Glencairn 2 Cumbernauld 3: United win five-goal thriller

Cumbernauld United gained three valuable points with a narrow 3-2 victory at the Rutherglen Glencairn on Saturday.
William Wells gets Cumbernauld's winner  (pic by Eoin Sinclair)William Wells gets Cumbernauld's winner  (pic by Eoin Sinclair)
William Wells gets Cumbernauld's winner (pic by Eoin Sinclair)

It was an excellent match between two evenly match teams, but in the end it was United who stretched their unbeaten run against the Glens to over three seasons.

The home team were very much on the offensive from the start and Stewart Hall had a chance after two minutes but his shot sliced high and wide.

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Glens remained on the front foot and a Ryan McArdle corner was missed at the front post by Alessandro Savarese.

United’s first clear sight on goal came after 14 minutes when Robbie Winters pounced on a loose ball to release Fraser Team but the striker, recently transferred from the Glens, pulled his shot wide of the far post.

Glens made the breakthrough in the 21st minute when Savarese, running clear on the left flank, burst into the penalty area and squared to Jay McKay who had a easy tap in from six yards.

It could have been two when another McArdle corner was met by the head to Craig McGregor but United keeper Jordan Brown dived at full stretch to palm the ball around the post.

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United were enjoying more procession and Glens keeper KP McAllister did just enough to palm away a Winters cross from the inrushing Davie Dickson.

However the evergreen Dixie was not to be denied when he met a Scott Murphy cross on the volley and his shot squeezed into the net off the base of the post.

How a game can change and United were unlucky when Jamie Watson cut in from the left and curled a shot narrowly over the crossbar.

The next United attack saw a Murphy shot slipped just wide but the visitors edged in front right on half-time when a free-kick by Murphy from the left was allowed to bounce inside the six-yard box with no defender or goalkeeper attacking the ball and went in off the far post.

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After the break the game continued from end to end as a Savarese shot dipped just over then Dickson pulled a shot just wide.

Glens got back on level terms when they were awarded to penalty following a rash challenge from Jamie Kennedy, the kick converted by McKay.

It was any one’s game now and Jamie Watson should have done better, although fair play to McAllister for getting a strong hand to palm the ball wide of the post. With the match on a knife edge the next goal would be crucial and it was United who prevailed when a superb 40 yard pass from Tony Stevenson split the Glens defence and William Wells beat the outrushing McAllister to force the ball into the empty net.

United held on and saw out the rest of the match to claim only their second league victory of the season.