Campbeltown Pupils FC 3
Rossvale FC 2
WOSFL – Division Four
Campbeltown Pupils deservedly collected all three points last Saturday, after an impressive performance at home against Bishopbriggs-based Rossvale.
Heavy rain before kick-off made underfoot conditions difficult for the teams, but they still served up a pulsating game for the loyal local support at Kintyre Park.
The Pupils, sponsored at home by McFaydens Contractors, opened the scoring in the 13th minute, Ryan Deans pouncing on a hesitant defensive mix to wrong-foot the goalkeeper and score into the gaping net.
The lead was doubled in the 23rd minute after a good passage of team play. Stuart Crossan made a strong driving run at the heart of the visitors’ defence and his passing interchange with Deans and Donald McCallum carved Rossvale wide open for Calum Ellis to score from close range.
The visitors, currently in fourth place in the division, were awarded two free kicks in quick succession at the edge of the box after rash challenges, the Pupils’ defensive wall denying them on both attempts.
They also hit the inside of the post from an acute angle but the Pupils held on to go in at the break with a two-goal lead.
As expected, Rossvale pushed men forward in the second half in an attempt to get back into the game, but it was the Pupils who extended their lead in the 61st minute.
A fantastic counter attack left the visitors wide open and Donald McCallum played in Scott Souden to cut inside and power an angled shot past the helpless keeper.
At 3-0 down, Rossvale got a head of steam going and the Pupils had to defend desperately at times.
Just when it looked like they weathered the storm, a cruel deflection in the 77th minute ended up in the Pupils’ net to make it 3-1.
The pressure continued and after a mass scramble, the referee awarded Rossvale a penalty in the 81st minute to peg the score back to 3-2.
The Pupils’ defence of John McCallum, Keith Mitchell, Craig Morris and Michael McKinlay re-grouped and a few last ditch challenges and a fine stop with his leg from goalkeeper Leon Murphy denied the visitors an equaliser.
In the final minute of added time, Ellis Robertson tricked his way past a sparse Rossvale and his low shot spun off the keeper for a corner.
The Pupils kept the ball at the corner flag to run down the clock and the visitors’ frustration spilled over with aggressive push on Liam Renton that started a confrontation which ended with the referee showing a few players a yellow card before blowing the full-time whistle.
“Many thanks, once again, to Scott and Alice Anne McKinlay of Scottish Fishing for sponsoring the match ball,” said a Pupils’ spokesperson. “Also many thanks to long-standing loyal supporter Angus Martin for donating the half-time raffle prize.”
Tomorrow (Saturday), the Pupils travel to play league leaders Glenvale. The venue for the game has been switched from Ferguslie to Barrfields Stadium, home of Largs Thistle.