RARELY do pre-season friendly encounters go exactly according to plan, but Pollok boss Tony McInally couldn’t have asked for much more on Saturday.

Lok supporters went away happy after taking in a 2-1 Newlandsfield victory over a more than formidable Newtongrange Star side in a testing 90 minutes marked by the long-awaited return after injury of skipper Paul Gallagher and a scoring debut appearance from signing target Paul Harkin.

The one downside element was a clash of heads that forced full-back Mark Sideserf to come off nursing a horrific eye swelling in 23 minutes that required hospital treatment.

But that setback was dismissed by a smiling Macca afterwards as he enthused over his side’s performance.

He said: "I was delighted with things from a workout perspective because the guys had to chase and harry extremely hard for long periods because of the manner in which Newtongrange went about dominating possession.

“Our energy levels are still some 20 per cent short of where I want them, yet we never shirked our workload and it was encouraging to see us improving as the game went on and finishing far and away the stronger of the two sides.

“Gallagher’s introduction in the second half made a difference as did the thrust of Tam Hanlon down the right flank and the clever forward line play of Davie Winters made him stick out like a sore thumb.

“It’s probably no exaggeration to say he had more efforts at goal than everyone else in our team put together.”

A slick and intricate passing Star were undoubtedly to the fore in the opening exchanges.

However, they were virtually threat-less in and around the penalty area until Chris King forced Pollok keeper Ryan Ward to dive low to his left and push away a net-bound shot with 32 minutes on the clock.

The home side’s escape was only short lived because the subsequent corner kick was met front post by the other King - brother Matty - who caught the Pollok defence flatfooted as he glanced home a header.

A couple of Alan McKenzie efforts on target and a Findlay Frye shot over the crossbar were the sum of Pollok’s attempts at an equaliser before half-time.

However, the generosity of referee Alan McFadyean afforded them better luck on the resumption.

He interpreted Winters going to ground inside the box as the result of a Craig Thomson challenge and was not for changing his mind despite the furious protestations of the East Region players who continued to appeal even after substitute Hanlon rifled the spot-kick home with his first touch of the ball.

Newtongrange continued to pass the ball around with no little aplomb, but it was noticeable that more and more was being seen of Pollok as an attacking force with Winters coming close with a hat trick of strikes on goal.

He was to have better luck in the assist stakes just a minute from time when his set up play created an opening for ex-Queen's Park midfielder Harkin to drill away a left-footed shot into the corner of the net for a 2-1 scoreline.

Star manager Alan Miller said: “We kept the ball really well against good opponents and got ourselves into some great areas, but were toothless in the final third and that’s something we will have to rectify before the competitive stuff gets underway.”

Pollok are looking to fix up friendly opposition this coming Wednesday night ahead of their Euroscot Eng Cup opener against arch rivals Arthurlie who ran out 4-1 winners at home to Arniston Rangers with Steven Tart, Eddie McTernan, Ryan McGregor and Chris Dallas on the mark.

Elsewhere, Stephen Mullen and Stevie McDonald doubles helped Cumbernauld United to defeat Saltcoats Vics 4-1 while Petershill clinched their fourth win in five friendly matches after coming from behind to overcome a lively Largs Thistle 3-2 at Barrfields.

Alan Frizzell’s opener for the Ayrshiremen was cancelled out by a Keiran Daw score on the stroke of half time and close season signing James Brough putting the Peasy ahead early in the second half was countered by Frizzell’s second goal of the game however there was to be no home team response to Scott Davidson’s 80th minute winner.

And at

In-form Jordan Logan grabbed a brace of goals as St Roch's beat Vale of Leven 4-1, Kieron Downs netted the only goal of the game as Cumnock got the better of Kilbirnie Ladeside while Rikky McIntosh and Ryan Francis both saw red as nine man Shettleston crashed 4-0 away to St Andrews United.

Paul McKenzie netted twice as Hurlford ran out 3-1 winners at Linlithgow Rose, Willie Boyd and Billy Wells were on the mark in Auchinleck Talbot’s 2-0 defeat of Bo’ness United and Ross McPherson (2) Shaun Fraser (2) and Ryan Deas shared the scoring honours in Irvine Meadow’s 5-1 rout of Musselburgh Athletic.

And Neilston came out on top in their own Hugh Blair Tournament after Kevin Kelly and Stevie Hopewell goals sealed a 2-0 success against Irvine Vics in the decisive game.