Gers go level top

Central District League First Division

When you’re chasing promotion, it’s the result rather than the performance that matters, which was very much the case here.

A win, but not really the convincing display of recent weeks and Perthshire must have gone away aggreived that they had not taken at least one point from the game.

Still, it puts Rangers level top of the table with St Anthony’s, although with one more game played.

A dream start for Rangers, a goal up in only six minuutes, David Barclay heading in a ball into the box. They continued to dominate the play in the opening quarter of an hour and looked as if they might run up a big score.

However Perthshire began to assert themselves putting long balls into the heart of the home defence. From one of these Kennedy broke away, leaving defenders in his wake and hit a cracking shot off the Rangers crossbar with Duke a spectator.

A little later and the big keeper stopped a good shot with his foot to deny Perthshire once again.

Rangers responded with Livingstone making good runs down the right but few good openings were resulting.

A few freekicks and several corners were won, but generally poor use was made of them and, come half-time, Rangers can regard themselves as slightly fortunate to maintain their slender lead.

The opening spell in the second half did not bring very many chances for either side. Play was robust, rather than skillful and there were a few bookings although nothing to get excited about.

Kelly replaced McAteer just on the hour and he was soon involved winning a few freekicks but again little was resulting from them. A little later Flannery was subbed, he had had a very quiet game, rarely threatening to add to his recent impressive run of goalscoring feats.

Perthshire made a double substitution in an effort to grab the equaliser that their efforts probably merited, but to no avail.

Late in the match Perthshire went down to ten when Brown was given a red card but it hardly curbed their enthusiasm and Dukes had several good saves to make in the closing minutes.

It was Rangers though who had something to celebrate at the final whistle - the narrow win leaves them level top, with exactly the same goal difference as St Anthony’s.

Elsewhere the other contenders, Thorniewood, dropped two points at home to Vale of Leven. So a good position for Rangers as the run-in to the title begins.

KILSYTH RANGERS: Duke, Waters, Carr, Doyle, Hogg, D. Barclay, Livingstone, McPeake, J. Barclay, Flannery, McAteer. Subs: Kelly, McLellan, Dolan, Dempsey, Hamilton, McDevitt, Tait.

GLASGOW PERTHSHIRE: Thomson, Baikie, Hanlon, Brown, McLauhlin, Bennett, Stirling, Craig, Kennedy, Cahoon, Kirkwood. Subs: O’Donnell, McDonnell, Adams.

Game this Saturday, home to Ashfield, Central League Cup, second round, kick-off 2pm.