Football match aids food banks in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

That was because the game at Ravenswood playing fields was a hugely successful fundraiser staged by the campaign group Cumbernauld Against Poverty.

It starred volunteer players including well-known politician Tommy Sheridan and former Motherwell player Brian Martin.

And after a day of close-fought action the organisers had notched up around £1,000 to go to local food bank funds.

Everyone involved seemed to agree it was a game (of two halves) with its fair share of thrills and spills, with “Rangers” keeper Paul Greenwell performing strongly – even if the Celtic onslaught finally led to a quartet of goals slipping through his fingers.

Scorers were Marc Jarvie, Scott Kiernan and Rober McGluaghlin, who scored twice and was the man of the match.

It was just the latest in a series of initiatives carried out by CAP, which wants to banish the prospect of people having to choose between food or bills in the battle to survive benefit cuts.

Organiser Michael Croly said: “We want to thank everyone who clubbed together to make this a success.

“The cash will be split between Cumbernauld’s Bethlehem House of Bread food bank and the Kilsyth food bank.”

He added: “We’ve a lot more in the pipeline, for example with what we hope will be a great golfing fundraiser set to take place in September.”

The group’s wider agenda is to make food banks unnecessary, but in the current climate that’s a longer term ambition.

For the immediate future they want to give practical aid to the selfless food bank volunteers who have galvanised communities to help the many people across the area unable to afford the basics of everyday life.