There were many lessons to be learnt from my latest Junior Fitba experience. 1. Never trust the MET office - it never rains on Rob Roy; 2. Beware children of Irvine; 3. Old school footballers are the best; 4. Always give time minus ten to the missus when arranging anything. 5. Medda are deserved champions.
On the morning of the game I checked with the MET Office forecast which predicted heavy rain followed by electrical storms for the Glasgow area. Rather than take a brolly to the game - I saw what happened to Steve McLaren when he took one - I decided to wear my parka as its one of the few jackets I have with a hood. Besides the pockets on it will be perfect for my notepad, camera, pie, juice, money and everything else I cart along to these games. Sure enough the skies were dark across Adamslie park when I was dropped off via Matalan by my good lady. Although it was still warm - summer day warm but I was sure that would pass when the rain came.
I paid in, duked the halt-time draw boy after my bitter previous experiences, and headed over to the stand and its shelter. First though I had to visit the gents which I had seen before but never had to use. The gents is basically a long wall and two short side walls and no roof. The long wall in front has a gap on the left side that you walk through, turn to your right, take a step forward, turn to your right again and go against the wall. There are the remnants of porcelain that presumably once formed a gleaming wall of white in its heyday.
In the stand the majority of fans were Irvine Meadow who were there to celebrate their team's league win. A few even had T-shirts printed with "Champions 2010/11" printed on them. They were in good cheer although one wee boy clearly wasn't happy. The 4 foot ball of anger strode up to a guy (turned out to be his dad) in front of me and without saying anything lashed out with his fist with a straight jab to his dad's right arm. Hardly a Haye-maker but the boys dad was holding a full cup of coffee at the time which ended up all over him. Credit to his dad he didn't retaliate but later on I did see him walk away from his son's request for money with a fed-up mutter of "fuck off".
The league champions were given a warm reception as Irvine Meadow players ran on to the pitch with a guard of honour given by Kirkintilloch Rob Roy players and staff before kick-off at Adamslie Park. However the home side's hospitality didn't end there as The Rabs went on to gift three goals to The Medda.
It was The Rabs who started the game the better and had a few chances in the opening few minutes with McQuilken coming close with a strike just past the post from ten yards out. Rob Roy's attacking 4-3-3 formation was causing Medda some defensive headaches as Gow and Zok both looked to pull wide and take on the full backs. This pressure led indirectly to the first booking of the game on 7 minutes when Medda left back, Dillon, was booked for swearing at the referee following his conceded free kick.
Irvine Meadow started the game with a 4-1-2-3 formation with Strain dropping into the space between defence and midfield. However they struggled to get any sort of rhythm in their passing with Rob Roy enjoying most of the possession in the first half. On 13 minutes The Rabs had a glorious chance to open the scoring. A deep free kick from McQuilken on the right hand side was met by fellow central midfielder, Sinclair, with a free header. However from 8 yards Sinclair was only able to put it past the right hand post much to the relief of the Medda defence who had allowed him so much time and room.
The breakthrough came on 17 minutes when Rob Roy captain Feroz chased down an innocent looking backpass. He got the reward for perseverance as he charged down the Medda goalie's kick before a scramble left the big No.9 with the ball at his feet and the goal at his mercy. He duly slipped it in from a tight angle. Rob Roy one-nil.
Things could have got worse for the Medda five minutes later when their centre half, Robertson sold his goalie short with a bad back pass which Hewitt managed to just get a toe to as Gow was rushing in. There was a tension beginning to bubble up amongst some of the players and the referee had to give a talking to Irvine's Adams and Kirkintilloch's Zok on separate occasions both for challenges that could be euphemistically called over-zealous.
On 29 minutes Rob Roy made a substitution by bringing off centre half Carter and bringing on attacker McKay. This meant a reshuffle of the team with right back, Dunlop, coming into cover centre half; right midfielder, Muir dropping back into right back position and winger Gow dropping back into midfield. This change would have a huge impact on the game as the dominant Rob Roy side were suddenly on the back foot.
A minute after the substitution and Irvine Meadow were level. The goal came from an aimless long ball down the right which Rob Roy centre half, McGregor, had covered well but as he turned inside he fell under pressure from a Medda striker and the ball broke to the oncoming Adams who sent a delightful chipped shot over the Rab's keeper to score from 25 yards out. Without taking away from the finish it was a soft goal to lose from Rob Roy's point of view.
On 33 minutes it could have been worse for Rob Roy as Medda's McGinty and McGeown combined well on the edge of the box but goalie McNeil saved well to keep his team level at the break.
Half Time: Kirkintilloch 1 – 1 Irvine Meadow
Another half time at Adamslie and another fine Rob Roy pie - I must ask who the supplier is to give them their due. As I was tucking into my lunch at the back of the stand, down the front to my shock walked the half-time draw boy actually displaying the winning numbers. Finally that particular mystery could be put to rest.
As in the first half the heavy rain that had been predicted was still only threatening and I was now roasting in my big jacket. But the dark skies weren't dampening the spirits of the travelling away fans who were here to celebrate the Medda's triumph in the league. One younger fan in particular seemed to have started his celebrations early - perhaps Wednesday. He was stocious. Clutching a can of TL he shuffled up to some old guys in front of me asking for a light as he'd lost his own. Unaware of personal space boundaries he was inches away from the old guy's right ear when the Medda fans shouted for an incident on the pitch. As this wave of grumbles died down to silence the boy shouted "That woman's a whore!" causing an entire stand to stop and stare at him before having a good laugh.
Barely 9 minutes into the second half and the Medda fans had another goal to celebrate. A penalty conceded by Sheridan for a pull back on the Medda striker meant a booking for the left back and the chance for McGinty to put the away team ahead for the first time in the game. Keeper went left and well struck shot went right. 2-1 to Irvine Meadow.
Rob Roy tried to immediately hit back when two minutes after the penalty Feroz headed over from a good cross by left back, Sheridan. The pace of the game seemed to drop somewhat as Irvine Meadow made a few substitutions: Wingate came on for McLean on 55 minutes; Quinn on for Strain on 66 minutes; both in addition to Fleming replacing Adams at the end of the first half.
Gow was unlucky not to equalise for Rob Roy when his fierce strike following an inviting lay off from McKay was beaten away by Medda keeper Hewitt. That was as close as Kirkintilloch came to getting anything from this game and 31 minutes into the second half Medda killed it off. This time it was the Rabs keeper who was put under pressure from a back pass. His clearance was very poor and rolled into the path of McGeown about 30 yards out. The Medda midfielder lofted the ball over the heads of the covering defenders into the empty net. 3-1 Medda.
The game rolled on but without any further incidents as both teams seemed resigned to 3-1 being the final score. Rob Roy could feel aggrieved at not getting something from a game that they had looked so comfortable in until the substitution of their centre half caused their team's reshuffle. However it was individual errors that gifted the goals to Irvine Meadow. The Medda showed a ruthlessness in their punishment of these errors and that is often the mark of worthy champions.
Full Time: Kirkintilloch 1 – 3 Irvine Meadow
After the game I realised I'd made a mistake saying to my wife to pick me up at 4pm. As the game had kicked off the second half bang on time at 3, then finished equally bang on 45 minutes later. Caught between staying at the park or heading to a pub I decided that I should wait as she was likely to be there any minute. I stood out the front as the last of the fans left - the Irvine Meadow supporters bus taking fourteen attempts at getting out the tight car park. I don't mind being the last supporter to leave but then the players started to come out too. I was getting strange looks too. Maybe they thought I was hanging back to remonstrate with them over the loss or even worse they thought I was an autograph hunter. Embarrassing but at least the rain had started.
Squad Lists
Kirkintilloch Rob Roy: McNeil; Dunlop; Sheridan; Carter; McGregor; Sinclair; Muir; McQuilken; Feroz; Gow; Zok. Subs: Wilson(Gk); Palmer; Martin; McCue; McMenamin; Craig; McKay.
Irvine Meadow: Hewitt; Swift; Dillon; McDonald; Robertson; Strain; Adams; McGeown; McGinty; Milliken; McLean. Subs: Wardrope(Gk); Quinn; Turner; Wingate; Barr; Ryan; Fleming.
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