Bens made it five out of five at home in the League with a hard fought victory over St Rochs. The result means Bens now occupy third spot in the table with 15 points and their games in hand put table-toppers Shettleston, who surprisingly lost at home to Forth, within their sights.
St Rochs had Andy Sinclair in their line-up and the ex Bens player came closest for the visitors in the first half when his 37th minute shot flew narrowly past the upright.
In an uneventful first half John Tinney came closest for Bens on 24 minutes with a 20 yard lob which the keeper did well to palm to the side.
Bens came out fired up for the second half and took the lead within minutes. Sinclair and O'Neill tangled on the halfway line and the Bens' centre got the better of his old teammate, playing in Kinnaird on the right wing. The young fullback reached the byline and cut an inviting ball back into the box where Ally Mackenzie struck a shot onto Tony O'Neill who happily turned it into the net.
The home defence had to be resolute as St Rochs responded to the early reverse and Alan Thomson covered well to head off the goalline on 55 minutes with the follow-up shot rattling off the crossbar. The Bens' defence could do little to stop the Candy Rock striker on 63 minutes when he took a diagonal ball well, dragging it across Thomson but fortunately for the home side shot wide from a good angle.
Waddell couldn't keep his volley down when a McMillan throw found him at the back post on 65 minutes and ten minutes later Mackenzie skyed his shot after excellent work by Kinnaird on the right touchline found him inside the box.
Stevie Waddell nearly wrapped it all up on 80 minutes when his twisting and turning earned a free-kick at the side of the penalty area- from the incoming cross he back-heeled it inches beyond the far post.
St Rochs fired a 25 yard free-kick about a foot over the bar but couldn't muster enough to deny the Bens their 100% league record at Tinto.
They've still to break their duck away from home and next week's fuxture against bottom side Newmains, who've yet to take a point, seems the ideal opportunity.
BENBURB: Ghattas, Kinnaird, McMillan, Imrie, Thomson, Crossey, Mackenzie, McGlinchey, O'Neill, Waddell, Tinney.
Sunday, 8 November 2009
Central District League Division Two
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* Benburb 1 St Rochs 0 *
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* Benburb 1 St Rochs 0 *
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Saturday, 31 October 2009
Larkhall Ghost In At The Death
Bens' Halloween lantern was extinguished in the final minutes of today's Scottish Cup tie at Gasworks Park. The home side left it late but in the 90th minute of play, their striker rose above the Bens defence to power his header into the corner of the net past Joe Ghattas.
A ghoulish end for the Tinto side but even more cruel for Ghattas who had performed heroically and had looked to have taken the tie back to Govan next Saturday.
Bens had Alan Thomson 'debuting' at centre half on his return to the club but in over a hundred appearances it's doubtful if he'd had as torrid a spell as that endured in the first half hour of today's match.
The home side looked to a ball straight down the middle and over the top of the Bens' defence and on the saturated ground it held up as they wanted. What they hadn't taken account of was Ghattas in the Bens goal and 'Zorba' provided saving interceptions time and again.
It wasn't all one way- it was a cup tie after all- and O'Neill forced the keeper into a parrying save on 10 minutes but there were no Bens takers. McGlinchey came even closer on 19 minutes when he lifted a 25 yard free kick onto the top of the Larkhall bar.
The home side provided an excellent counter attack on 28 minutes when their left midfielder crossed the halfway line and fired a low diagonal ball to the right back who'd covered the 80 yards on the far side; he squared to the striker who, to widespread disbelief and relief from the Bens contingent, missed the target from 5 yards.
Two minutes later, a ball over the top left the Larkhall striker one on one with Ghattas but this time he had the excuse of a brilliant blocking save from the Bens keeper.
The Bens' No. 1 was again to the rescue on the hour mark when the Larkhall midfielder received a pass in plenty of space and powered a 30 yard shot for the top corner: Ghattas rose and tipped it from just under the bar for a corner. He was as relieved as the Bens' fans to see a free header powered past his goal on 71 minutes after a free kick was directed to the back post and headed across the face of goal. It really was easier to score.
It was a problem besetting both teams as Bens' Waddell found on 75 minutes when he prodded his shot inches by the post and O'Neill experienced on 78 minutes when his header from a McGlinchey corner was turned onto the crossbar and over by the Larkhall keeper.
The Bens' centre turned Halloween sinner five minutes later when he headed into the keepers arms from a free header off a Tinney cross.
He looked to have been given the chance to redeem himself with his teammates next week when a cross from the left exposed Bens' slack marking and the striker rose to power Larkhall Thistle into the third round.
For the Bens it's a series of 'cup ties' as they attempt to get themselves into the promotion places in the league starting with St Rochs at Tinto next week.
BENBURB: Ghattas, Kinnaird, McMillan, Imrie, Thomson, Crossey, Mackenzie, McGlinchey, O'Neill, Waddell, Tinney.
A ghoulish end for the Tinto side but even more cruel for Ghattas who had performed heroically and had looked to have taken the tie back to Govan next Saturday.
Bens had Alan Thomson 'debuting' at centre half on his return to the club but in over a hundred appearances it's doubtful if he'd had as torrid a spell as that endured in the first half hour of today's match.
The home side looked to a ball straight down the middle and over the top of the Bens' defence and on the saturated ground it held up as they wanted. What they hadn't taken account of was Ghattas in the Bens goal and 'Zorba' provided saving interceptions time and again.
It wasn't all one way- it was a cup tie after all- and O'Neill forced the keeper into a parrying save on 10 minutes but there were no Bens takers. McGlinchey came even closer on 19 minutes when he lifted a 25 yard free kick onto the top of the Larkhall bar.
The home side provided an excellent counter attack on 28 minutes when their left midfielder crossed the halfway line and fired a low diagonal ball to the right back who'd covered the 80 yards on the far side; he squared to the striker who, to widespread disbelief and relief from the Bens contingent, missed the target from 5 yards.
Two minutes later, a ball over the top left the Larkhall striker one on one with Ghattas but this time he had the excuse of a brilliant blocking save from the Bens keeper.
The Bens' No. 1 was again to the rescue on the hour mark when the Larkhall midfielder received a pass in plenty of space and powered a 30 yard shot for the top corner: Ghattas rose and tipped it from just under the bar for a corner. He was as relieved as the Bens' fans to see a free header powered past his goal on 71 minutes after a free kick was directed to the back post and headed across the face of goal. It really was easier to score.
It was a problem besetting both teams as Bens' Waddell found on 75 minutes when he prodded his shot inches by the post and O'Neill experienced on 78 minutes when his header from a McGlinchey corner was turned onto the crossbar and over by the Larkhall keeper.
The Bens' centre turned Halloween sinner five minutes later when he headed into the keepers arms from a free header off a Tinney cross.
He looked to have been given the chance to redeem himself with his teammates next week when a cross from the left exposed Bens' slack marking and the striker rose to power Larkhall Thistle into the third round.
For the Bens it's a series of 'cup ties' as they attempt to get themselves into the promotion places in the league starting with St Rochs at Tinto next week.
BENBURB: Ghattas, Kinnaird, McMillan, Imrie, Thomson, Crossey, Mackenzie, McGlinchey, O'Neill, Waddell, Tinney.
Emirates Scottish Junior Cup Second Round
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* Larkhall Thistle 1 Benburb 0 *
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* Larkhall Thistle 1 Benburb 0 *
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Monday, 26 October 2009
Bens Are Happy To Help
Saturday's match against Forth brought an elderly Govanite back to Tinto Park for the first time in many a year.
As he gazed round the old ground, he bemoaned the passage of time and the toll it had taken on a once great Govan club, a club who had been at the pinnacle of the game in Scotland and now knew the depths of despair. With tears in his eyes, he was stunned to hear that their fate no longer rests in their own hands.
So moved were the Bens committee by his appeal, they've agreed to donate an old set of strips and a couple of match balls to Rangers!
As he gazed round the old ground, he bemoaned the passage of time and the toll it had taken on a once great Govan club, a club who had been at the pinnacle of the game in Scotland and now knew the depths of despair. With tears in his eyes, he was stunned to hear that their fate no longer rests in their own hands.
So moved were the Bens committee by his appeal, they've agreed to donate an old set of strips and a couple of match balls to Rangers!
Saturday, 24 October 2009
Bens Apply A Professional Finish
Bens bounced back from their West of Scotland exit to secure another Tinto league win today with a 3-1 win over Forth Wanderers. It was a similar match to the Yoker victory a fortnight ago where the killer third goal put the game beyond the visitors. You could've been forgiven for thinking Yoker were back today as Alan Thomson warmed up before the match, but the good news is last season's Player of the Year is back training with the Bens and took a place on the bench today.
In last week's wanderings down to Lugar, the only complaint of the Bens' performance was the failure to make a dent in the scoreline but there could be no reason for concern today as two top notch finishes in the 33rd & 38th minute- a Tony O'Neill header and a perfectly executed Kevin McGlinchey freekick- gave Bens a comfortable cushion.
On the 59th minute it looked as if Bens had fallen asleep on that cushion as a freekick just inside the Bens half was squared to a Forth midfielder and he strode on before smashing a 35 yard shot into the bottom corner past Ghattas as the Bens players looked on.
The second half hadn't started that way though as the Tinto side stretched the home defence almost to breaking point. Ally Mackenzie was powering down and in from the left wing; his first cross just beyond O'Neill and the far post while his second found Waddell but the striker sidefooted weakly to the keeper.
Kevin McGlinchey was proving equally elusive and he wriggled in the box before crossing to O'Neill but the big striker saw his flick up and volley crash back off the post- the second time the woodwork had denied him in the match. The young midfielder flighted a free kick on 70 minutes and a combination of Tinney and a defender crashed their headers off the crossbar.
Bens recovered from their momentary slumber and the front line looked especially lively so it was no surprise when a classy reverse pass from Steven Waddell on 84 minutes found Tony O'Neill in the box and the ball was despatched under the keeper.
Bens continued to bombard the visitors' goal until the final whistle rounded off a strong performance. They will want to keep the gloss going next week as they visit Larkhall Thistle in the Scottish Junior Cup.
BENBURB: Ghattas, Kinnaird, McMillan, Imrie, Elliott, Crossey, Mackenzie, McGlinchey, O'Neill, Waddell, Tinney.
Central District League Division Two
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* Benburb 3 Forth Wanderers 1 *
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* Benburb 3 Forth Wanderers 1 *
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