in a short period. Lees showed clinical finishing to go ahead 2 then 3 nil. Halpin pulled one back only to immediately lose a fourth. Halpin scored again and that was the end of the scoring. Lees has a very good scoring rate to shots at goal, an area which Halpin must seek to improve.

Dave Houston re-started his league campaign with three matches tonight but only emerged with one point. His first match was against Willie Fleming and in truth Fleming was never in trouble after he opened the scoring although he could only find the net once more. Next up for Houston was Dave Gladman and it was Houston who took a one goal lead into half-time after exploiting a large gap in the centre of the Gladman defence. It was a determined Gladman who dominated possession in the second half and who eventually found an equaliser. Houston’s third match ended in defeat to Colin Berry but it was a match he really shouldn’t have lost.

One match took place in the Woodend Handicap Cup. Colin Berry started one goal ahead of Willie Fleming but he was not able to retain that lead. Two goals from Fleming were enough to see him into the semi-finals.

League

Woodend Handicap Cup

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Only four players braved Storm Henry to attend the club tonight. One league and one cup match took place. In the league it was a big match, a title decider perhaps between Malcolm Lees and Tom Burns. Certainly it was a match which Tom Burns really had to win. Burns started with intent, he would take the game to Lees. It’s a style which we have come to expect from Burns. The purpose of the game according to Burns is to score goals and that means attack. Burns fully deserved his half-time 1-0 lead and perhaps he was unfortunate not to be further ahead. There was a lot of tension and the match was littered with simple errors with many moves unecessarily breaking down. The second half was more even but Burns attacking style will always give his opponents opportunities to score and Lees was able to take one of those opportunities. Burns poured forward trying to find that all important winner but it was not to be. Both matches between these two players have ended 1-1. It is their matches against others players which have decided the championship. Burns has dropped points to five other players, Lees only two.

The first action in this season’s Association Cup also took place tonight. But this match will have to be played again as neither Dave Gladman nor John Halpin were able to find the net. This was not an exciting 0-0 draw. A game of frequent errors it was fought out in midfield where neither player was able to find any fluency. With sixteen draws between them in the league so far it is surely not surprising that this game also ended in stalemate.

League

Association Cup

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The last time Tom Burns faced Colin Berry he swept to a 6-0 victory. Tonight, however, it was a completely different story. It was the Woodend Handicap Cup (Holder, Baver Bari) and Berry had the benefit of a 2-0 start against the league champion. Burns started with aggression but it was Berry who had the best chance in the early stages, a chance which he failed to take. For the rest of the half Burns continued to press but most of his opportunities came from wide angles. But Berry was dangerous on the break and he scorned two further really good chances. The second half continued in the same vein but as the game wore on more errors began to creep into Burns’ game. As the tension mounted dubious decision making by Berry began putting him under more pressure and finally Burns found the net but with only just over a minute remaining. Berry kicked off and managed to hold possession until the final whistle blew. On Burns Night it wasn’t Burns’ night. It was a fine victory for Berry who now faces Willie Fleming in the next round.

Up until tonight John Halpin has had seven draws in the league. He was still searching for his first league win. One of those draws was against Willie Fleming who was Halpin’s opponent again this evening. Fleming dominated the first half but could not find the net. Halpin was much better in the second and mid-way through he took the lead. There was some controversy around the goal with Fleming not convinced that the ball had fully entered the shooting area. The referee, however, was adamant that the ball had indeed crossed the line. Time was running out as Fleming pressed for an equaliser. It looked as if Halpin would record his first league victory but with only FIVE SECONDS remaining Fleming scored! Seven draws had become eight for the dejected Halpin.

Before tonight Fleming had the belief that he was still in the title race but two points dropped to Halpin did not help his cause. His title aspirations were dealt a further blow when he dropped two more points, this time against Dave Gladman. This was a slow tactical game played in the middle of the park with few shots on goal. Fleming though, did take the lead but was pegged back only a couple of minutes later. Thereafter neither player was able to create any further chances.

Prior to Colin Berry’s epic match against Tom Burns, he played in the league against Dave Gladman. As Gladman struggled to find any rhythm to his game, it was Berry who dominated the first half and it was he who took the lead on the stroke of half-time. Gladman started the second period with much more purpose and soon drew level. It looked as if it would be a share of the spoils but Berry missed an easy ball just outside his own shooting area. Gladman was quick to capitalise and the three points were his.

League

Woodend Handicap Cup

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In the title race Malcolm Lees dropped two points tonight. It was Lees’ second league encounter with Dave Gladman and it finished with the same scoreline as the first, 1-1. Gladman led 1-0 at half-time after firing home at close range. Straight from the second half kick-off Lees drew level. Both players had chances to win the game but the draw was a fair result. Lees went on to pick up three points against Ronnie McKenzie who started the game well with good possession. Midway through the first half, however, Lees took the lead and went on to add two further goals before the end. Scoring the first goal was crucial although McKenzie could consider himself unlucky in the manner by which he conceded two of them. At the top of the league Lees now has a four point lead over Burns and has a game in hand. Willie Fleming could overtake Burns should he win all the games he has in hand.

McKenzie had better luck against Baver Bari although he only just survived a second half onslaught. McKenzie played really well in the first period and fully deserved his 3-0 half-time lead. But this was a game of two halves and it was a different Bari who emerged after the break. He pulled two goals back but ran out of time to complete the comeback.

Colin Berry has been having a good league campaign up until now, having lost only two matches. Tonight, however, his number of defeats doubled. Admittedly they were against top players but he will be very disappointed with the 6-0 defeat to Tom Burns. He was definitely not pleased when later in the evening he was drawn against Burns in both cup competitions. His other defeat was to Willie Fleming in their first meeting of the season. In his third match Berry had to come from behind to draw with Baver Bari.

League

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Only five players turned up for the first night of the new year and only three matches were played. Baver Bari was to suffer a new year hangover with two defeats but they were to the two leading players, Malcolm Lees and Tom Burns. Both players seemed intent on improving their goal difference, chalking up big scores of 6-0 and 8-1. It is therefore ‘as you were’ at the top of the table. Bari can be really good in possession and his shooting can be a powerful weapon but the defensive part of his game needs improvement. He allowed his opponents far too many shots at goal. He often doesn’t use his defensive flicks productively and sometimes doesn’t use them at all. Until he focuses on defensive tactics he will struggle against the top players.

Dave Gladman defeated John Halpin 1-0 in a close fought encounter. Both players’ attacks repeatedly broke down as they failed to get clear scoring opportunities. Chances, therefore, were few but it was Gladman who was able to convert one of them.

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This was the last club night of 2015 and Malcolm Lees remains in top spot in the league. Two wins for Tom Burns tonight reduced the Lees’ lead to just three points but Burns has played two games more than his rival for the title. Lees dropped points at the start of the campaign but since topping the league on the 2nd November he has not looked back. It’s now unlikely that Dave Butler will compete further this season in the league and with everyone else continuing to take points off each other, Lees must be strong favourite to become champion.

Tom Burns has re-found his scoring touch recently and tonight he found the net nine times times in his two matches against John Halpin and Ronnie McKenzie. Halpin had his moments against Burns and was well in the game at 1-1 but he couldn’t convert any of his further opportunities into goals. In McKenzie’s previous encounter against Burns he scored four times but this time he could only take one of his chances. With Burns’ attacking style of play an opponent will always have opportunities himself but he must also defend well.

It was a good night and indeed it has been a good season so far for Colin Berry. He has lost only two league matches and these were to the leading pair, Lees and Burns. Six points tonight lifted him four places up the table. Berry led 3-0 against John Halpin and managed to withstand a Halpin fightback to win 3-2. Then followed a 2-0 victory over the improving Fraser McKenzie.

Dave Gladman also moved up the table after gathering four points. First came a 3-1 win against Bave Bari. The players were locked at 1-1 at half-time but Gladman managed to gain control in the second half to take the points. Gladman then drew with Ronnie McKenzie in a match not without controversy. McKenzie dominated most of this match though Gladman did have a few really good opportunities to score. Both goals came in the closing minutes first by McKenzie with a shot which came out of the goal so quickly that the referee wasn’t absolutely sure that the ball had completely crossed the line. McKenzie was convinced and he did have the best viewing angle. Then after McKenzie had missed a chance to seal the game at 2-0, Gladman broke away to equalise.

Prior to his defeat by Colin Berry, Fraser McKenzie lost to Willie Fleming in the league and Malcolm Lees in the Glasgow Cup, each time with a scoreline of 2-0. McKenzie continues to improve. He is good in possession and his defensive play is much more solid. He is also creating chances but these chances are not yet becoming goals. He is starting to compete well against the top players but he must improve his shooting skills if he is to start taking points from them.

In a crucial Glasgow Cup match Willie Fleming lost 3-0 to Malcolm Lees. After a goal-less first half, Fleming lost his way after the break. Getting the first goal was all important in this game and Fleming, like Fraser McKenzie is not taking his chances when they come along. Lees has almost secured qualification from Group A but it is still possible for Lees, Fleming and Barry Corr to all finish on nine points.

League

Glasgow Cup

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