Cumbernauld got back to winning ways with a convincing 5-1 win away to Spartans Reserves. Though they were pushed by the home side for the three points.
The points could, and should, have been the visitors in the first half after an early breakthrough after they took the lead in the 3rd minute. A magnificent through ball from Player of The Match Lauren Shaw into the path of Mo Simpson gave her the opportunity to round the keeper and open her account for the season.
Parity was restored in the tenth minute. Ruth Young was adjudged to have controlled the ball with her hand and a free kick awarded to the home side. Up stepped Lauren Watters whose free kick gave McGann in the visitors goal no chance to save.
Shaw was the provider again for her side to take the lead once more. This time her pass was to Frances Fern who also took the ball around Nikki Martin in the home goal ten minutes before the break.
With a change of formation in the second half McSherry sent her side out to play to their potential.
It took a change of personnel and a change of position for a few players to spur the Colts into life in the second half.
Downie provided Fern with the opportunity to get her second of the match and provided her side with some breathing space.
Porter moving up to the right side of midfield proved to be influential as she made her sides fourth goal for Fern to complete her hat-trick and also allowed her the freedom to attack the back line of Spartans enabling her to score the fifth and the final goal for Cumbernauld herself.
Porter produced several further opportunities in the final moments of the match for a more comprehensive score line that were either squandered or stopped by Martin. The keeper stopped Kim Guthrie several times preventing her from adding to the scoring. A clash of the two players in the seconds before the end resulted in a broken finger for the keeper and the Colts forward being helped from the field after injuring her knee at the final whistle. We hope Nikki has a speedy recovery and is back in goal soon.
After the match McSherry was philosophical admitting the points were the more important than the performance. Spartans played a very high defensive line and pressed us high up the park that we struggled to contend with at times in the first half. In the second half we were never really troubled but for a couple of key saves Angela made for us when we lost concentration. We’ll need to monitor Kim’s injury to keep have her available for the Hearts game next Sunday.
PoTM Lauren Shaw
Reported by Stephen Bole
Picture: Cumbernauld Colts
