Yoker rue late penalty miss
Published 25 Aug 2011 09:30
Greenock Juniors.......................2
Yoker Athletic..............................2
YOKER kept their unbeaten run intact this week despite making it hard for themselves with some poor finishing in the first half.
It was the home side who took the lead when Neil Schoneville tapped the ball into his own net after only four minutes. The Whe-Ho seemed to take a little time to get used to the 3G Astroturf surface at a breezy Battery Park.
When they did settle down after the first quarter of an hour it was Yoker who were making most of the play.
A good run from ex-Kilbirnie man Daryl Boyd was thwarted when he was brought down on 10 yards outside the box. John Harvey lined up to take the free-kick and was rewarded when his terrific low drive thundered into the net making it one a piece.
This was a good game and Yoker could have gone ahead when Ricky Smith smashed the ball off the crossbar but the Greenock defence cleared.
The Whe-Ho were getting chances galore at this stage but failed to convert them. This was to come back and haunt the away side when the Greenock winger delivered a good speculative cross to the back post. Unfortunately, for the Yoker defence this fooled everyone and looped in over the keeper to put the home side 2-1 up.
Yoker boss John Brogan was none to happy with his side's lack of finishing and demanded better in the second half.
Unfortunately, the game plan went out the window when young full back Stephen Wedlock needlessly pulled down a Greenock forward just outside the box.
The referee deemed this a sending off offence and showed Wedlock a red card in his second league game for his new team. Greenock were unable to make anything of the resulting free-kick with keeper Mark Wilson saving at the near post.
Shortly after this Brogan brought on Gary Vickers and Gary Arbuckle to reshape the team.
It was 10-man Yoker who upped the ante and were putting all the pressure on the home side despite the disadvantage. With 'iron man' Harry McLachlan leading the charge it seemed only a matter of time before the Whe-Ho got the goal they deserved.
Greenock were holding on at this stage and were fortunate not to be punished for their excessive time wasting tactics. With 10 minutes to go Yoker got the break they deserved when they were awarded a penalty for a handball in the box. John Harvey who had scored his last ten penalties in a row stepped up to take the kick.
Unfortunately, Harvey blasted over the bar and the home side were elated and must have thought this was to be their day. Yoker continued to press and it was new signing Ryan Frew who sealed the draw with a bullet header with three minutes to go.
Had there been more time Yoker looked the likelier to score but had to settle for the draw which under the circumstances was a good result on the day.
Man of the match: Harry McLachlan.
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