Four is sore on Pupils in Finnart defeat

Finnart 4-1 Campbeltown Pupils

 

West of Scotland FL – Division Four

 

Campbeltown Pupils gave it their best last Saturday but lost out on their travels to high-flying Finnart in the West of Scotland Football League Division Four.

 

Playing at Springburn Park in the north of Glasgow, the Pupils started competitively in the opening 15 minutes but then found themselves 1-0 down when a Finnart forward – who looked to be offside – advanced on goal and guided a delicate lob over keeper Alasdair Ferguson into the net.

 

Donald McCallum went close to equalising for the Pupils but after cutting inside a Finnart defender onto his left foot he shot straight at the keeper.

 

Only a couple of minutes later, lone striker Ryan Deans’ good work in the box earned the McFadyens-sponsored Pupils a penalty, after his cross from inside the box struck an outstretched hand from a Finnart defender.

 

Rhys Casci, one of the Pupils’ Tarbert contingent, stepped up to fire a crisp strike high into the left-hand corner of the net.

 

Despite being buoyed by an equaliser, the Pupils were frustrated again just before half time when Finnart’s number 11 made it a brace after rising to power a header into the net and restore the title challengers’ lead, after meeting a curling ball in from the hosts’ right full-back.

 

Into the second half where both teams battled for the crucial fourth goal in the match. It was the Pupils who would concede it.

 

In another move tinged with disappointment - the match referee failing to spot another offside in the build-up - a ball from the right flank was swung in to a player in an offside position, who held the ball up and worked it back to a central area where Finnart’s captain unleashed a strong strike high into the Pupils’ net.

 

And while the Feathers Inn-sponsored Pupils continued to work hard to claw their way back into the match they were undone with only a few minutes remaining by a smart counter-attack at the other end, which allowed Finnart’s number 10 to score from close range with a low, side-footed effort.

 

On reflection, the Pupils were undone by moments of business-like quality – certainly for goals two and four from their hosts - and perhaps their own naivety against a canny and disciplined side who are challenging to win the WoSFL’s Division Four.

 

Nevertheless, the Pupils can reflect on a decent, determined performance for much of this match. Tomorrow (Sautrday) they face the same opponents, Finnart, at Kintyre Park, after their postponed fixture in early December. Kick off is 1.30pm.

 

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