A match that started so well for the Ants ended in disappointment as Lanark took all 3 points in a match where the Ants may feel they deserved more but lady luck deserted them and the wait for a league win continues.

It was all smiles within 3 minutes when the Ants took the lead, Bembo found Carballo on the left and his cross into the box saw Ewart put CAMMY LAWSON under pressure and the Lanark centre half diverted the ball past Hallford and into the net to make it 1-0 to the Ants. This should have buoyed the Ants on but they seemed to go into their shell a bit inviting Lanark onto them and in the 18th minute the visitors were level. An Ants free kick was won in the air by a Lanark midfielder who headed it to KIERAN BRANNAN, he flicked it to Martin who then played the striker through on goal and he hit a first time shot past Perry into the back of the net to level the scoring at 1-1. There wasn’t much happening in terms of chances with Lanark having a couple of half chances and Gallacher pulling a shot wide for the Ants until the 35th minute when Barclay’s cross/shot was saved by the feet of Perry and the rebound came off McCluskey but luckily for Saints it dropped the right side of the post and out for a goal kick. Two minutes later the Ants almost levelled when the ball pinged around the home teams penalty box, Bembo flicked the ball towards goal but it went inches wide. The goal that made all the difference arrived in the 43rd minute when a ROSS BARCLAY cross into the box was misjudged by Perry and the ball ended up in the back of the net.

HALF TIME LANARK 2 (BRANNAN 18, BARCLAY 43) v 1 (LAWSON (OG) 3) ANTS 

The second half saw a much more positive approach from the Ants, Ndlovu having a shot go over from just outside the box in the opening minutes of the half. The Ants thought they had the equaliser in the 53rd minute but Crawfords free kick cannoned back off the bar and was cleared to the halfway line, Trialist A done well to win the ball back and set Carballo free, who made a great run to the byline and got his cross in but it was also headed to safety and the chance was gone. It was pretty much all Ants now with Lanark playing on the break, but despite their best efforts they couldn’t grab the goal they needed, Crawford went close with a deep cross that almost ended up in the net and Trialist A had a great header equally well saved by Hallford.

Lanark then had a good chance after 72 minutes but Perry saved well from Brannan and then Gallacher got a brilliant block in to deny the Lanark striker from the resultant corner. Littler then had a great chance in the 75th minute when he got on the end of a Crawford corner but his header lacked direction and went wide of the post. Debutant Mohamed Alsarmi went on a mazy run that almost seen the winger through on goal but he slipped on the heavy pitch and just failed to get on the end of a ball he’d knocked past a defender and Hallford was out well to gather. Ciaran Smith then put Crawford through on goal but the ball jumped up just as he was about to strike it and he blazed over the crossbar. Perry then denied Brannan with a fine diving save as the Ants got hit on the counter trying to claw their way level but it wasn’t to be, a final chance for Burns going over the bar after another promising run from Alsarmi teed up the striker but he leaned back and the shot failed to hit the target.

A disappointing result ahead of this Saturday’s SoccerShop Challenge Cup 2nd round tie at home to Lowland League East Kilbride.

Speaking to the Ants media team after the match Ants manager Danny Taylor had this to say “I thought we started the game well enough, then stopped playing and let Lanark back into the match. We pushed hard for the equaliser in the second half but just couldn’t get it, Individual errors are killing us just now but we’ll keep working hard to rectify this”

FULL TIME LANARK 2 (BRANNAN 18, BARCLAY 43) v 1 (LAWSON (OG) 3) ANTS 

ROGUE MONKEY DIGITAL MEDIA MAN OF THE MATCH – SHAUN GALLACHER

McKenna Pak hosted its first ever match in the “Seniors” with East Kilbride the visitors and the Ants will be the happier of the two sides after a 94th minute leveller gained us our first ever point in the West of Scotland football league.

It is a cliche but this was a game of two sides with EK Thistle taking the better it in the first half, the Ants the more dominant in the second half but the Ants deserve credit for coming from behind not once but twice to earn their point.

It was the visitors who had the first chance when McDonald fired goalwards but Maliska got down well to save and the ball was smashed to safety, five minutes later the keeper was called into action this time making a good save from Riddock. The Ants had started slowly and once again Maliska came to the rescue with 32 minutes on the clock when a cross found the head of Taylor and the young Ants keeper produced a fine save clawing the ball out for a corner. Ten minutes before the break the Ants had their own chance to open the scoring when good work by Trialist B saw him cut the ball back into the path of Crawford but he leaned back and fired his shot over the bar from the edge of the area. In the 42nd minute EK got the opener that on the balance of play you would have to say they deserved when David McKean’s pass saw McDonald attempt to control, the ball hit his studs, and on the way through Crawfords legs hit the right back’s knee and landed perfectly for BLAIR MCDONALD to run through on goal and slot the ball past Maliska much to the delight of the EK committee and coaching staff.

HALF TIME ANTS 0 v 1 EAST KILBRIDE THISTLE (MCDONALD 42)

The Ants changed it up a bit at half time, bringing on Bembo for Danny Smith and changing the shape a little and within 3 minutes of the restart the change almost paid dividends when Trialist B put a good tackle in on an Thistle defender and put the ball in Bembo’s pass but the Ants striker was denied by a good save from Trainor. Davidson then put a dangerous ball across the goal mouth but Trialist A cleared the danger well. The Ants were given a golden opportunity to level in the 58th Minute when the referee pointed to the spot and EVA BEMBO made no mistake from the spot, sending Trainor the wrong way to grab his 3rd goal in 3 games for the Ants and level the scores at 1-1. Despite having most of the pressure and the ball in the half the Ants were limited to shots from distance or thwarted by decent defending by the visitors, who always looked dangerous on the break. It was the visitors that regained the lead in the 71st minute when Diack squared the ball to SCOTT DAVIDSON who’s shot looked like it had been blocked by Crawford on the line but the ball looped straight up in the air, Maliska jumped up to deal with it but missed the ball under pressure from McDonald who appeared to impede the Ants goalie and the ball ended up in the net. A defeat would have been harsh on the Ants but credit to the boys they kept plugging away and Carballo almost equalised with 6 minutes left to play but his shot was saved by Trainor. The Ants threw caution to the wind as they piled on the pressure, forcing a series of corners and throw ins around the Thistle penalty area and in the 94th minute they were rewarded when a Crawford corner was flicked on by Trialist A and EVA BEMBO fired home from close range, racing to the bench in celebration to embrace gaffer Danny Taylor.

FULL TIME – ANTS 2 (BEMBO 59 (PEN), 94) v 2 EAST KILBRIDE THISTLE (MCDONALD 42, DAVIDSON 71)

A hard fought draw for the Ants who now travel to Moor Park to face Lanark United next Saturday

ROGUE MONKEY DIGITAL MEDIA MAN OF THE MATCH – SHAUN GALLACHERR