Sectional league cup semi-finals

[Aqy]

Well-deserved win for Lanark, was at the game last night. Decisive through-balls for (I think) all three goals, and aside from the two penalties Pollok hardly had a crack at goal. Brought a good crowd as well, think the attendance was just shy of 500. Not the result I wanted, but a good entertaining game.

[TFW]

Think Lanark will enjoy their day out at Beechwood. Why wouldn't they either? It's as good as anywhere else in the West, it's a perfect grass surface, plenty of seats, plenty of cover for the fans who wish to stand, a great social club, and the pie hut isn't shabby either. It's unfortunate that we host it when we are also in the Final, but you have to get there in the first instance and to beat the likes of Hurlford, Glenafton, and Beith from the super league, and super league wannabes Darvel means the Talbot are there on merit.

A statistical quirk thrown up already. With sectional leagues and then knock out stages you would have thought the stage to be set for two Super League teams to meet each season, but in only it's second season in this format Talbot are meeting a club from two leagues below them in the Final  (last year it was Lesmahagow) It's really good to see clubs such as these getting their chance of silverware and the big day out. Long may it continue.

[Lokloyal]

1 minute ago, TFW said:

Think Lanark will enjoy their day out at Beechwood. Why wouldn't they either? It's as good as anywhere else in the West, it's a perfect grass surface, plenty of seats, plenty of cover for the fans who wish to stand, a great social club, and the pie hut isn't shabby either. It's unfortunate that we host it when we are also in the Final, but you have to get there in the first instance and to beat the likes of Hurlford, Glenafton, and Beith from the super league, and super league wannabes Darvel means the Talbot are there on merit.

A statistical quirk thrown up already. With sectional leagues and then knock out stages you would have thought the stage to be set for two Super League teams to meet each season, but in only it's second season in this format Talbot are meeting a club from two leagues below them in the Final  (last year it was Lesmahagow) It's really good to see clubs such as these getting their chance of silverware and the big day out. Long may it continue.

Absolutely.Finalists there because they fully deserve to be and it keeps it fresh that new sides are reaching the final(much as I would have liked us to have been there!).Beechwood is a very good set up for a final and hopefully it will be a good game on the day.Good luck to both on 13th October!

[Bestsinceslicebread]

3 hours ago, Aqy said:

Well-deserved win for Lanark, was at the game last night. Decisive through-balls for (I think) all three goals, and aside from the two penalties Pollok hardly had a crack at goal. Brought a good crowd as well, think the attendance was just shy of 500. Not the result I wanted, but a good entertaining game.

Agreed Aqy, Lanark deserved victory 100%.
There was no through balls played to any player but understand why you though that, as I did the same with two of them until I saw highlights of the goals.

The first goal, the positions of the center halfs are OK, Boyle (center) marking the scorer but as the ball is played into Lanark scorer with Boyle marking making both Boyle and the player clash heads, Boyle stops holding face, so the other center, Dom dives in, misses tackle and then its a chase but Lanark player coolly slots home for a great finish.

I've watched the highlights time and time again from two different sources and to be honest, the 2nd goal, the left-back is caught out ball watching as ball played over his head to Lanark player who is tightly marked, ball then played off to onrushing teammate who runs through and then Dom is the other to blame, do not understand why he just didn't stand up and not challenge and slow the player down but the Lanark lad coolly slots home for goal. For Pollok all goals are disappointing but this loss is typical, especially of junior football, if your last defender, don't challenge, just stand up and with body awareness show the player with the ball the angle you want him to go to thus slowing him down and giving you time for teammates to come back n cover.

3rd goal, The Lanark player looks fairly level in line with the Lok player on the right side of the D when the Lanark player chips the hopeful ball in (advantage always goes to attacker so suppose its the right call) but the worrying thing is the initial movement of the Lanark players dragging both center halfs , (Dom off by this time) so its Boyle and Evans who move further in leaving a Lanark player all alone with time to chest ball down and coolly slot it home.      

 

 

Edited August 29, 2019 by Bestsinceslicebread
Adding image

[Big Davy Boy]

Talbots is an odd choice as train service is almost non existent on a sunday

[Lokloyal]

1 hour ago, Bestsinceslicebread said:

Agreed Aqy, Lanark deserved victory 100%.
There was no through balls played to any player but understand why you though that, as I did the same with two of them until I saw highlights of the goals.

The first goal, the positions of the center halfs are OK, Boyle (center) marking the scorer but as the ball is played into Lanark scorer with Boyle marking making both Boyle and the player clash heads, Boyle stops holding face, so the other center, Dom dives in, misses tackle and then its a chase but Lanark player coolly slots home for a great finish.

I've watched the highlights time and time again from two different sources and to be honest, the 2nd goal, the left-back is caught out ball watching as ball played over his head to Lanark player who is tightly marked, ball then played off to onrushing teammate who runs through and then Dom is the other to blame, do not understand why he just didn't stand up and not challenge and slow the player down but the Lanark lad coolly slots home for goal.

3rd goal, The Lanark player looks fairly level in line with the Lok player on the right side of the D when the Lanark player chips the hopeful ball in (advantage always goes to attacker so suppose its the right call) but the worrying thing is the initial movement of the Lanark players dragging both center halfs , (Dom off by this time) move further in leaving a Lanark player all alone with time to chest ball down and coolly slot it home.

 

 

I think we are a much poorer team without Gal and Sideserf at the back-and arguably Coutts should always start 

[Lokloyal]

And big Dom Larkin is strong but I think his lack of pace-he lumbers about like big Chris Walker used to do-will ultimately be the reason he won’t succeed with the first team.I hope I am proven wrong but that’s my gut feel.

[Bestsinceslicebread]

30 minutes ago, Lokloyal said:

I think we are a much poorer team without Gal and Sideserf at the back-and arguably Coutts should always start 

The right back berth should only be between Coutts and Evans. recently the manager played Gallacher in at right back which in my mind is so wrong (cant remember the recent game but he played Gallacher at right back so he could be fitted into the squad.). Coutts was sub during that game and Evans wasn't stripped. if I was Evans and Coutts I'd be pissed about it. Gallacher, McLaughlin, Boyle and Larkin are the four who should be fighting for the two center half spots or 3 spots if he plays a back 3. MY only concern with Evans is he's always a booking, same I believe last night with tackle and opponents will use him to their advantage and wind up and get a red card, Tony is less wound up, something that was worked on at u19s. The left back last night, don't know his name, actually did Ok he's just ring rusty at left back with Sideserf being injured

Edited August 29, 2019 by Bestsinceslicebread

[Bestsinceslicebread]

4 minutes ago, Lokloyal said:

And big Dom Larkin is strong but I think his lack of pace-he lumbers about like big Chris Walker used to do-will ultimately be the reason he won’t succeed with the first team.I hope I am proven wrong but that’s my gut feel.

Dom has pace from a long distance as he nearly caught the lad last night but in a short space, turning point against a guy like Fordy, he will struggle, but inexperienced guys like himin all teams need to play against guys like that to learn how to adapt to play against them.

[Lokloyal]

I am sure that we  will get a boost when the injured players ie Russell,Dallas,Gallagher,McLaughlin,Sideserf and McGregor(May be a while)are available and also Longmuir and Gary McCann are fully fit again.

[bc57]

6 hours ago, TFW said:

Think Lanark will enjoy their day out at Beechwood. Why wouldn't they either? It's as good as anywhere else in the West, it's a perfect grass surface, plenty of seats, plenty of cover for the fans who wish to stand, a great social club, and the pie hut isn't shabby either. It's unfortunate that we host it when we are also in the Final, but you have to get there in the first instance and to beat the likes of Hurlford, Glenafton, and Beith from the super league, and super league wannabes Darvel means the Talbot are there on merit.

A statistical quirk thrown up already. With sectional leagues and then knock out stages you would have thought the stage to be set for two Super League teams to meet each season, but in only it's second season in this format Talbot are meeting a club from two leagues below them in the Final  (last year it was Lesmahagow) It's really good to see clubs such as these getting their chance of silverware and the big day out. Long may it continue.

I don't speak for the club but, Talbot will be more used to playing on all the big grounds so how much benefit will home advantage  be?  The surface will be excellent, there will be a big crowd, so we will prosper financially and, hopefully we will also benefit from playing another top team.  We will try and play football and give account of ourselves as we have done against all of the 'bigger' teams we have played over the past 2 seasons.  We were hugely unlucky last season at Troon, playing over 55 mins with 10 men, losing 1-0 and we have already played better football than Pollok, Shotts and Rutherglen this season so, who knows?

I only hope the Talbot pies are up to scratch.

[kilsyth ranger]

not knocking beechwood which is a good venue but i think it should be at a neutral venue, there's no way one of the finalists should be playing at there home ground ?
There should be a contingency plan in place if this happens, Talbot are formidable enough without having home advantage

[TFW]

1 hour ago, bc57 said:

I don't speak for the club but, Talbot will be more used to playing on all the big grounds so how much benefit will home advantage  be?  The surface will be excellent, there will be a big crowd, so we will prosper financially and, hopefully we will also benefit from playing another top team.  We will try and play football and give account of ourselves as we have done against all of the 'bigger' teams we have played over the past 2 seasons.  We were hugely unlucky last season at Troon, playing over 55 mins with 10 men, losing 1-0 and we have already played better football than Pollok, Shotts and Rutherglen this season so, who knows?

I only hope the Talbot pies are up to scratch.

If it's any consolation we won 27 of our 30 league games last season, and the three games we dropped points in were all home games. Darvel also beat us at home in the League Cup, although we did go on to win the competition. Playing at Beechwood isn't usually an advantage for Talbot unless it's a huge game like the Ayr United Scottish Cup tie last season.

[Ajs]

25 minutes ago, TFW said:

If it's any consolation we won 27 of our 30 league games last season, and the three games we dropped points in were all home games. Darvel also beat us at home in the League Cup, although we did go on to win the competition. Playing at Beechwood isn't usually an advantage for Talbot unless it's a huge game like the Ayr United Scottish Cup tie last season.

The advantage that Talbot will have is a large intimidating crowd that try to influence refereeing decisions. This will be the case no matter where the game is played, so Lanark might as well take the big pay day and beat them at Beechwood!

[Lokloyal]

1 hour ago, Ajs said:

The advantage that Talbot will have is a large intimidating crowd that try to influence refereeing decisions. This will be the case no matter where the game is played, so Lanark might as well take the big pay day and beat them at Beechwood!

Good luck to both on the day.We know how formidable Talbot are at Beechwood but Lanark are coming at this afresh!Hope it’s a decent game to watch.

[Killiepiyo]

If the games played at any junior ground there would be the chance of the host club making the final. Sometimes think we can be overly negative.. personally just looking forward to a good final in front of decent crowd.

[Lokloyal]

4 minutes ago, Killiepiyo said:

If the games played at any junior ground there would be the chance of the host club making the final. Sometimes think we can be overly negative.. personally just looking forward to a good final in front of decent crowd.

Absolutely correct

[Bestsinceslicebread]

28 minutes ago, Killiepiyo said:

If the games played at any junior ground there would be the chance of the host club making the final. Sometimes think we can be overly negative.. personally just looking forward to a good final in front of decent crowd.

Think nothing of it personally. Some of the Lanark players will see this as a challenge and sure they intend to win. The keeper Scot played in his first final last year and won it with Pollok so I know he's intending to make it two out of two.

As far as I'm aware the draw to see which stadium the final would be played in was done months ago,  so its not Talbots fault for making the final.

I think it a good idea to pick the stadium well in advance but how about from now on in any future cup there are two stadium picked and if the first stadium picked has a finalist then choose the other stadium to house it and incase both teams make final where both stadiums are chosen then have a 3rd stadium in waiting

Problem solved.
If I remember correctly, I think Pollok either beat Cumnock or Irvine Meadow in the West of Scotland cup final at Newlandsfield and I'm sure there's been teams in the past to make the final that their own park is hosting.

Edited August 29, 2019 by Bestsinceslicebread

[Killiepiyo]

Aye why couldn't that work in the champions league n all.. lol 

[ex-german exile]

Given that the only three games Talbot have lost to junior opposition since the beginning of last season were all at Beechwood, it could be argued that it's the best choice of venue for Lanark [emoji848][emoji848]

 

But seriously, I think it's good that final venues are awarded in advance.