Eaglesham Amateurs Football Club                      RED and BLACK

Eaglesham 6-0 Arkleston
Eaglesham, with 2 or 3 of their missing players from Sat's game returning, took their frustrations from Sat out on the new SAFL Premier 2 side Arkleston. The Gaffer experimented with a new look to the side which, after 20 mins of getting used to, took a good shape and allowed a free flow to the home side's play.

The Hams took the lead from a set piece, which they looked dangerous from all night. Kyle, back from a one game suspension and playing a new role at right back, whipped in a low corner for Hill at the front post. The Tommy Sheridan look-alike allowed the ball to pass through his legs and skid across the 6 yard box, which Andy Williams did his best to miss, but somehow directed the ball home.

Half time came and went, with The Gaffer demanding we kept the ball better and continued the form of the last 25 mins of the first half. The second half belonged to one man child – Michael Gowans. The wannabe Shayne Ward took the game by the scruff of the neck and with his pace, direct running and excellent low finishes, compounded Arkleston to a heavy defeat.

His first and second came from good work by Birrell, Graham and McGrory ending with sweeping finishes across the keeper. Kyle grabbed a rare goal to make it 4, driving in another cross from the right which Graham couldn’t direct at goal, but the ginger haired warrior retrieved the ball whipping in a dangerous cross to the back post. The ball evaded McMaster and his marker allowing Kyle to drive home on the half volley sending the ball into the top corner of the net.

Gowans hat-rick finally came from a driven Kyle pass into feet where he showed great touch and speed, turning his marker and creating a yard to strike in one movement before, again, sweeping the ball home low into the far corner of the net. His fourth and The Hams 6th came moments later, with a low near post shot from 18 yards after good work again from the relentless Nelson and ever running Birrell.

The defence was strong throughout with the Hill, Williams partnership looking excellently balanced and solid, and the two full backs growing into their new positions. PJ in goal didn’t have much to do but dealt well with pass backs and communicated with his backline throughout. The midfield harried and pressurised, with McGrory (Cunningham), Nelson and McMaster battling effortlessly allowing Birrell, Graham and Gowans to run amock as the visitors tired.

The crowning moment of the game came when The Gaffer himself roled back the years and took to the park himself! Gowans faked injury after he saw he was coming off for the cockney geezer, and almost lost his man of the match award as The Gaffer (literally!) strolled through the last 5 mins. One of his passes almost led to a goal - would we have ever heard the last of that!!! (Video coming soon - if you have widescreen!).

All in all a good performance that should kick start our season, especially with more players coming back from holiday and injury.

Team - Johnston, Kyle, Hill, Williams, McNairn, McGrory, Nelson, McMaster, Graham, Birrell, Gowans
Goals - Williams, Kyle, Gowans (4)

MOM - Shayne Ward

St Josephs 1 – 3 Eaglesham

Caretaker manager Jamie McKenzie led his side to an impressive victory over Clydebank outfit St Joseph's in his first game in charge of Eaglesham after the departure of one of the most successful and charismatic managers in the clubs recent history.

Norman Milne's reign ended the previous week and all eyes were on the players and how they would respond to the change of management. However, as happens so often in football the players responded with a win.

Matches between these two have always been tight affairs and this encounter proved to be no different with both sides failing to break the deadlock in a tempestuous first half. The major talking point of this half was the sickening 'tackle' by the fat St Jospeh's keeper on Eaglesham striker Inglis. Both players were fullly commited in racing for a loose ball on the edge of the box when Inglis nipped in first, toed the ball away from the keeper and was subsequently cemented by a thigh high karate kick. To the amazement of the travelling Ultras the referee saw nothing wrong with the assault when a red card seemed inevitable.

Shortly after the break the ref decided to even things up when Dunning skipped by the centre half and was clearly tripped on his way to goal. Red card. This was the turning point and another Dunning run from deep saw him one-on-one with the keeper. His finish was wayward and looked to be heading wide when Inglis came from nowhere to slot the ball home.

Minutes later young Gowans capitalised on a slack back pass and from the tightest of angles unleashed a sublime finish high into the near top corner and wheeled away in jubilation. At this point 10 man St Joseph's could have thrown in the towel but they hit back with a goal of their own to potentially set up a nervy final fifteen minutes.

The home sides fightback did not last long however. With ten minutes remaining Andy Walker lookalike McNairn surged forward on the left flank, picked out Graham with a fine cross and the carrot-topped player/coach vollleyed the ball into the roof of the net to secure the points.

An impressive away win for the Hams and a good start to McKenzies managerial career in which he showed tactical nous and made well timed changes. Effort and work-rate were the two main factors in this Hams victory and these attributes must be maintained if promotion is to be achieved.

By Lois Lane
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Eaglesham 2 - 1 Center

A second straight victory propelled the Hams to joint top of Premier 1. The match against Centre AFC was a tight affair throughout with the Hams just edging it to claim a 2-1 victory. Goals from Inglis and Dunning gave the home side the points after going a goal down in the 55th minute. The victory maintains Mackenzie’s 100% record after he took control of the reigns two weeks ago.

Mackenzie opted to stick with the same side who recorded a fine away victory at St. Josephs the previous week meaning the returning Little and Kyle had to sit on the bench along with the promoted King. The team lined up with Johnstone in goal behind McMaster, Hill, Williams and McNairn. The midfield consisted of Birrell and Graham on the flanks with Dunning and Syme in the engine room, leaving the pacy but minute duo of Inglis and Gowans up front.

The match started with both teams looking to make the mark on the game, however very few chances were created. The best of those early chances fell to the away sides number 10 (who seems to fancy himself as Christiano Ronaldo. This guy had the same small white socks, boots and hairstyle as the tricky Portuguese but lacked any of his talents), but his shots flew wide of the target each time.

It took the Hams 15 mins to muster a chance and like most in this game it fell to the onrushing Syme whose surge into the box had him 1 on 1 with the keeper from a tight angle. With space running out and pressure from a defender his first time effort found the thankful hands of Centre's no 1. The referee’s whistle brought a tight half to a close with nothing to separate the two sides. The new Gaffer chose to keep things as they were and asked his players to keep the passing and work rate up to the levels they had managed in the first 45.

Those words were forgotten 10 minutes after half time when the Cambria number 9 slipped past Hill for the first time in the game, and with the rest of the Hams defence seemingly caught upfield after a Hams set piece, he placed the ball past the onrushing Johnstone to open the scoring.

The following 10 mins seemed to pass in much the same way that the first 45 did, with few chances being created. The only chance of note again fell to Syme who, from a similar position to his chance in the first half, again put his effort straight into the chest of the keeper. The Gaffer decided to make a change and brought Little onto the right hand side of midfield for the tireless Birrell. 5 mins later he added another change to the right hand side by bringing on Kyle to replace the battling McMaster at right back.

The changes had the desired effect the Gaffer was looking for as The Hams found a second wind and scrambled an equalizer. Dunning escaped the clutches of Centre’s right back, scurried into the box and fired a shot across goal from the tightest of angles. The keeper made the save but the venom in the shot meant it squirmed free of his grasp and fell at Graham’s feet. The ginger Daddy somehow managed to hit the defender who had fallen onto the goal line, but fortunately for the home side the ball rebounded to Inglis who swept home to the delight of the 50+ strong Burnside crowd.

Now Eaglesham had the ascendancy, but they had to wait until the 80th minute to grab a deserved winner, and what a goal it was. Kyle harried and hassled one defender into a rushed pass and then stole the ball off another to release Dunning. Picking the ball up on the half way line he still had a lot to do, but took the chance to run at the Centre’s tiring defence with Inglis, Kyle and Gowans in support. Their runs took two defenders away allowing Dunning to glide past his only obstacle before heading into the box with only the keeper to beat. With the large home support edging their way onto the pitch in anticipation he managed to keep the most composed head on the park, round the keeper and slot home to send the locals wild with delight.

The goal was a worthy winner and, with a blocked tackle from a defensive clearance sailing over the bar being the only late scare to the home side, the 3 points were staying in Eaglesham. To their credit the away side helped to produce a good game of football which was played in the right spirit and was enjoyed by a good crowd.

The last two games have shown the importance of the squad and everyone making training. Two victories have helped to get the Red and Blacks back to the top of the league, but only through showing the same commitment to training, work rate & talent on the pitch, and the determination to come back from bad positions will this team be able to stay there.

Eaglesham 2 – 1 Centre
Inglis 72, Dunning 81

MoM – Dunning (although the Burnside ran him close with their wonderful support)