Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Andy McGilvray

Pollok 1, Rutherglen Glencairn 1: Glens face anxious wait for survival hopes

Rutherglen Glencairn face a sweat for West of Scotland Premier Division survival after holding high-flying Pollok to a draw at Newlandsfield Park..

Willie Harvey's side have played all of their league games, while rivals Glenafton Athletic and Largs Thistle still have fixtures to play, after hosting Beith and Clydebank, respectively, this afternoon.

But all of it depends on Darvel winning their play-off against St Cuthbert Wanderers on May 25, which would see the drop-zone go down to 15th place, rather than the 14th Glens were in ahead of kick-off.

Glencairn gave themselves hope of survival with a point, but their fate is now very much in other clubs' hands.

Dylan Dykes got 'Lok on their way with a 14th-minute penalty after Stuart McCann had been decked inside the box, and it was pretty much where the direction of play had been at that point.

However, Glencairn came back into the game in the 10 minutes before half-time and, after a couple of flurries, levelled through Fraser Malcolm.

The striker could and probably should have put his side ahead moments later, but that would have been harsh on a Pollok side that had dominated up until that point.

Pollok boss Murdo MacKinnon made three changes to the side that beat Cumbernauld United 2-1 last time out, with goalkeeper Josh Lumsden, Danny MacKenzie and Shaun Fraser in for keeper Jordan Longmuir, Mark Sideserf and Chris Duff.

Glens levelled through Fraser Malcolm ahead of the break (Dave Taylor)

Glencairn gaffer Willie Harvey made four changes to the side that lost to Kirkintilloch last time out. In came Craig Leitch, Craig Murray, Sean McGuire and Fraser Malcolm, for suspended Tam Miller, Reece Pearson, Jack McIlveen and Kit Cummins.

Pollok threatened first inside the opening minute when Grant Evans played a long ball to Stuart McCann, but the striker just failed to connect, in front of goal.

Fraser Malcolm was sent through on goal in three minutes, but keeper Lumsden rushed off his line to clear well.

Fraser Malcolm took his goal well for Glens (Rutherglen Reformer)

Pollok nearly took the lead in style in 11 minutes when a cross from the right was met with an acrobatic overhead kick by McCann, but Matt McGinley superbly touched it over the bar.

But the hosts were awarded a penalty in 14 minutes when McCann was sent sprawling inside the box by David Brownlie and Dykes stepped up to slam the spot-kick into the right corner.

A trip on Fraser gave Pollok another shot at goal from a free kick just outside the box in 19 minutes,, but his low free kick was well taken by McGinley.

Boss Willie Harvey was back in the Glencairn dug-out (Dave Taylor)

Pollok went close again in 29 minutes when Danny MacKenzie and McCann combined to set up Fraser, but his shot slipped just wide of the right post.

Glens levelled when Fraser Malcolm finished off a neat move down the right in 39 minutes, and he nearly put the visitors ahead moments later when he was sent through by harry Mitchell, but this time Lumsden made a smart save.

Craig Murray nearly sent Scott Schoneville through in 44 minutes, but Lumsden read it well to mop up the danger.

Pollok came close to regaining their lead in 52 minutes when Grant Evans raced down the right and cut the ball back for Shaun Fraser, but it was a fraction too far ahead of him as he slid in.

They went close two minutes later when MacKenzie set up Dykes for an angled shot at goal, but it flew just past the right post.

It went a bit quiet after that but Pollok went close again in 63 minutes when Del Esplin had a sight of goal, but could only find the left side-netting.

Pollok's Evan Horne couldn't believe it when his deflected effort hit the right post in 18 minutes when McGinley stranded, but the rebound was blazed over virtually an open goal.

The hosts tried again in 73 minutes when Horne's corner from the left was headed past the near post by Fraser.

Glencairn had a chance out or virtually nothing in 76 minutes, but Murray's shot was comfortably taken.

Pollok had one last effort in stoppage time when Fraser and Kealan Braonan combined to set up Kamil Krol, but he fired over.

That was it for Glencairn's season, with a point to show for their efforts today.

POLLOK: Lumsden, Evans, MacKenzie, Wharton, Brownlie, Horne, Lyon (Krol, 77), Esplin, McCann, Dykes (Braonan, 85), Fraser.

Subs (not used): Longmuir (GK), Menzies, Bradley, Duff, Haggerty.

Booked: Evans (65)

GLENCAIRN: McGinley, Coleman (Maley, 29), Schoneville, Shields, O'Byrne, Leith. T. Lone, McGuire, Malcolm, Mitchell, Murray.

Subs (not used): McLellan (GK), McNeil, Imrie, Campbell, Ryan, Chrystal, Pearson.

Referee: Ross Birrell.

Follow Lanarkshire Live Sport on Twitter via @LanLiveSport, like us on Facebook or find us on Instagram for the latest sports news, pictures and video.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.