Milngavie Wanderers

Archive for May, 2011

Gartcosh 3 – 4 Milngavie Wanderers FC

 Scorers: McKellar 2, Tum , Franie

 Disappointment!

 The Wanderers turned up at Gartcosh to be told the news that Bearsden Amateurs who were playing Dazleil High School could not field a team and 3 points would be awarded to Dazleil giving them the 1^st division title.  The Wanderers have been in this sort of position before but wonder if Bearsden could have done more earlier to avoid this scenario being played out.  

The Wanderers Management team did their best to motivate the boys especially with the cup final to look forward to on Saturday but it was clear from the kick off that the boys minds were elsewhere.  Proof of this point was the fact that the Wanderers scored two own goal and concede the 3^rd from a deflected cross rather than a shot.  

An excellent chip shot by Frannie in the first half provided the equalizer after Berto shot into his own net to level the score at 1-1 at half time.  The second half kicked off with the Wanderers more focused and goals from McKellar and Tum seen a better performance.

The game finished with both teams playing at 50% and happy to see the game out. The Wanderers wished the management and the team from Gartcosh all the best for next season and maybe a game against them in one of the cups.

Milngavie Wanderers 2-2 Drumchapel FP

Scorers: Crerand & Berto

MOM: Ross Robb

Milngavie Wanderers went into the match knowing any slip  ups and the league title was probably going to end up with Dazleil High School FP.   With Drumchapel needing 3 points to secure promotion then it was always going to be a tough game against the local rivals.  Drumchapel fielding a weaker team than normal with one or two key players missing from were fired up by their manager Pele keen not to allow the Wanderers to take all 3 points for the second time this season.

The game kicked off as expected with the Wanderers battering the Drumchapel goal – hitting the post twice and the bar once in the opening half an hour.  Every time the Wanderers went up the park they looked like scoring but the Drum hung in hitting the ball off the line one more than one occasion to keep the score level at half time.

The second half was pretty much the same with Maxwell and Mckellar pushing hard to find the break through.  Berto scored in the 64^th minute direct from a corner kick to put the Wanderers on top and looking good for all 3 points.  The Wanderers continued to press to find their second goal but credit to Drumchapel who kept things interesting by throwing on a few forwards in search of the equalizer.   In the 78^th minute a long ball caught out O’hara that resulted in the ball being swung into the box with headed into the corner of the Milngavie net leaving Meeky rooted to the spot.

The game opened up with the score 1-1 the Drum now looking like they might sneak a winner but to be fair to the boys playing for the Wanderers – there never say die attitude – that has been with us all season came to the forefront again with Crerand rising unchallenged in the 89^th minute to send a great header into the open goal to send the large Milngavie crowd into jubilation thinking the 3 points were secured.

In the 93^rd minute excellent work by Mikey Rodgers seen the ball break to Maxwell who sent a looping shop goal bound to make it 3 but seen the ball rebound off the bar and the oncoming Crerand failed to capitalise sending his shot against the legs of the static Drumchapel keeper. 

In the 95^th minute with the game all but over – one final piece of good play by the Drumchapel midfield seen the recently added Joe Preston raise into space and connect with the through ball sending it low into the corner of the net to make 2-2 – despite the Wanderers protests for off side – the ref allowed the goal to stand.  The kick off seen the ref blow for full time so there was no hope of the Wanderers scoring again.

Deflated, the Wanderers new that they had missed a golden opportunity and handed the initiative back to Daziel again to win the 1^st division.  One small consolation is the fact Drumchapel who everyone at the Wanderers have great respect for basically secured their promotion in 3^rd place.

Milngavie Wanderers FC 4 – 1 Newton Mearns Rovers AFC

H/T: 2-0

Scorers: Tum, McKellar, Rodgers & Maxwell

MOM: Chris Sweeny

The Wanderers secured promotion by taking all 3 points in the re-arranged fixture against NMR AFC who themselves are going for the 3rd place promotion spot.   With the league officials in attendance both teams and club officials put behind them the previous ill tempered encounters and engaged in a thrilling game of football. 

For the first 20 minutes the game was evenly balanced with equal amounts of possession being had without either team carving out a goal scoring opportunity.  The Wanderers decided to take a chance and play “Berto” struggling with a groin injury and it was his powerful running down the left hand side that eventually turned the game in favour of the Wanderers on the half hour mark.  His wicked front post cross surprised the NMR keeper who fuddled the ball, dropping to Tum who half volleyed the ball into the net to make it 1-0 to the Wanderers. 

The second arrived 5 minutes later –  good work down the right seen the ball fall in the box to Mckellar who tucked the ball past the keeper to make it 2-0.  (What about the wee mans celebrations) A mention has to go to Meeky in goals for the Wanderers who pulled off a fantastic save with only a few minutes of the half left diving at the feet of the MNR oncoming midfield player to put the ball out for a corner when it looked liked NMR where going to claw a goal back.

The second half started with a number of positional changes by NMR as they looked to force themselves back into the game.  The Wanderers strategy from the onset was to stop the ball from reaching the impressive MNR forward line.  Player of the match Chris Sweeney operating initially in midfield and then in defence carried this out with expert precision.  He was everywhere on the park – not allowing the NMR players any time on the ball or time to get their heads up and pick a pass.

Needless to say the 3^rd goal came from a lung bursting run down the left from Sweeny whose expert cross into the box met the oncoming Mickey Rodgers who simply passed the ball into the goal past the helpless NMR keeper.  With the score 3-0 credit to NMR as Nani their player of the year scored to make the score a little more respectable at 3-1. The final goal was the best of the lot with only 2 minutes left – Maxwell doing what he has done so many times this season sent an unstoppable shot into the top right hand corner of the net from 30 yards out to seal the points and the victory for the Wanderers.

The Wanderers with 2 games to go will be hoping that NMR can take points off Dalziel and likewise NMR will be hoping that the Wanderers can take the points off Drumchapel FP.  Good luck for the rest of the season.

What a difference the amateur game of football would be in having both referees and referees assistants (linesmen) at games.  It is something for the Caledonian League to consider for the future for sure – once again the Caledonian League could be at the heart of raising the level of professionalism that was achieved on the onset when the Caledonian League was established by Douglas Smith all these years back.

William Turner – League Cup Semi final – Dalziel High School FP 0-2 Milngavie Wanderers

Scorers: O’hara 2 (Penalty 13th minute and Penalty in the 89 minute)

Congratulations to Milngavie Wanderers in reaching the final of the League Cup to be played at Lesser Hampden on the 4th of June.  The Wanderers got there by conquering their arch rivals with a superb performance to ensure the club reached their first cup final in over 15 years.

Both teams kicked off the match evenly balanced with both defences skillfully dealing with any any attack each team had to offer.  The game sparked into life in the 13th mintue with excellent work by Berto down the left seen the ball saved well by the Dalziel keeper but break to Sweeny – who so often manages to arrive late in the box at the right time - who out jumped the Dalziel defence but had his header pushed over the bar with the help of a hand by the towering Dalziel defender.  The ref had no option but to award the Wanderers with a penalty and send Dalziel best player to the stand with an automatic red card.  O’hara deputising as the penalty taker in the absence of McKellar made it 1-0 and put the Wanderers one step closer to final.  The rest of the first half was evenly balanced with he Wanderers not able to take advantage of the extra man, deciding to keep the same set up and keep to the plan despite Dalziel being a man down.   Ross Robb and Aldo at the heart of the Wanderers defence were excellent with both players dominating every ball played into the heart of the defence.

The second half was pretty much more of the same as each team battled to gain control of the ball and impose themselves on the game.  Franie and Maxy kept the game simple in the middle of the park ensuring any first or second ball was cleaned up with the ball sent into the channels for Mickey Rodgers and Simmy to run onto.   A couple of half chances fell both teams way but it wasn’t until the last 20 mintues that the Wanderers started to take take control of the game and better finishing by Berto, Mckinstry and Mickey Rodgers would have seen a higher score line being recorded.  With 2 mintues to go Dalziel gave away another penalty tripping Rodgers was about to pull the trigger.  O’Hara as he done in the first half riffled home the penalty to send the large Wanderers support home happy.  The Wanderers look forward to the final and the last 3 games of the season knowing that 3 wins not only sees them promoted but would see the club capture the 1st division title in almost 20 years.

Frustration just before the final whistle went seen Dalziel loose another two outfield players and a substitute all sent off  for various offences.  Another dissappointing factor is the length that the Dalziel management team go to at the side of the park to try and get oppoennts booked and sent off.   The linesman at their side and the ref after the game tooks dogs abuse.   

Come on the Wanderers.

17th May – League Cup Semi Final: Daiziel HS vs Milngavie Wanderers (Giffnock 6.30pm kick Off) 

21st May – League Milngsavie Wanderers vs Newton Mearns Rovers

23rd May – League Gartcosh vs Milngavie Wanderers

25th May – League Milngavie Wanderers vs Drumchapel FP