Juniors: Three red cards but Glasgow Perthshire emerge from Ashfield clash with flying colours after 4-1 derby triumph

The Shire emerged as 4-2 winners when the dust had finally settled on a highly competitive Saracen Park affair that was all the more entertaining for it after Ashfield finished the game with nine men standing and the visitors with ten.

The acceptable boundaries were breached midway through the second half when Shire midfielder Craig Munro’s sliding challenge left Ashfield dangerman Chris Moulangou writhing in agony on the ground while above him an angry jostling melee broke out between both sets of players.

The exchanges were undoubtedly heated, but Shire ace Ryan McGarry’s gesture in firing a jet of water from a drinking bottle in the direction of opposing players was not interpreted by whistler Ross McLeod as the midfielder attempting to cool matters down.

Order was very quickly restored by the referee firstly red-carding the errant Munro before similarly despatching McGarry inside as a consequence of his second yellow card offence of the afternoon.

But frayed tempers continued to bubble just below the surface and an eruption came with just eight minutes remaining when Moulangou got his marching orders after he took exception to an Andy Gibson tackle and kicked out at the floored Shire man.

“Grit, determination and a bit of old-fashioned physicality won the day," said Shire boss Billy Adams afterwards.

“It probably wasn’t the greatest of football spectacles, but we were bullied by Ashfield when they beat us at our place and I was determined that wouldn’t happen again, hence the many changes in our team selection out there today.

“Pairing up Davie Kirkwood and Mark Thomson in central defence gave us an imposing presence and I cannot help but mention our striker J.P.Craig who returned to play his first game in over a year and ran himself into the ground.

“His willingness to put himself about and challenge for even hopeless causes knocked the Ashfield defenders off their stride and his goal was a deserved bit of icing on the cake for the effort he put in for the team.”

Craig’s second-half score came as the game was evenly poised at 2-2 after Shire’s 2-1 interval lead was cancelled out by Stevie Dymock bravely diving low to direct a header home from a delightful cross by full back Craig Murphy.

Indeed, the speedy Moulangou passed up a glorious opportunity to fire the home side ahead when he was put clean through only to wastefully shoot straight at advancing goalkeeper Paul Burns.

And as so often happens, there was a price to be paid for that miss as minutes later a Thomson free kick from the halfway line was met by Craig and he powered a header beyond the reach of Ashfield No.1 Martin Storey for a 3-2 advantage that was duly doubled when Kirrkwood netted from the penalty spot after the hard working Gibson was felled inside the area.

Earlier on, the visiting Shire had got their noses in front when Ryan Gemmell’s skill in bringing own a cross on his chest carried him clear of a static Ashfield backline to fire home a low shot for 1-0.

Ashfield’s response appeared to be perfectly timed as a surging Murphy run upfield in 43 minutes saw the full-back fire over an inviting cross that Paul Mallan glanced into the far corner of the net for 1-1 but the smiles on the faces of home followers were to be almost instantly wiped clean.

Perthshire’s final foray of the half saw Gibson cut in from wide left to send over a curling cross that fortuitously came back off the far upright and into the path of Craig Smith, who delighted in scoring against one of his former clubs to earn a 2-1 interval lead.

Losing gaffer Robert Docherty insisted afterwards ,”Our players were well short of the standards they have set themselves today and their overall display was not that of a team with designs on pushing for promotion..

“We didn’t compete as we should and allowed ourselves to be intimidated yet I still believe if Chris scores at 2-2 then the game is ours for winning.

“ It wasn’t to be and we compound matters by then losing a very poor goal so all told it was a bad day at the office.”

This latest triumph still leaves the Shire trailing league leaders Port Glasgow by six points following Craig Brown’s men running out 4-2 winners over Newmains United through goals from Steven McAfee (2), Stevie McKenna and Paul Johnstone while Gartcairn moved into second top spot thanks to scores by Lee Pettigrew, Yami Misanjo, Jordan Love and John Henderson bringing about a 4-0 defeat of Royal Albert.

St Anthony's’ proud unbeaten record went for a Burton following a 2-1 defeat at home to East Kilbride Thistle for whom a James Lennox own goal and Andy Gibson were on target while Andy Monaghan was the matchwinner with the only goal of the game as Vale of Leven won away to Lanark United.

A look at the other McBookie.com league tables sees Rob Roy continuing to sit atop the Super Premier pile after in-form hitman Willie Sawyers netted the winner in a 3-2 victory over Pollok while Kilsyth Rangers now lead in the Super First Division after an emphatic 3-0 defeat of Irvine Meadow through goals from Nikky Prentice, Corey Pearson and Paul McBride.

Chris Lennon, Johnny Logan, Stefan Law and Chris Jackson were on the mark to help Thorniewood United go atop the Central First standings while a sensational scoring burst of three goals in the closing five minutes through Liam Caddis, Darren Miller and David McNeilenabled Ardrossan Winton Rovers to beat Dalry Thistle 3-2 assume pole position in the Ayrshire District Division.

WEEKEND RESULTS: McBookie.com Super Premier Division. Hurlford Utd 0 Kilbirnie Ladeside 0, Largs Thistle 1 Kilwinning Rangers 3, Rob Roy 3 Pollok 2, Arthurlie 3 Cumnock 1, Glenafton, 3 Auchinleck Talbot 1

McBookie.com Super First Division. Irvine Vics 1 Clydebank 1, Yoker Athletic v Girvan, Shotts Bon Accord 1 Shettleston 4, Petershill 4 Renfrew 1, Kilsyth Rangers 3 Irvine Meadow 0, Rutherglen Glencairn 1 Cumbernauld Utd 4, Blantyre Vics 6 Maryhill 1

McBookie.com Central First Division. Thorniewood Utd 4 Vale of Clyde 0, Greenock 3 Forth Wanderers 1, Larkhall Thistle 2 Benburb 1, Lesmahagow 3 Johnstone Burgh 1, St Roch's 1 Cambuslang Rangers 0, Bellshill Athletic 2 Wishaw 1, Neilston 2 Rossvale 3.

McBookie.com Central Second Division. Royal Albert 0 Gartcairn 4, St Anthony's 1 East Kilbride Thistle 2, Dunipace 1 Carluke Rovers 0, Lanark Utd 0 Vale of Leven 1, Ashfield 2 Glasgow Perthshire 4, Port Glasgow 4 Newmains Utd 2

McBookie.com Ayrshire District League. Maybole v Whitletts Vics , Annbank Utd 3 Saltcoats Vics 1, Dalry Thistle 2 Ardrossan Winton Rovers 3.