Statement 'Game of two halves' sums up this match. GRFC got off to a strong start putting the Blantyre goal under siege. A strone breeze helped the rovers heep Blantyre pinned in their own half for long spells in the first half.
Chance after chance was squandered including an open goal missed from Fraser Veitch on 17min (30 yards out). The plethora of chances missed would cost the rovers in the end. The rovers back 4 and GK looked solid and well organised and were winning everything thrown at them. The 1st half finnished 0-0.
Rovers made an excellent start to the second half with David Clancy coming in off the wing and hitting a good shot on target, the shot was blocked but Roy Watson was in position and tucked it away to make it 1-0.
As the second half progressed the Rovers lost their way. A mistake at the back from Iain MacGregor resulted in a corner. Blantyre scored after a knockdown in the box fell at the feet of a blantyre player, Darren McDowall could do nothing in goal to stop the shot. After the Goal there was a real lack of football played from the rovers and resulted to long ball tactics which was neither pretty or effective.
The referee was giving no protection to the rovers strike force which really upset the home crowd of 2! Blantyre scored a second goal late in the second half from a corner and the Zonal players did not attack the ball like they should. Shortly after Carlo Santi Squandered a 4v2 counter attack which compounded the poor defending and from their on the writing was on the wall!
The match finished 2-1 to blantyre, the quality of football played was poor and no where near the standards set by the GRFC squad in the league cup campaign. A very disappointing result for the promotion hopefuls.
