The fact that the Airbus A380 coming in to land at Glasgow Airport was one of the biggest talking points after the match could tell you everything you need to know about the match as a spectacle. An end of season match with nothing but pride to play for saw both teams fail to create many clear cut chances, although on the balance of the clearer cut chances Burgh maybe just deserved the three points.
The Ants almost got off to a flier after only 3 minutes when a corner was flicked into the path of Leszczynski at the back post but he was caught unaware and could only instinctively throw a leg at it which the ball hit and went inches past the Burgh keepers post. McCulloch then almost found the Burgh’s number 10 with a long free kick buttoo the striker failed to get on the end of it and the ball went out for a goal kick. Despite the tricky conditions under foot the Ants put together a nice move with Crawford and Smith linking up well before the ball found FItzpatrick in the box, he tried to square the ball across the six yard box but it hit an Ants player and was partially cleared to the edge of the box, McGarrigle and Lezczynski did well to create an opening for the Ants polish striker but his shot lacked direction and power and was held by the Burgh keeper. The Burgh’s best chance of the half fell to the number 10 when he was sent in on goal, beat the Ants poor offside trap and he raced in on the advancing Curran, but the Ants keeper stood tall and saved well when the striker eventually got his shot away.
HALF TIME – JOHNSTONE BURGH 0 v 0 ANTS
The second half got underway and within a minute of the restart we saw the appearance of a special guest as the Emirates Airbus A380 flew into view as it approached Glasgow Airport, a magnificent beast of a machine which took almost everyone’s eyes off the pitch for the minute or two it was in plain sight, the noise deafening, and then we turned back to the football and waited for something of interest to happen on there. The Ants fashioned a decent opportunity when Lezczynski and Smith combined well and found Crawford at the back post who fizzed the ball across the box but there were no takers and the chance was gone. The match was getting a little stretched now and 11 fired over for Burgh when he should have hit the target, then Williams wild swipe at the back post saw his goalbound effort almost go out for a throw in but the ball was kept in play. The Burgh then almost took the lead when their Keeper launched a free kick into the Ants box but it evaded everyone and Curran had to be alert to tip the ball over the bar and then from a free kick the ball was headed into the path of the Burgh’s number 10 who contrived to head over from 2 yards out. The goal that won the game came in the 85th minute. The Ants had a corner kick and the ball was cleared long into the path of substitute MARK GARNER who raced through on Curran as Marshall tried to get back to stop him, and slotted the ball past Curran into the empty net sparking joyous scenes around Keanie Park from the home team fans and management. The Burgh Number 10 would be forgiven if he woke up in cold sweats last night as he spurned yet another great chance this time from a long ball by number 11 sent him through again on Curran but the Ants keeper was quick off his line and made a great tackle outside the 18 yard box to stop the Burgh doubling their lead.
FULL TIME – JOHNSTONE BURGH 1 (GARNER 85) v 0 ANTS
