YOKER ATHLETIC defeated Glasgow Perthshire last Wednesday evening 3-1 in their Sectional League Cup game at Holm Park.

Whe-Ho boss Steven Reilly made four changes from the side which beat Ashfield in the previous match, with new central defender Kerr Allan on the bench.

Yoker started the better side with Ryan Hynes and Mark Maxwell both going close before the visitors scored on 18 minutes.

A well-worked move saw Ryan Gemmell, recently released by SPL side Dundee, get in behind Kenny Hadden before squaring across goal where Whe-Ho defender James Ross bundled the ball into his own net.

This failed to spark the hosts into action as they continued to look laboured in possession and second almost every ball.

They did get level just after the half-hour mark when Richard Henry’s deflected free-kick found the net to level things.

Maxwell edged Yoker in front six minutes before the break, slotting home a fine delivery from full-back Scott Smith.

Hynes almost added a third in first-half injury time but pulled his chance wide.

Reilly read the riot act to his side half time and tweaked his side, introducing experienced striker Gary Arbuckle for his first competitive action of the season.

The substitute’s excellent movement almost brought immediate return but Shire’s David Kirkwood made a last-ditch block to prevent a likely goal for the hosts.

Maxwell then picked out Bissland from a corner but his header went past despite being unchallenged in the box.

The third and final goal arrived late in the game when Richard Henry, now operating in midfield, burst into the box only to be chopped by down Forrester. Hynes stepped up sending Calder in the Shire goal the wrong way for Yoker’s third.

It was a disappointing performance from the home side but Reilly may look to the fact that experienced pair Arbuckle and Maxwell got valuable minutes under their belts and that he was able to hand a debut to Kerr Allan, while getting the points at stake as he continues to prepare his side for the league opener at home to Irvine Victoria on Saturday.

YOKER ATH: Campbell, Hadden (Arbuckle), Smith, Henry, Ross, Bissland, Bailey, Campbell, Hynes, Maxwell (Allan), McManus (Rankin). Bogle, Carson.