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Ants stop the rot as losing streak ends with point
(Photo courtesy of Stephen Kennedy - www.thejuniors.info)
Having been beaten for two matches on the bounce, The Ants came into this match knowing they had to stop the rot, and if they had been a little more clinical infront of goal they would have beaten table topping Greenock with a little to spare, but a mixture of bad luck and poor finishing left them happy to secure a point.
It was the home side that started brightest and with only a couple of minutes on the clock forced the 'Nock keeper into a fine save from Dickson after a good move down the left, from the rebound McGrath's shot was blocked and it eventually landed at the feet of White who put the ball over the crossbar from a tight angle. Mackie then found Bonner on the right and his pinpoint cross found the head of White again who headed goalwards but was inlucky to see his effort blocked by a defender. Greenock then started to come into the game a little bit more and were unlucky to see the ball strike the crossbar on two sperate occasions, albeit it both times just clipping the bar. The Ants were then almost caught out at the back when they lost the ball going forward but Greenock didn't push forward fast enough and Carr easily held from a weak shot from Fleming.
With twenty five minutes on the clock the Ants almost took the lead, when Mackie was inches away from connecting with a diving header from a McGrath cross. Still the Ants came forward, this time Mackie dragging a shot wide after a layoff from White. Five minutes later Saints thought they had taken the lead when Mackie connected with a McKay corner, only to see the ball rebound off the face of the bar.
Saints continued to pile on the pressure and Monk in the Greenock goal did well to tip over a McKay free kick before being quick off his line to thwart Mackie by forcing the hitman too wide to get an effort on goal away and the half ended goal-less
Half Time - Ants 0 v 0 Greenock
With the first chance of the second period it was the visitors who somehow took the lead in the 54th minute. A corner was only partially cleared and the cross back into the back post was headed home by THOMAS DOCHERTY to put the visitors a goal to the good. In the 61st minute Saints suffered a further blow when top goalscorer Chris Mackie was taken out by a shocking tackle which left the striker needing stitches to his eye after a high boot by Begly, and he was replaced by Borris. Miller couldn't hit the target though from the resultant free kick and then a McKay free kick evaded everyone and flashed past the keeper's far post.
Saints then got a little bit lucky when McKay was easily dispossessed and the ball was played forward by Kearns, it looked like the ball would end up in Carrs hands but the ball rebounded off the keeper right into the path of Greenock's in-form Kenny McKay but the striker snatched at his shot and Carr easily gathered. The Ants finally got the equaliser their attacking had deserved in the 78th minute. Monk's kick out was headed forward by Timoney and Dickson produced a deft little flick through to substitute Borris, his square pass found fellow sub ROSS CUMMING, who had come on for White ten minutes previous, he slid the ball through Monk's legs to level things up. Greenock though almost snatched the points right at the death when a free kick could only be parried by Carr but the on-rushing forward put the ball wide to ensure that the points would be shared.
At least the losing streak had been ended and they can attempt to build on this next week in the Emirates Scottish Junior Cup v Craigmark in Dalmellington
Full Time - Ants 1 v 1 Greenock
Ants Website Man of the Match - Tony Kane
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Ants Team
1. Matty Carr
2.Gareth Timoney
3. Thomas Miller
4. Chris Paul ***
(74 Mins)
5. Tony Kane
6. Andy Bonner
7. Dean McKay
8. Gary McGrath
9. Chris Mackie*
(61 Mins)
10. Gary Dickson
11. Jordan White **
(67 Mins)
Ants Subs
12. Ross Cumming **
(67 Mins)
16. John Borris*
(61 Mins)
14. Niall Reynolds
15. Bernie McDonald ***(74 Mins)
17. Alistair Morgan
Goals
Cumming
(1-1 78 Mins)
