Johnstone Burgh left it late to claim all three points as they beat Renfrew 3-2 in this afternoon’s Scottish Lowland League West match at Keanie Park, Johnstone.
Burgh manager Stevie Farrell made two changes from the starting XI that lost 1-0 to Largs Thistle at Barrfields Park on Wednesday night (23rd September). Out went Lewis King and Leon Murphy, and in came Kian Gilday and Del Esplin.
Renfrew had the first chance of the match in the 6th minute as Jordan Moore found himself with plenty of space inside the right-hand side of the box, but he dragged his left-foot shot wide of the right-hand post from six yards.
The home side were next to threaten in the 12th minute when Max Kerr had a clear sight of goal, but his well-struck left-foot shot from 20 yards was well saved by Renfrew goalkeeper Jack Donohoe.
Johnstone Burgh opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a fine goal. Ian McShane’s cross into the box from the right-hand side found Mark Barrowman, who produced a glancing header into the right side of the net from eight yards.
The Frew had a great chance to equalise in the 20th minute as Aedan Gilfedder had only goalkeeper Brett Long to beat from eight yards, but he fired his right-foot shot wide of the right-hand post. It was a let-off for the home side.
The Keanie Park side had another good effort on goal in the 24th minute when Kristopher Kerr turned and hit a left-foot shot from 20 yards, but Donohoe was equal to the task.
The Burgh doubled their lead in the 34th minute as Kristopher Kerr’s pass released McShane into space on the right-hand side of the box. McShane put a low pass towards the back post, where Aaron Mason tapped the ball into the empty net with his right foot from two yards.
The away side had a good chance to pull a goal back in the 36th minute as Alan Cook sent a free kick from the right-hand side into the box. It found Olly Smith, but his header from six yards went just over the crossbar.
Johnstone Burgh came close to going 3-0 ahead in the 40th minute when Gilday’s left-foot cross from the left wing found Max Kerr, but his powerful header from six yards was saved by Donohoe.
The final chance of the first half came for the home side in the 43rd minute when Max Kerr had space inside the right-hand side of the box, but his right-foot shot from 14 yards went over the crossbar.
Half-time: 2-0.
Renfrew had a great chance to score in the 49th minute when a cross from the right wing by former Johnstone Burgh player Darren Christie found Sean Fyfe unmarked six yards from goal, but his header went just over the crossbar.
The Burgh were next to threaten in the 52nd minute as McShane’s corner found Mark Durnan, but his header from eight yards was deflected wide of the right-hand post.
The Frew scored in the 60th minute when Smith’s pass put Moore through on goal. The former Johnstone Burgh player stroked a left-foot shot from eight yards in off the right-hand post.
Renfrew were awarded a penalty in the 63rd minute for a foul by Burgh captain Del Esplin on Gilfedder. Cook fired a left-foot shot into the bottom right-hand corner of the net to level the game in the 64th minute.
The away side came close to taking the lead in the 66th minute as Fyfe’s first-time right-foot volley from 10 yards looked to be heading for the bottom right-hand corner of the net, but Long made the save.
The New Western Park side had another chance in the 68th minute when Gilfedder had a sight of goal, but his right-foot shot from 20 yards went over the crossbar.
The Frew had another great chance to score in the 75th minute, but Moore’s low right-foot shot from 10 yards was saved by Long.
Renfrew had a half-chance in the 83rd minute as Christie created an opening, but his low right-foot shot from 14 yards was saved by Long.
The away side’s final chance came in the 85th minute. Another former Johnstone Burgh player, Kenzie McCrystal, found himself in space, but his left-foot shot from 14 yards was saved by Long.
Burgh scored the winner in the first minute of added time. Max Kerr’s inswinging corner from the right found Thomas Orr, who side-footed a right-foot volley into the net from two yards.
The referee blew the full-time whistle two minutes later to confirm a 3-2 victory for Johnstone Burgh.
Following today’s win, Burgh climbed two places to seventh in the table, with 18 points from 10 games.
Full-time: 3-2.
Johnstone Burgh FC goals: Barrowman 13, Mason 34, Orr 90+1.
Renfrew FC goals: Moore 60, Cook (pen) 64.
Johnstone Burgh FC: Long, Faulds, Gilday, Barrowman, Durnan, Esplin (C) (King 67), M. Kerr, Watson, K. Kerr (Orr 74), McShane, Mason (Jamieson 53).
Unused substitutes: Scullion (GK), Williamson, Grady, Nosa.
Renfrew FC: Donohoe, Doyle (Sexton 46), Cook, McCallum (C), Healy, Fyfe, Black (Christie 46), Smith (Murphy 65), Moore (O’Toole 81), Mahon, Gilfedder (McCrystal 81).
Unused substitutes: Rutherford, Punton.
Referee: Liam MacDougall. Assistant referees: Cal Cunningham and Lyon Fernie.
Thank you to the supporters of both Johnstone Burgh and Renfrew for attending today’s match at Keanie Park.
Next up for Johnstone Burgh is a trip to Blairmount Park to face Newton Stewart FC in the first round of the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup on Saturday 3rd October. Kick-off is at 3pm.
#MonTheBurgh
By John Armour
