Will Irvine Meadow XI Keep Going To Title?

On the eve of Saturday the 14th April, Irvine Meadow XI sat in 4th place in the Stagecoach West of Scotland Super League Premier Division a full 12 points behind the league leaders, Petershill. The Peasy would complete their campaign at home to Ashfield while Medda faced an incredible 8 more league games. Yet tomorrow the 'Dow have the chance to win the title with a home game against relegated Largs.

That weekend Ashfield held their north Glasgow rivals to a 1-1 draw and Petershill finished with 43 points  - a real turn around by the team who avoided relegation via the play off last year. At Meadow Park the home side thumped Kirkintilloch Rob Roy 6-1.

It would be a week until Irvine Meadow’s next match – which must seem like a distant dream to the Medda players who have since played at least 3 games a week. However it was Ashfield again playing a part in this title’s destination with a 3-1 home win against the Ayrshire challengers.

The first midweek game in this gruelling run of fixtures was a 2-1 home win against struggling Pollok on Wednesday 25th April. Three days later (Saturday 28th) and it was the New Coin Automatics Cup quarter final at home to Shotts Bon Accord – themselves victims of their cup success this year with a fierce run of league fixtures to make up. A 2-1 win saw another fixture added to Medda’s calendar.

Monday 30th April – and making a mockery of football fitness expert Raymond Verheijen’s call for longer rest periods (http://www.footyplace.com/news/verheijen-calls-for-longer-rest-periods/) - and it was back to league duty with a 4-2 home win over Kilbirnie Ladeside followed by one day off then a 2-0 win on the Wednesday over Ashfield at Meadow Park in the league. Medda were now only 1 point behind Petershill with 3 games to play.

Saturday 5th May – a merciful 2 days rest – and it was the semi-final of the New Coins Automatic cup away to Glenafton who were flying in the Super League First. A hard thought 4-3 win and Meadow were in the final.

No time to celebrate though as Monday 7th brought tough clash at Holm Park to a Clydebank side who had won their last 7 league games. Their 8th win in a row came courtesy of a 3-1 victory. Irvine Meadow XI picked themselves up and on Wednesday beat Maybole away 2-1 in the Ayrshire Weekly Press Cup.

Their seventh game of the fortnight was the final of the New Coins Automatic Cup at Newlandsfield – home of Pollok FC - on Saturday 12th May. Ashfield were the beaten finalists as Medda lifted the trophy following a 2-0 win.

Game number eleven in this sequence was the quarter final of the Ayrshire Weekly Press Cup on Wednesday 16th May against Kilwinning Rangers. Meadow Park bore witness to a 1-0 win for the ‘Dow to take the team into a semi final with Emirates Junior Cup finalists, Auchinleck Talbot.

And so Irvine Meadow XI face their 12th game in 36 days having reduced the gap in the league from 12 points to 1, won one trophy and reached the semi-finals of another. Saturday 19th May 2012 brings a home tie against Largs who are already relegated. If they don’t win or draw (Irvine’s goal difference is 5 better than Petershill) this game there will be the daunting prospect of going to Beechwood looking for something. Talbot might have the Junior Cup final on their minds but are unlikely to roll over for their fierce rivals. There is also the unscheduled semi-final also against Auchinleck to be fitted in so respite is unlikely.

The toll of a game every 3 days on average at the end of a long season must be hard on the players but will the glory of retaining their league championship be enough to drive Irvine Meadow XI on to be the best Junior team in the West of Scotland?

Poise, Purpose and Passion

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.

Irvine Meadow 0 Talbot 1 (27 April 2011)

Match report contributed by murray from the Auchinleck Talbot Forum

Talbot emerged from Meadow Park with a second successive win and all three points, with a victory that keeps the title fight alive.

Talbot got off to a slightly nervy start, with a few casual passes gifting the ball to Meadow in dangerous areas.

Liam McVey and then Martin McGoldrick were uncharacteristically slack in possession but Meadow failed to capitalise.

Meadow were making the early running and their fans thought they had taken the lead on 7 minutes. McVey gave the ball away to Fleming, he whipped the ball over from the right for Hughes to touch it home but the Meadow player had moved too soon, and the celebrations were cut short by the assistant who flagged for offside.

Talbot had yet to get started and a moment of defensive uncertainty almost gifted a goal to Meadow after 9 minutes. Leishman opted for a short throw out to McVey but Liam was covered and when he tried to clear it, the ball ricocheted off a Meadow player but fortunately went straight to the Talbot keeper.

The Bot’s first look at goal came after 10 mins when Gillies knocked a good pass through for McCann but Mick couldn’t generate any power behind his shot and it was comfortably held by Wardrope.

Play then switched down the other end and Robb had to be at full stretch to turn a ball behind for a corner. The ball was knocked long, past the back post and headed back across goal but Leishman made an easy take in the centre.

With 12 mins gone Talbot had the Meadow defence at full stretch when Latta’s dangerous cross to the back post looked destined for Young, but Ryan got back to make a crucial interception and head it behind.

Young took the corner and Meadow were only able to partially clear it, with the ball coming back out to Butch on the left and he curled a good ball into the far post area but there was nobody there to supply the finishing touch.

Meadow had a great chance to take the lead in the 16th min. Robb took a heavy touch outside the box and the ball broke straight to McGeown who raced through on goal but failed to make the most of the chance, drilling a low shot on target, which Leishman blocked and then McVey completed the clearance.

Talbot then attacked down the left with Young and McVey combining well out wide. Liam crossed into the centre and Gillies got his head on it but didn’t get enough behind it to trouble Wardrope.

Meadow were forced into an early change after 22 minutes when McGowan limped off to be replaced by Wingate.

The 1st booking of the game came a minute later and it was for Ricky Robb. Ricky was adjudged to have fouled Barr just outside the area and he was shown a yellow for disputing the decision.

Ryan took the free kick and went for goal but it was a poor effort, easily held by Leishman.

Hughes had a decent chance to put Meadow in front on 27 mins. Fleming whipped a great ball in from the right and Hughes looked set to steer it home from 6 yards but he couldn’t make a clean contact and the ball eventually went out for a throw in on the far side.

In Talbot’s next attack, White pinged a good ball over from the right onto the head of Gillies and Davie was unlucky to see his cushioned header back across goal, clip off a defender, allowing the Meadow defence to clear.

The game remained highly competitive but with most of the play confined to the middle third and neither defence being really tested.

The next incident of note came in the 40th minute when Talbot were denied what looked a stonewall free kick just outside the area. Connolly played it into the feet of Latta who was bundled over but the referee waved play on.

A few minutes later and McGeown had his name taken for a lunging challenge on Spence in midfield.

Meadow now made a 2nd switch with McGinty coming on in place of Turner.

Strain should then have joined McGeown in the notebook, following a late challenge on McVey, but the referee chose to restrict himself to a few words with the Meadow midfielder.

In the final minute of the half, Meadow had a half chance to take the lead. McGeown threatened to burst through the centre but Robb got across to make the clearance. However, his clearance only went as far as McGinty just outside the area and he went for a volley but it went a yard over the bar, and so the sides went in level at the interval.

Talbot have developed a habit of making a strong start to 2nd halves this season and this game was no different, with the Bot looking much the sharper side at the start of the 2nd period.

Connolly made a good break down the right, reaching the bye line before cutting it back for McCann. Mick with his back to goal, spun round, and hit it 1st time but couldn’t find the target, his effort drifting well wide of the far post.

Then in a carbon copy of the incident from the 1st half, Connolly played a good ball into the feet of Latta right outside the Meadow box, and once again the Bot midfielder was bundled off the ball with nothing given.

The referee then further infuriated the visiting support when he allowed a Robertson foul on Latta to go unpunished and seconds later awarded Meadow a free kick within shooting range for a challenge from Spence.

Ryan got the ball up and over the wall but there was no zing in his effort and Leishman made a comfortable save.

White became the 2nd Talbot player to pick up a card when he was cautioned after 55 mins for bringing down McGeown.

Talbot made their 1st change of the match in the 61st minute with John Boyle coming on for Mick McCann and the sub had a chance to make an immediate impact when he was played through on goals by Gillies. Unfortunately, having just come on he wasn’t quite up to speed, and took a poor touch inside the area, allowing the defence the chance to get back and clear.

Spence then went on a surge towards the Meadow box and looked like he was about to break free until halted by a good tackle from Strain just outside the area.

Talbot were having a good spell and Gillies managed to glance a header on target from Boyle’s cross but whilst it had the direction it lacked pace and Wardrope plucked it out the air.

With 66 mins gone Talbot did make the breakthrough and it was a wonderful, solo effort. YOUNG picked the ball up on the left, waltzed past a couple of challenges and drilled a right foot shot past Wardrope at his right hand post from around 20 yards out to put Talbot 1-0 ahead.

Meadow tried to find an immediate response and Latta was forced to concede a corner when he cut out Wingate’s ball into the penalty area. The corner came over to the back post and a Meadow player managed to get his head on it but it went well wide of Leishman’s left post.

Fleming then went on a mazy run, cutting in from the right before trying his luck from the edge of the area. His shot was blocked by Robb and with the aid of the deflection it spun just over the bar and behind for a corner. This time Meadow opted to pull the corner back to Fleming outside the area and he fired a low shot into the crowded area, and it was knocked away to safety.

Meadow’s Robertson was cautioned on 72 mins for a late challenge on Boyle, which resulted in a Bot free kick out on the right. Young took the set piece and fired a good ball over which was met by Gillies whose diving header flew over Wardrope’s bar.

A couple of minutes later and Young turned defence into attack when his diagonal ball from deep inside his own half very nearly picked out Boyle on the right wing, however Wardrope had reacted quickly and came right out to the edge of his area to gather, just beating Boyle to the ball.

The game’s major talking point occurred with quarter of an hour remaining. Young fed the ball to Boyle and he in turn released the ball to Gillies on the left of the penalty area. Gillies took a touch before clipping the ball past the advancing Wardrope. The linesman’s flag ruled out Davie’s effort, however this is not what angered the Bot support but rather Wardrope’s reckless challenge on Gillies after he had shot past him.

Unfortunately, Gillies injury was too severe for him to continue and after a delay, Talbot brought on Mallan to replace him.

With 12 mins remaining Talbot again tested out the Meadow defence when McVey found space on the left and whipped over a dangerous cross that McDonald did well to clear.

Both sides now made their final changes of the evening, firstly Talbot brought on Smith for Latta and then Meadow replaced Strain with Milliken.

Meadow came within inches of grabbing an equaliser with 6 minutes remaining of regulation time. Fleming put a cross into the near post and McGeown met it inside the 6 yard box and crashed a header off the underside of the bar, which Talbot were able to scramble clear from the goal mouth.

Robertson, having already been cautioned earlier, then had a lucky escape when he went in late on Spence and the referee awarded the free kick but decided against showing a 2nd yellow card.

Talbot had a glorious chance to put the game beyond all doubt in the final minute of normal time. Mallan’s head flick deceived the Meadow defence, allowing Boyle to race through on the keeper but he went for power and blazed his effort just over the bar.

Due to the stoppage following Davie’s injury there was at least 5 minutes of injury time and Meadow pressed hard for a late goal, but they couldn’t get past Talbot’s defence and the Bot saw the game out to win 1-0.

This was a hard fought win that came at a price, as Gillies will now possibly be out for a couple of weeks, but the points gained move Talbot 3 points nearer to the top end of the table and keeps the momentum going and team morale high.

Talbot – Leishman, White, McVey, McGoldrick, Robb, Spence, Young, Connolly, Gillies, McCann, Latta

Subs – Mallan, Smith, Boyle, Davidson, O’Neil

Meadow – Wardrope, Ryan, McDonald, McGowan, Robertson, Strain, Fleming, McGeown, Barr, Hughes, Turner

Subs – McGinty, Wingate, Milliken, Hewitt

Match report contributed by murray from the Auchinleck Talbot Forum