Category: Glasgow

After several nights playing friendlies to help familiarisation with the new rules, the new league season kicked off at last. Eight players attended but since it was Willie Fleming’s first night he was excused competitive matches.

 

 

Last season Dave Butler and Tom Burns fought out a very close battle for the title. Both played two matches this evening and both started with wins. Burns had a comfortable victory over Baver Bari whilst Dave Butler had to work hard for a win against Dave Gladman with Butler scoring the only goal of the game. The two rivals then played each other in a tense competitive match. Both created chances to score. Burns even had the ball in the net but his strike was ruled out, the referee deciding that his shooting figure had touched a defender before connecting with the ball. Neither player dominated the match and both agreed that the no-scoring draw was a fair result.

 

 

 

Baver Bari also played two matches and unfortunately for him he lost his second match as well. He was level 1-1 at half-time with Colin Day but lost a further two goals in the second half to the experienced campaigner and founder member.

 

 

 

History was made in John Halpin’s match against Martin Phee. Halpin recorded his first ever league win with a 2-1 victory. Last season Halpin had 2 draws and 22 defeats in his league matches. This season promises to be much better! Sadly the camera did not record this historic victory but below is a picture of Halpin playing Willie Fleming.

 

 

Only three competitive matches were played. In the league Dave Houston played out a 1-1 draw with Colin Berry. Berry therefore moves above Baver Bari in the table. In the Association Cup quarter-final Colin Day edged out Ronnie McKenzie 2-1. Day now plays Dave Butler in the semi-final. In the Woodend Handicap Cup first round replay, Willie Fleming managed to claw back his one-goal handicap against Dave Houston to take the game to extra-time. The first half had been fairly even but Fleming dominated the second, deserving his goal. Houston came back into the game in extra-time but neither player was able to break the deadlock. Houston, however, triumphed, winning 2-1 on shots, both his goals coming from the wide shots. Houston will now play Burns in the quarter-final.

Only two league matches were played, both involving Ronnie McKenzie and both ending in draws. Baver Bari and Dave Gladman were the players with whom he shared the points.

 

Bari	1	1	McKenzie
McKenzie	0	0	Gladman

 

 

Two matches were played in the Woodend Handicap Cup. McKenzie pulled back a 3-goal deficit to draw with John Halpin. Colin Day started two goals behind Colin Berry but could only manage one goal. Berry joins Gladman in the semi-finals.

 

Woodend Handicap Cup First Round

 

Halpin

3

3

McKenzie

 

 

Woodend Handicap Cup Quarter Final

 

Berry

2

1

Day

 

 

Two Glasgow Cup replays were played. In the Quarter-Final, Willie Fleming edged out Colin Berry. Fleming will play Dave Butler in the Semi-Final. In the other Semi-Final, Tom Burns beat Colin Day.

 

Glasgow Cup Quater-Final

 

Fleming

1

0

Berry

 

 

Glasgow Cup Semi-Final

 

Day

1

2

Burns

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Only one competitive match was played this evening – the Glasgow Cup semi-final between Tom Burns and Colin Day. Day started the match well and was on the front foot for the first two or three minutes. Then Burns took over and completely dominated the first half but when the whistle sounded for half-time he had only one goal to show for this domination. That goal resulted from Day’s spare goalkeeper giving away possession. After Burns went ahead by two goals in the second half, few would have anticipated the comeback that was to come. Both Day’s second half goals came after poor defensive flicks by his opponent created openings which Day ruthlessly exploited. Burns, however, really should have put this game to bed. With this thought at the back of his mind, will Burns performance be affected in the replay?

 

Burns

2

2

Day

 

 

Six players took part in a four round Swiss system competition. This was won by Baver Bari with wins over Martin Phee and John Halpin and draws with Dave Gladman and Colin Day. Tom Burns was runner-up.

 

 

 

A ruling was also passed on the abandoned Association Cup semi-final between Tom Burns and Willie Fleming. The match will be replayed from half-time with Fleming ahead by one goal.

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