Greenock Juniors Football Club

Saturday 16th April 2005 @ Guy's Meadow

Cumbernauld Utd 1-1 Greenock Juniors

(3-4 on pens)

Central League Cup R2

Black opens the scoring

For the 5th game in a row Greenock went on there travels, this time to play Cumbernauld ut in this 2nd round Central league cup tie. Greenock went into the game very thin on the ground with Defenders McMillan, Mcilvogue and McAllister all missing as well as Mcintyre and Barnes through injury. The shape of the team was changed this week with Greenock reverting to a 3-4-3. The game started very brightly on the very impressive Guy's meadow surface. Cumbernauld were first to threaten when they worked the ball down the right and the cutback was met by an onrushing midfielder but his effort went wide of Meechan's right hand upright. Greenock looked up for the game and took the lead in 5 minutes the ball was sent into the crowded penalty area from the left hand side and Graham Black was on hand force the ball home from all of 3 yards out. Greenock were controlling the tempo of this game, and the front three of Monaghan, Bowie and Black were unsettling a nervous looking Cumbernauld backline. The lead could have been extended on several occasions. Johnny Robertson had a headed effort that went high and Gordon Lappin was on the end of a Stewart Jack corner but could not find the target. Andy Monaghan created an opening for John Paul Dow when his pace saw him get free on the left hand side. His cutback was controlled and struck by Dow but his effort went narrowly wide of the keepers left post. Meechan in the Greenock goal was rarely troubled in the first half and the score remained at 1-0 to the visitors.

Half-time 0 - 1

Greenock came out in the second half looking to increase there lead but found a bit more resistance from the visitors. Cumbernauld could have equalised 5 minutes in a shot from 5 yards out was well saved by Meechan. Cumbernauld were starting to have more of a say in this game but Greenock's makeshift back 3 of Docherty, Power and Foreman looked very comfortable for the vast majority of this game. Black tried his luck again from distance but his left footed effort onlyhit the side netting. Cyumbernauld got there equaliser midway through the second period. A Cumbernauld corner from the left hand side was headed to the clear. It was picked up by Allison of Cumbernauld. He fired in his lopping effort and found theb top right hand corner of Meechans goal leaving the keeper with no chance. Greenock responded top this and almost regaiuned the lead 2 minutes later when Lappin once again got on the end of a Jack corner only to see his near post header come off the post and away to safety for the home defence. Black then had an effort from close range but the keeper down well to smother his effort. For the third week on the trot Greenock were forced into a penalty shoot out.

Cumbernauld Pen 1: Cumbernauld took the intiative with the ball placed low to Meechan's left.

Greenock Pen 1: John Paul Dow was first up and his penalty was saved well by the Cumbernauld keeper low to his left.

Cumbernauld Pen 2: As in previous weeks Kenny Meechan did his bit when he saved low to his

Greenock Pen 2: Graham Black was next up and he buried his effort low to keepers right

Cumbernauld Pen 3: Meechan once again proved invaluable as he saved low to his left.

Greenock Pen 3: Gordon Lappin was next up and as with the previous to weeks he calmly slotted home low to the keepers right.

Cumbernauld Pen 4: Cumbernauld kept the game themselves in it when the left backs pen was converted.

Greenock Pen 4: Stewart Jack was next up but the Cumbernauld keepr again pulled off a great save low to his right to level things up.

Cumbernauld Pen 5: Cumbernauld then heaped the pressure back onto Greenock when there 5th pen was expertly placed into Meechans top left hand corner.

Greenock Pen 5: Andy Monaghan was the man tasked with keeping Greenock in the game, and as with the previous 2 games he calmly slotted his effort into the Keepers bottom right hand corner.