Hurlford Juniors surrender two goal lead

Mar 27 2009 by Clair Fullarton, Kilmarnock Standard

Two up but Ford still manage to lose out

HURLFORD could not have got off to a better start with two goals within the opening 20 minutes. But the struggling Blair Park team threw that lead away and ended up losing the game.

The home side took the lead on six minutes when Darryl Nimmo did well to win the ball and pass to Charlie Adams.

Adams played a great ball through to Ryan Caddis who beat a player, rounded the keeper and rifled in a great shot to open the scoring.

On 20 minutes Hurlford doubled their advantage when the ball went out wide to Gavin Brown who put in a great cross to Adams, who headed home, after spotting an opening beyond the defender.

Hurlford had another chance or two to go three up, with Caddis coming closest six minutes before half-time.

Hurlford dominated the first half, but just as they had stamped their authority over the first 45 minutes, Girvan were to do the same in the second.

Midway through the half, Girvan got their first goal of the game after they were awarded a free kick which was powered into the box and the Hurlford defence allowed them a free header from eight yards.

Just after the Girvan opener Brown had a half-chance for Hurlford to make it 3-1, but his shot went trickling past the post.

Hurlford keeper Darren Wilson then pulled off a great save when the Girvan striker went one on one with him.

The equaliser wasn’t far way though and it came when a ball wasn’t cleared and the Girvan forward picked it up on the edge of the box and drilled it past Wilson, who had no chance.

The third goal came in injury time and it was a real sickener for defender Robert Burgess, who had played really well, leading the Ford defence.

But he was robbed at this late stage and the ball was rifled into the far corner of the net to give Girvan the win and all three league points.

Hurlford boss John Crawford was gutted his side threw away a valuable two-goal lead.

“Being up 2-0 at half-time was a great platform to go on and score even more goals,” said the gaffer.

“We need to show more fight and resilience when we find ourselves in situations like this and we need to stop leaking silly goals.

“We’ve made it so tough for ourselves now and it means every game is going to be hard. Quite simply we’ve not been consistent and that has been our main problem.”

Hurlford: Wilson, Donnelly, McCluckey, Burgess, Caddis, Bagan, Orr, Russell, Nimmo, Adams, Brown. Subs: McGregor, Deeney, Morrison, Doolan, McKinnon.