The Ants can count themselves a little unlucky not to have left Keppoch Park with at least a point but a 2 goal lead proved unsurmountable as Glasgow Perthshire ran out 3-1 winners in a blood and thunder encounter. Both sides had recorded good results the previous week with The Ants beating league leaders Port Glasgow and the Shire taking all 3 points away to much fancied Gartcairn so both came into the game full of confidence but it was Glasgow Perthshire who started this match well and after only six minutes on the clock they almost took the lead but JP Craig’s shot was well blocked by Maxi Neossi. Two minutes later the big forward had another chance but headed over from a corner. There only looked like one team who were going to open the scoring and so it proved in the 18th minute, a lovely through ball by Gemmell found CRAIG SMITH who cooly slipped the ball through the legs of the advancing Campbell to put the home side a goal to the good.
The Ants started coming into the game and had a couple of chances blocked before both sides were reduced to ten men. A Crawford corner was headed goalwards by O’Brien and Burns saved but could only parry, the ball fell on the ground and a stramash ensued with the keeper trying to get ontop of the loose ball and the Ants players trying to put the ball in the net, a matter of handbags followed as both sides took umbrage and Shire Keeper Burns was sent off for his part, whereas Ants forward Grant Kelly was shown a red for attempting to take advantage of the loose ball. Craig was proving to be a handful for the Ants rearguard and almost doubled the Shire lead and would have done so if not for the leg of O’Hara who deflected the ball wide of the target. The match had opened up a little with the extra room and started to flow from end to end with the Ants looking to level and Perthshire looking to extend their advantage, Graeme Crawford came close after his initial free kick was punched clear by sub keeper Calder but his shot went just over the bar and the half ended 1-0 to the homeside.
The half time pies and bovril’s were still being finished off when Perthshire doubled their lead from the spot after Neossi was harshly judged to have fouled Craig in the 48th minute, Mr Dubois judging that he had pulled the forward back and DAVIE KIRKWOOD gave Campbell no chance from the spot to make it 2-0. The Ants then took a firm hold on the match looking to get back into it and dominated the rest of the half with Perthshire having to play on the break when the chance arose. The Ants pressure continued and in the 54th minute Kieron Maxwell had an effort from 30 yards but Calder got his body behind the ball. Four minutes later and they managed to claw a goal back when GRAEME CRAWFORD gave Calder no chance with a great free kick into the top corner. Clearly buoyed by this the Ants pushed forward and should have done better after the ball fell to Duncan at the back post but he shot wide.
Michael O’Hara was next to try his luck, his intial shot was blocked but on the rebound he unleashed a ferocious shot but it lacked direction and Calder did well to show good reflexes and parry the ball wide. The Ants fans were on their feet again as Duncan fired a free kick goalwards which looked for all the money that it was going in but the ball crept an inch wide, then Crawford saw a header well saved by Calder and the goal deficit remained. We hadn’t seen much of the Shire going forward but in the 72nd minute they scored a goal which took the wind right out the Visitors sails when MARK THOMSON fired home direct from a free kick which hit the inside of the post to make it 3-1 to the home side and the Ants facing a mountain to climb.
Despite the obvious blow from conceding the killer third, credit to the Ants they didn’t throw the towel in and tried in vain to reduce the deficit but to no avail and it finished here Glasgow Perthshire 3 v 1 Saint Anthony’s
Ants Website Man of the Match – Maxi Neossi
