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The F.P’s get back on track in the cup.

Last Saturday saw yet another away game for The F.P’s with a trip to take on Eastfield AFC from Cumbernauld in the 2^nd round of the League Cup with the mouth watering prospect of a rather tricky home tie against Drumchapel United awaiting the winners this Saturday. With both sides struggling for personnel for various reasons both managers would be apprehensive going into this match but from an F.P’s point of view, despite missing at least half a dozen players, Coach Gus Boyle was delighted with the final score line and the fact that after drawing a blank in their previous 2 games against Pollok and Uddingston Anvil, The F.P’s managed to score 5 with some cracking efforts amongst them and played some nice stuff on a very demanding pitch due to the underfoot conditions.

The F.P’s started well in the match as they had in the 2 defeats previously and Gary Hattie, Gary Miller and David McCluskey all tested Eastfield keeper Brendan Shaw in the opening 15 minutes however again after dominating the early possession, The F.P’s fell behind when a good cross from out wide from Eastfield’s Kevin Reilly was met by Stuart Hedger and his looping header sailed over the outstretched hands of F.P’s keeper Paul O’Hara to put the home side 1-0 up. Eastfield’s advantage was short lived however and a good low drive from 25 yards from Gary Miller found the bottom corner of the net with Shaw left helpless to level at 1-1. After this equaliser, The F.P’s dominated the rest of the half with Scott Donald and Stevie Murdoch creating problems for the Eastfield back line with their penetrating runs from the flanks. It was from one of these runs from Scott Donald which resulted in David McCluskey blasting the ball into the roof of the net on 35 minutes after great one touch football involving Montgomery, Littlejohn and Donald.

With 10 minutes on the clock in the 2^nd period Gary Hattie made it 3-1 when he fired home from 12 yards at the 2^nd attempt after good work from Alan Patrick and Gary Miller. Stuart Carslaw came close for Eastfield after F.P’s keeper Paul O’Hara made a hash of a clearance and he had to be alert to get back onto his goal line to tip the ball over the bar after Carslaw’s deft chip. Martyn Shields had a good shot crash back of O’Hara’s right hand post minutes later with the Wishaw keeper rooted to his line. The F.P’s weathered this spell of pressure however and always looked dangerous when they broke up the park and David McCluskey made it 4-1 after superb wing play from Stevie Murdoch who waltzed his way across the Eastfield 18 yard box before slipping a ball into the onrushing McCluskey who took it in his stride before drawing the keeper and expertly slipping it past him. McCluskey nearly made it 5-1 when he forced a good save from Shaw who had to tip his header over the bar for a corner after a strong run from Captain Gerry Jamieson who had made a rare foray into the Eastfield half. From the result set piece, Gary Miller drove a low corner in and it was met superbly by McCluskey who exploited the space and time he had been given to volley home from 6 yards to put the F.P’s 5-1 in front and notch himself a memorable hat trick. Eastfield pulled one back late on when Kevin Reilly chased a long ball which looked to be well over the F.P’s by line but to his credit he played on whilst all around him stood, waiting for the ref’s whistle which never came and he cut back out from the by line to fire past O’Hara to leave the final score 2-5, a result which now sees The F.P’s at home to Drumchapel United at The King George the V Park in Wishaw this Saturday 10^th September with a 1.30pm kick-off in the 3^rd round of the League Cup.

Line Up: O’Hara, Montgomery, Burnside, Jamieson, Donald, Murdoch, Miller, Littlejohn, McCluskey, Hattie (Mackie), Patrick.