Forth 1 Lesmahagow 1
Forth and Lesmahagow shared the spoils at Kingshill Park this afternoon, a Paul Gemmell header being cancelled out by a Sullivan goal for the ‘Gow on the stroke of half-time. The visitors will feel aggrieved not to have won the match, spurning a host of chances and facing a home keeper, Chic Clark, in inspired form.
Lesmahagow signalled their attacking intent in the first minute when a long ball almost caught out the Forth defence and only an excellent Marc Napier tackle moments later broke up another ‘Gow attack, after good interplay between the visiting forwards. The Wanderers first chance came from a corner awarded after good work from Kris Jarvie. Chris McGroarty floated the ball in and Paul Gemmell flashed a header wide, with the ‘Gow defence nowhere to be seen. At this stage, the ‘Gow’s use of the early long ball was causing the Forth defence problems but a mixture of resilient defending and the form of keeper Chic Clark was keeping them at bay.
The ‘Gow keeper was called into action when a Chris McGroarty ball sent Gordon Murphy through but he was equal to the shot. The visitors number 10 was then caught narrowly offside when racing through on goal before play raced down to the other end where Lewis McKinlay fired an overhead kick wide after a free kick had been blocked. Forth then earned another corner after a Murphy cross was cleared and from McGroarty’s corner, PAUL GEMMELL leapt like a salmon to bullet a header past the despairing keeper and into the net. Forth were having their best spell of the match now and only an excellent last ditch tackle stopped Kris Jarvie sending Martin Harty through on goal. Jarvie then appeared to be barged over in the box but the referee waved aside the Wanderers claims.
Forth team : Clark, Napier,Gemmell,McKinlay,Grant,Stevenson,Traynor,(Crawford),McGroarty,Jarvie(Wright),Harty,Murphy(Govan)