GOALS GALORE

Surridge Sectional League Cup Section 8

IT was goals galore at Kirkintilloch on Saturday in a thrilling, sectional League Cup tie. United did well to match their Premier Super League opponents and were unfortunate to go down by a single goal.

From the opening minutes there were goalmouth incidents. Rob Roy had an offside goal disallowed and United’s Danny Burns and Paul McDougall came close with good efforts.

The 13th minute, however, proved unlucky for the visitors when Rob Roy striker Gormley rounded Andy Dearie and ran in to score.

It took United only three minutes to reply with an equaliser when a Jim Steele cross was headed home by Dominic O’Halloran.

It was end-to-end play, enjoyed by the sun-drenched spectators and the home side took the lead aided by slackness in the United defence. Rob Roy were awarded a free kick just outside the penalty area and while the United rearguard were debating the decision Rob Roy’s Gormley took a quick pass from a team mate and ran on to slip the ball past David Buchanan in the United goal.

Cumbernauld did not take long to get back on level terms. A fine Danny Burns foray up the right saw his perfect cross expertly headed past Connelly in the home goal by Paul McDougall.

The first half action was not finished. In the last minute of the period following a Rob Roy corner, the ball reached full back James Coulter who slammed it, from outside the box, past the United keeper.

Would the second 45 minutes match the first half? It was not long before the goals avalanche began again when United got their third equaliser and it was a cracker. A Cumbernauld free kick saw Jim Steele expertly place the ball on Paul McDougall’s head and Connelly had no chance.

The seventh goal of this extraordinary encounter came as the result of a mix-up in the United goalmouth when Buchanan and Elliot went for the same ball and in the confusion, Rob Roy’s Gormley nipped in to grab his hat-trick.

Before the crowd could get their breath back, the battling Cumbernauld boys equalised yet again when Phil Barclay supplied the finishing touch to some excellent build-up play.

The United faithful began to sense that their favourites could maybe grab a winner. It was the home team, however, who secured full points in the 80th minute when a break upfield ended with their substitute McQuillan beating David Buchanan.

In the final minutes two United efforts were cleared off the line but unfortunately a fifth comeback was in vain.

UNITED: Buchanan, Barclay, Elliot, Carmichael, Dearie, McNally, O’Halloran, Gibson, McDougall, Steele, Burns. Subs: Cullen, Hamilton.

Rossvale FC 2 Cumbernauld United 2

Surridge Sectional League Cup Section 8

UNITED had the honour of playing Rossvale in their first official competitive game in the junior ranks at Petershill Park last Wednesday.

The newcomers, from Bishopbriggs, gave a good account of themselves, particularly in the first half and were a goal ahead at the interval. During this period United, with a patchwork team, were very disappointing.

When Rossvale increased their lead after the break things looked ominous for United but, to their credit, the Cumbernauld team upped their performance and, when Rossvale were reduced to ten men, the visitors took control with an excellent goal from the trialist striker and a converted penalty kick shortly afterwards from the same player.

United should have secured full points before the end of the match but Rossvale held on to the delight of their officials and supporters.