Cumbernauld 7 Larkhall 1: Prunty debut hat-trick in thumping win

Cumbernauld United put their derby disappointment behind them with a magnificent seven-goal gunning down of Larkhall Thistle at Guy's Meadow on Saturday.
Cumbernauld put seven goals past Larkhall at Guy's Meadow (pic by Chloe Kelly)Cumbernauld put seven goals past Larkhall at Guy's Meadow (pic by Chloe Kelly)
Cumbernauld put seven goals past Larkhall at Guy's Meadow (pic by Chloe Kelly)

Andy Frame's side needed to get back on track after their defeat by Kilsyth Rangers at Duncansfield and they did it with some style.

United's failure to find the net last week cost them dearly but they weren’t to make the same mistake this time round.

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Seven goals with the pick of them coming from Jamie Kennedy, playing in his first game back from the injury he picked up in the League Cup final against Pollok last season.

United went on the attack from the start and soon had the Larkhall defence under pressure; a ball played into the box from Conor Stevenson found Stefan Law, but the midfielder's effort was cleared off the line.

The United faithful hadn’t long to wait for the opener. A through ball from JP McBride picked out new signing Bryan Prunty, he found Paul McMenamin who’d made great run from deep and his ball into the box picked out Law who made no mistake in scoring from close in.

Prunty was next on the scoresheet for United when a cross ball in from Kennedy was met at the back post by the striker who made it 2-0.

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It wasn’t until the 26th minute that Larkhall made any headway into the United half, but although the strike was on target it was easily dealt with by keeper Kenny Giles.

Two minutes later United went further ahead when Paul Callander played in Prunty and he made it 3-0.

It was one way traffic now and Prunty sealed his debut for United with another goal right on 45 minutes; it couldn’t have been a better start for the new boy with a hat-trick in his first game.

Within a min of the restart United had scored again, Kennedy picking up the ball on the right and turning inside before firing a shot high into the corner, leaving the Larkhall keeper with no chance of reaching it.

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Larkhall did manage to get a consolation goal. McBride lost possession of the ball inside his own half and, with the United defence failing to deal with the cross, the ball was tapped in by the unmarked striker at the back post.

But normal service was quickly resumed with United back on the attack.

Paddy McCabe picked up the ball in the midfield and drove up the wing past the retreating defence. His well timed cross was then met by McBride who, with his back to the goals, clipped the ball over his head and past the keeper.

The final goal of the game came in the 81st minute.

McBride played the ball into the feet of Scott Davidson who, with a deft flick, played the ball into the path of the oncoming McCabe and he made no mistake when firing his strike past the keeper.