Arthurlie lose more ground
Published 8 Sep 2011 09:30
Beith............ 2
Arthurlie....... 1
Arthurlie slumped to another defeat on Saturday as they again let a lead slip in going down to Beith at Bellsdale Park.
The game started with Arthurlie on top and right on the half hour they took the lead that their performance merited.
John McLay showed great skill on the left-wing before crossing for Andy Ferguson to head home.
Two minutes later came a sickening incident when Marc McShane went in for a challenge on Gary Livingstone and seemed to overstretch himself, his studs caught in the grass and his knee buckled as one of his team mates landed onto of him.
McShane was stretchered from the pitch to applause and we wish him a speedy recovery from what looks to be a very serious injury.
The second half started with Arthurlie still on top and after only sixty seconds Michael Keenan went close with a diving header from a Livingstone cross.
After six minutes of the second half the incident that changed the game happened.
John Johnston and Martin Hughes went for the ball and Hughes went down as if he had been shot much to the bemusement of all present and the referee flashed a red card at Johnston.
Hughes made a Lazarus like recovery as Johnston had to be led from the park.
Three minutes later and the game was level, a ball into the Lie box was punched clear by Keith Ross but the second ball in found the head of Andy Reid who made no mistake from six yards out.
On the hour mark Derek McCulloch was lucky to escape with a warning after catching McLay with an elbow and a minute later substitute Robert Downs saw his header clip the top of the crossbar and go over as the home side upped the tempo.
Five minutes later Downs went close again, he started the move just inside the Arthurlie half before feeding John Craig who played the ball back inside and Downs send a low right footed shot that brought out a fantastic save from Ross.
The home side went ahead 67 minutes when the ball broke out to Paul McMenamin who took a touch before unleashing a fierce drive from 30 yards that had Ross flapping at fresh air. With time running out Arthurlie's frustrations boiled over and James Lundie made a rash challenge on Reid that could easily have resulted in a second red card for the home side.
Arthurlie now have one point from their opening four league games and must start picking up points soon. On Saturday they host Largs Thistle at Dunterlie Park, kick off 2pm.
This article appeared in Barrhead News 08 Sep 11
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