Bellshill Athletic 1-3 Annbank United: Bellshill lose top spot after defeat

There was disappointment for Bellshill Athletic on Saturday as they were demoted from top spot in West of Scotland League Conference A after losing 3-1 at home to new leaders Annbank United.
Bellshill Athletic in action (Library pic)Bellshill Athletic in action (Library pic)
Bellshill Athletic in action (Library pic)

Bellshill took an early lead in sensational style through Dylan McGuigan on 19 minutes when he emphatically netted into the top left-hand corner from 18 yards.

But Annbank were level within nine minutes when Lee Sloan netted impressively following a corner.

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It remained 1-1 at half-time, before the visitors took a 50th-minute lead when ’Hill player Neil Schoneville headed the ball into his own net after a corner.

And the away team sealed the three points with Jordan Ryan’s 78th-minute penalty kick, awarded for a foul by Schoneville.

“We were the better team throughout the game passing-wise and possession-wise,” Bellshill manager Derek Wilson told the Times and Speaker.

“We just didn’t have any breaks at all. That was the problem.

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“Anybody watching could see that Bellshill were the far better team.

“We just didn’t get the breaks and they punished us.

“To be fair, Annbank came into the game with maybe 20 minutes to go in the first half and that’s when they got their goal to equalise.

“But – after we went 2-1 down through big Neil’s own goal – the boys were absolutely excellent second half.

“They were superb at keeping the ball and we had chance upon chance.

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“One of the strikers should have squared the ball to the other striker for a tap-in and he chose the wrong decision and went for goal.

“Trying to chase a goal left us a wee bit exposed at the back and from that miss Annbank broke and won the penalty.

“Big Neil actually said he got a toe to the ball first in the penalty incident, but I think from the stance that the referee had – he was on the same side as we were – we said all day long it was a penalty.”

Bellshill, second with 14 points, trail Annbank by three points, with both clubs having played seven league games.

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Meanwhile, Bellshill’s local rivals Thorniewood United are up to third in Conference C with 10 points from five matches after winning 3-1 at Drumchapel United last Saturday thanks to goals by Kelly, Baptie and Small.

The West of Scotland League now goes into a winter break with its next fixtures on Saturday, January 9.

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