WHAT’S NEW

Dave Butler came within four minutes of losing his league title tonight. In a crucial match against Dave Gladman, Butler dominated the first half but could not find the net. Straight from the start of the second half Gladman took the lead scoring on the run thus denying Butler the chance to block. Butler continued to press with Gladman trying to hold possession when he had the opportunity. With time running out and tension mounting, Butler’s breakthrough finally came. Butler now has two games remaining against Dave Houston and Craig Lynch. There is now no margin for error. He must win them both. Also in the league Colin Berry moved up two places in the league after a win over John Halpin.

 

Butler	1	1	Gladman
Berry	2	0	Halpin

 

 

 

 

Woodend Handicap Cup

 

Dave Butler and Dave Gladman met again this time in the Handicap Cup. Gladman therefore started with the benefit of a 2 goal lead. Gladman flicked off and held the ball for the first three or four minutes. Keeping possession was to be the Gladman tactic throughout this match. It was a similar pattern to their encounter earlier in the evening with Butler pressing the Gladman goal. Good defensive work by Gladman limited Butler’s opportunities but with six minutes remaining Butler had an excellent chance from a central position. The shot, however, was well saved. Then, following a free-kick just outside the shooting area Butler at last broke the deadlock. With only a minute left Gladman flicked off and ran down the clock.

 

Gladman

2

1

Butler

 

Association Cup

 

The first semi-final of this cup was between Tom Burns and Willie Fleming. Unfortunately the match was abandoned with only four minutes remaining. With Fleming leading 2-0 and almost certainly heading for the final an altercation took place between Fleming and the referee (Martin Phee) at which point Fleming withdrew his players from the pitch. The outcome of the match is yet to be decided.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Only two competitive matches were played tonight. Having played the same number of games, only one point separated Ronnie McKenzie and Dave Houston. That was still the case after their goal-less draw. McKenzie should have taken all the points but failed to convert a penalty.

 

Houston

0

0

McKenzie

 

Once again Houston had to face Tom Burns in a quarter-final, this time the Glasgow Cup. Houston fared a little better but once again he is out of the competition.

 

Burns

3

1

Houston

 

In the only league match played tonight John Halpin gained his second point of the season with a goal-less draw against Dave Houston. Halpin was delighted with the result but for Houston, scoring goals remains a problem. His defensive record is quite good but his scoring rate is only one goal per game.

 

Halpin

0

0

Houston

 

 

 

Ties were played in three different cup competitions. Baver Bari was unfortunate to lose two quarter-final matches. In the Association Cup he went down to Willie Fleming. Bari scored straight from the kick-off but Fleming soon established control and won comfortably in the end. Bari was more unlucky in his Glasgow Cup quarter-final against Colin Day. The Motherwell man’s play surely deserved a replay but Day clinched the match with a second goal in the last few seconds. Dave Houston and Willie Fleming will have to play again in the Woodend Handicap Cup after Fleming overcame his single goal handicap to earn the replay. Houston, however, fared worse in his Association Cup quarter-final losing badly to Tom Burns.

 

Association Cup Quarter Finals

 

Houston	0	4	Burns
Bari	1	3	Fleming

 

Glasgow Cup Quarter Final

 

Day

2

0

Bari

 

Woodend Handicap Cup Round 1

 

Houston

1

1

Fleming

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tonight was definitely the Craig Lynch show as all four competitive matches involved the Hot Club player. Results for Lynch improved with each match. His opening game saw defeat to Tom Burns who was made to work for his victory. Next was a narrow loss to Willie Fleming who now looks as if he will pip Colin Day for third place. No goals were scored when Lynch faced Martin Phee who became the first player to complete his league matches. It has been a season of improvement for Phee who will surely see the benefits of weekly involvement next year. Victory for Lynch in his final game against Dave Gladman moved him two places up the league with the prospect of climbing higher before the season is over. The only goal of the game was fit to win any match. Once again Gladman was unable to convert opportunities into goals. Lynch was able to win despite one of his figures being crushed underfoot by referee Martin Phee. There is no doubt, however, that Lynch, together with fellow Hot Club player, Baver Bari, have developed as players through participation in the Glasgow league.

 

 

Lynch	1	3	Burns
Fleming	1	0	Lynch
Lynch	0	0	Phee
Gladman	0	1	Lynch

 

 

 

 

 

The focus tonight was on cup matches. Dave Butler kept his hopes of the quadruple alive by progressing to the semi finals of Glasgow and Association Cups by defeating Ronnie McKenzie and Colin Berry. In the Glasgow Cup, Berry and Willie Fleming will have to play again, Fleming coming back from a goal down at half-time. A Handicap Cup goal feast saw Tom Burns overcome a 3-goal handicap to beat Baver Bari.

 

Glasgow Cup Quarter-Finals

 

Butler	3	0	McKenzie
Berry	1	1	Fleming

 

Association Cup Quarter-Final

 

Berry

0

2

Butler

 

Handicap Cup Round 1

 

Burns

7

5

Bari

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the league Willie Fleming made himself favourite to finish third with a 1-0 victory over Dave Gladman. If he wins his games in hand Fleming will finish one point ahead of Colin Day. Gladman is not out of it but he faces a tougher finish than Fleming. Elsewhere, McKenzie moved up to sixth after beating Bari and drawing with old rival Berry. Neither player has got the better of the other this season.

 

Fleming	1	0	Gladman
Bari	0	2	McKenzie
Berry	0	0	McKenzie

 

 

 

 

Only three league matches were played, all involving Andrea Andreoni. In his first match he managed a narrow victory over Baver Bari, then drew with Colin Day and finally lost to Dave Butler. Andreoni remains a contender for third place but to achieve that he can ill afford to drop further points.

 

Andreoni	2	1	Bari
Day	1	1	Andreoni
Andreoni	0	3	Butler

 

It is with regret that we hear that Barry Corr will be unable to complete his fixtures for the rest of the season. He had displayed such fine form at the Glasgow IO. Since Corr had only played eleven games it was agreed that, to be fair to other players, all his results should be removed from the league table. This now means that Tom Burns leads the table on goal difference from Butler who has one game in hand. Butler needs seven points from his remaining three matches against Dave Gladman, Dave Houston and Craig Lynch. Burns, of course, must defeat Craig Lynch and Kenny Jones. An exciting and tense finish to the league campaign is certain. Gladman and Houston have both run Butler close this season and an improving Lynch will have benefited from his playing at Mons.

 

 

 

 

Association Cup

 

One Association Cup match took place, the first round replay between Dave Butler and Dave Gladman. Butler progressed to play Colin Berry in the quarter-finals.

 

Butler

2

0

Gladman