YFS
Harmony Row earned a place in the next round of the Birdston Kennels League Cup with a hard-fought but well earned victory over Pollok Juveniles.
Torrential rain was the order of the day, as both teams braved horrendous conditions to play out this feisty encounter in difficult circumstances. Luckily, the match was played on the artificial surface of the Nethercraigs facility, as otherwise the game would surely not have went ahead.
The Row got us under way here and they got off to a great start as striker Craig Paterson found himself through on goal. The big frontman couldn't find a route to goal past 'keeper Ben Lawton though as the ball was beaten away.
Good work down the left by Edward McTernan produced another good opportunity for the Row but this time Paterson just got his timing wrong and couldn't find the target.
It wasn't long though before Harmony Row found themselves in front.
Midfielder Scott Jackson found Paterson in the box before the striker unselfishly laid a great ball off to Cameron Haddow who coolly slotted past Lawton inside the far post.
Pollok took the goal on the chin and started to see a larger share of possession, but they struggled to break down a sturdy defence with a killer pass.
This lead to them having a few speculative efforts from around the edge of the box, most notably from striker Andy McLaughlin who fired a tasty effort just over the bar.
They were dealt a sucker punch though as they conceded a penalty after Scott Jackson was brought down in the area by Pollok's Michael McGhee. Harmony Row were two up soon after as Cameron Haddow stepped up and grabbed his second of the day, sending Lawton the wrong way.
Pollok picked themselves up and again were seeing the majority of possession but the Row's defence stood firm and forced Pollok into shooting again from distance, with Robert Hughes denied by just a few inches.
But Harmony Row were to gift Pollok a route back into the game as they found themselves down to ten men shortly before the break. Stewart Davidson was sent off after being booked and then booked again for dissent.
The Row switched their play to try and see more of the ball and left-back Graeme Anderson was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet as he curled a shot from the right of the box and it smacked up off the crossbar and out for a goal kick.