Another day, another trip to Scotland. This is DEFINITELY for the last time this season. The beauty of this great hobby is you get the opportunity to visit towns you would never normally entertain going anywhere near under normal circumstances.
I think you could definitely include Shotts in this category. It's a pretty non-descript town, just East of Motherwell, with it's most famous landmark probably being the local prison.
In the town though is the quite glorious Hannah Park, home to the local team Shotts Bon Accord. The ground is a massive bowl shaped arena with terracing all around and cover on one side of the pitch. It also has one of the largest playing surfaces in Scotland. Shotts Bon Accord were founded in 1950 and have no connection with the Bon Accord who lost 36-0 to Arbroath in 1885 (that Bon Accord side were from Aberdeen).
Tonight Shotts, fresh from their Scottish Junior Cup win over Auchinleck Talbot last weekend, were taking on Glenafton Athletic in what was dubbed 'the title showdown' ok, perhaps not by all but you catch the drift.
Due to postponements and cup matches (they never played a league game from November to April) Shotts have been left with a dreadful backlog of games (they have played 12 games in May alone). This means that by winning their 5 remaining games, starting tonight, they are they only team that can stop tonight's opponents Glenafton Athletic lifting the West Super League Division One title. A win for Glenafton though and the race is over, they would be crowned Champions.
The game, played in delightful evening sunshine, started off very slowly, in fact the opening 30 minutes was pretty woeful. Then it suddenly sprang into life and both teams produced an absorbing encounter.
Gareth Campbell gave Glenafton the lead, on 30 minutes, with a back post header that may or may not have crossed the line, it was difficult to say from where I was stood, but the lineswoman on the far side had no hesitation in awarding the goal.
Shotts were level though 8 minutes later when Tony Fleming volleyed home and just before the break Alan Mckenzie gave the homesters the lead, when he latched onto a long ball to chip the advancing 'keeper.
There was a lively atmosphere between the two sets of supporters at either end of the covered terrace, largely fuelled by the Buckfast "commotion potion" they were swilling, but during the interval Strathclyde's finest arrived to move the Glens supporters out of the covered area, and also eject some Neds, which probably prevented any trouble that was beginning to brew.
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| Le Chateau Coatbridge |
The second half saw Shotts begin to take control and they extended their lead further when Fleming bagged his second, on 65 minutes, this time with a header after a great cross from the right. Glenafton though soon grabbed one back, Gareth Armstrong poking home on 75 minutes, to set up a grandstand finish, which unfortunately for the Glens didn't happen. Shotts comfortably held on to claim the win, much to the delight of the home bench who were dancing away in front of us at the end.
The result means Shotts are now in second place on goal difference, so there is every chance they are all but promoted (a point would make it certain), but in order to clinch the title they need to, from their last four games, close down a seven point gap and a goal difference of five, a tall order but very much achievable.
We shall see by Wednesday week.
GBG wise two pubs were "ticked off" pre-match the Annandale Hotel in Moffat and the Wishaw Malt in, err, Wishaw.
Tonight though was very much another "memorable" trip north of the border!!
Tonight though was very much another "memorable" trip north of the border!!
There were no local neds arrested,But there were6 visiting neds arrested.
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