Kilsyth Rangers slow on the draw with first tie

Kilsyth made all the early running and Michael McGee’s shot was deflected wide for a corner from which Corey Pearson had an effort saved by Yoker ’keeper Liam Campbell.

As it started to snow Pearson again tried his luck for Kilsyth but his shot from distance went well over the bar.

Next to have a go was Paul McBride whose shot on the turn was saved by Campbell.

Yoker hadn’t been in the game but somehow managed to take the lead.

They were awarded a free-kick midway inside the Kilsyth half and it was launched to the back post where David Crerand met it with his head to score.

The away side almost doubled their lead straight away but Kilsyth ’keeper Chris Prior turned the shot past for a corner.

From the resulting corner there was some confusion as it looked like Yoker had used a set piece they had worked on from the training ground but the referee blew his whistle to bring play to a halt. The Yoker management team went ballistic which resulted in coach Alex Morris being ordered off.

Prior was nearly punished when he tried to dribble the ball out of his box and he was robbed by a Yoker forward but Paul Doyle got back to clear off the goal line.

Gary Livingstone then almost got Kilsyth level with a shot which beat Campbell but was cleared off the line by Michael Bailey.

However Kilsyth did draw level just after the half-hour mark when a long Prior kick was misjudged by Jamie Carson and Joe Barclay nipped in to shoot low across goal into the bottom corner.

Barclay then flicked the ball past Fyfe and it looked like the big defender used his arm to block the ball, but shouts for a penalty were waved away.

On 40 minutes Barclay was again involved when he got on the end of a Nicky Prentice cross but his header crashed back off the bar and it was all square at the break.

Yoker started the second half on the front foot and Kenny Marshall was looking like the main danger man with his delivery from corners causing all sorts of problems for the Kilsyth defenders.

Pearson cleared one off the line to keep the scores level and it was all Yoker at this stage.

But they couldn’t make their possession count and were punished when Kilsyth went in front with a little over 10 minutes remaining.

The ball fell to Prentice inside the Yoker box and he went past his man and cut the ball back for Pearson to turn into the net.

The lead didn’t last long though as Yoker were again level from another set piece, this time Gary Arbuckle getting his head to the ball to flick past Prior.

Kilsyth almost snatched victory at the end of the match but Pearson hit the post from close range.

Next up for Kilsyth is a match with Greenock at Duncansfield tonight (Wednesday), kick-off 6.45pm.

Rangers are at home again on Saturday when Rutherglen Glencairn visit, kick-off 2pm.