Garnethill Rovers travelled to Hamilton to play CS United with a strong squad of 16 players, it was a great morning for football with the sun shining, a light breeze and the pitch in perfect condition. Rovers had a point to prove after the performance against Blantyre with long spells of pressure and no end product. Rovers played into the wind for the 1st half and much like their last match dominated the 1st half with some great passing football in some diffucult conditions however, CS did well defending with aggression and passion.
Rovers had wave after wave of attack coming from all over the pitch with Fraser Graham, Carlo Santi and Frank Coia playing some excellent balls into strikers and beyond the CS back 4 but the rovers strikers could not get the 1st goal. This attacking play was supported with some excellent overlapping runs and deep looping crosses into the CS box from deputant right back Chris Conway. The Rovers were knocking on the door for most of the 1st half and CS not offering much in the way of a threat going forward playing with a loan striker who for long spells did not get into the game, even Kevin Donaghy managed to creep forward putting in a 40 yard effort on 35 minutes which whistled past the top right hand corner. Rovers had a number of good attacking plays haulted but some laughable referreing decisions (playing advantage is a concept lost on this official!!!) however Rovers perceviered.
The most notable attack came on 40 minutes with Frank Coia playing a well weighted ball through into the path of Rory Watson for him to hit a rasping shot from the edge of the box. This produced and excellent save from the SC keeper who up to that point looked very uncomfortable when under pressure. The 1st Half ended 0-0.
Rovers got the second half off to a great start, with the wind behind them Fraser Graham scored on 47 minutes. Rovers put the CS goal under pressure and a poor defensive clearance was controlled very well by graham on the edge of the box, graham took a touch and bent the ball round the keeper into the bottom right corner of the goal, 1-0 to the Rovers.
Daniel Martin came on for David Clancy on 63 minutes and added good width to the game on the right flank, shortly after Coia picked up the ball in midfield and went on a mazie run cutting through the CS midfileld and defence and finished with a cheeky dummy on the keeper going round him and tapping into an open net.
The Rovers back 4 looked solid and well organised and gave very little away, playing football when the opportunities came and cleared their lines when necessary. Unfortunatly CS pulled a goal back mid way through the 2nd half with a 25 yard free kick which looped over the Rovers wall and under Darren McDowell and into the net, a cheep goal to conceed which give the home team a renewed confidence. Rovers continued pressure paid off late in the second half with a goal mouth scramble in the CS box, the ball fell to Lewis Barnes who kept his composure and tucked the ball away like an acomplished striker, unfortunatly he celebrated his goal like an epileptic having a seizure.
Rovers made a number of changes late in the second half with Lewis barnes being replaced with Iain MacGregor after a head knock, Stewart Mauchan replacing Rory Watson and John McKenzie replacing Fraser Veitch up front. CS had a strong last 10 minutes putting the Rovers back 4 under pressure but the defence made some great tackles and blocks for a well deserved victory.
The game finished CS United 1 - 3 GRFC.
