1995 AGE GROUP

Just a couple of photos from Prague in May 2008

Giffnock Swifts 1  Gleniffer Thistle 14s  3

Glens only took 5 minutes to open the scoring when a free kick was awarded just outside the Giffnock box; Aaron Trench put the ball down and fired the shot high into the net giving the keeper no chance. Giffnock came more into the game and looked dangerous with set pieces, but the Jags defence handled the pressure well, with keeper Ben Stevenson in outstanding form.

The second half saw Giffnock draw level after ten minutes when the solid defence slipped up and failed to clear the ball. However, six minutes later Trench put the visitors back in front when he latched onto a low cross and slipped the ball into the back post. Glens were then denied what seemed a good penalty claim, when Danny Kavanagh was upended in the box, but the referee thought otherwise. The match was put beyond doubt when Callum Stevenson beat three defenders just outside the box and slammed past the keeper. New boy Connor Macdonald hit a volley from 30 yards, which rattled the crossbar and fell into the keepers arms. With eight minutes to go keeper Ben Stevenson made the save of the match when he stopped the ball from going in at the back post.

Next week the team are at home to Girdle Toll. The team would like to wish Matthew Fender, Jack Murphy and Laurie McMaster all the best for the new season playing for Raith Rovers.

Gourock YAC  1  Gleniffer Thistle  1

The visitors started poorly in this game at the new Astro Grass Park at Battery Park. After some poor marking Gourock went ahead in the 17th Minute, when a ball broke to the unmarked forward who slammed the ball past Ben Stevenson. It took until the second half before the Jags got to grip with the pace of the game. The equaliser came 12 minutes into the second half when an Aaron Trench corner was headed home by wee Connor Macdonald. The visitors thought they had went in front when Donald Thomson struck home from a Trench cross only to be pulled off for an infringement ??????. With both defences on top a draw was probably a fair result.

Gleniffer Thistle 11  Johnstone Burgh 2

In what can only be described as a very sodden pitch, it took the Jags a while to get to grips with the slippery surface, it was Burgh who opened the scoring after a good move down the Gleniffer right, the Jags failed to clear the ball properly and the visitors drove the ball into the net. The home team then equalised almost immediately through Alan Purvis. Alan then netted a second shortly afterwards after he got onto a Donald Thomson cross. A Burgh corner was cleared by Big Connor Macdonald who found Nathan Aird his pass forward straight to Alan Purvis who played Donald Thomson through to score. Half Time 3-1

The second half saw the home team score two goals very quickly goals from Andy Guthrie and Donald Thomson. This only spurred the team on and eventually ran out easy winners. Further goals from Donald Thomson 2, Alan Purvis 2, Andy Guthrie and Paul Brown sealed a well deserved victory.

Next week the team are at home to Petershill in the Scottish Cup

Under 14 Scottish Cup

Gleniffer Thistle 2  Petershill 2

Gleniffer win 5-3 on penalties

The game took place at the Ibrox complex in windy conditions. Gleniffer shooting with the wind behind them had the bulk of the first half play. The young Jags failed to take their chances with the keeper blocking efforts from both Donald Thomson and Danny Kavanagh. The deadlock was broken on the 23^rd minute when Kavanagh was put through on goal and this time just clipped the ball over the diving keeper. Kavanagh should have scored again but the keeper managed to parry the ball for a corner.

Petershill started the second half really well and got themselves an equaliser from a corner. The game flowed from end to end with Mark Hewitson and Big Connor Macdonald being very sure footed at the back for Glens. With 15 minutes left on the clock Glens lost the ball just in front of the box and the Hill forward blasted the ball towards the Gleniffer goal, keeper Ben Stevenson somehow managed to get a hand to the ball but could only parry it in off the post. This seemed to spur the home team on, and Glens came close with efforts from Thomson, Kavanagh and Macdonald being cleared off the line. With time up approaching the Young Jags were camped in the opposition half and the pressure soon paid off when Kavanagh came in at the back post to pass the ball past the keeper.

Extra time came up blank, and penalties were upon us, first to score was Aaron Trench who sent his shot down the middle, Donald Thomson wrong footed the keeper to put the home team two one up. Petershill drew level, and then Big Connor Macdonald put the home team back in front. Petershill then missed their third penalty; Callum Stevenson made it 4-2 to Glens. The visitors then made it 4-3, last kick for Gleniffer was, the only volunteer left, Nathan Aird, whose father couldn’t watch, he strolled up and blasted the ball past the keeper to put the youngsters into the third round.

Best for Glens on the day were Connor Macdonald, Mark Hewitson and Donald Thomson

Gleniffer Thistle 3  Port Glasgow 4

In what can only be described as a very poor first half performance, Gleniffer can thank the defence for keeping them in the game. The Jags went behind mid way through the first half to a Port team well up for the game. Donald Thomson equalised just before half time when the team worked the ball well down the wing and Eamon Bradley put Thomson through on goal to draw the teams level.

The visitors went in front again from a corner when the Port Glasgow player lost his marker at the back post to head home. Virtually from the kick off the Glens broke straight up the middle for Donald Thomson to draw the match level. With 20 minutes left to play Alex McFarlane dispossessed the Port Glasgow full back and went through on goal and placed the ball at the back post giving the keeper no chance. This only spurred the Port team on and they drew level from a free kick on the Glenny right. It was now end to end stuff and Donald Thomson was through one on one twice with the keeper but found the keeper very difficult to beat, with the team pressing it left gaps at the back and the visitors broke clear and wrapped the game up. On reflection the team from the Port should have had the game wrapped up but the spirit that the Gleniffer team showed in getting back into the game was unbelievable.

Gleniffer Thistle 1  Lewis Utd 6

The under 13s took on Aberdeen side Lewis united in the third round of the Scottish Cup at the racecourse. The young Jags were first to score in the 7^th minute, when big Connor Macdonald saw his free kick deceive the visitors keeper. Four minutes later a poor clearance from the Jags defence landed at the feet of a Lewis forward who drove the ball past keeper Ben Stevenson. On the 20^th minute the visitors were awarded a penalty when a Glens defender mistimed his challenge inside the box and the resulting penalty was taken giving Ben Stevenson no chance. Just on the stroke of half time the visitors went further in front which left the home team with a mountain to climb.

 It didn’t take long for the game to go beyond the young Jags when a terrific solo run ended in a goal with some poor tackling allowing the forward to score. Gleniffer came back into the game and some good chances fell to Danny Kavanagh, Donald Thomson and Connor Macdonald. With the Jags chasing the game this left gaps at the back and the visitors took two more chances. Gleniffer were beaten on the day by a team who were a lot sharper and moved the ball well.

Next week the team are away to Lochgilphead in the West Region Cup.

Lochgilphead 0   Gleniffer Thistle 3

This under 14s west region cup tie took place in dry conditions on a slopey pitch. The young jags seemed to have put the Scottish Cup defeat behind them and took the play to the home team. It wasn’t long before the chances were created and the Gleniffer forwards, of Donald Thomson and Aaron Trench, found the keeper in fine form and seemingly unbeatable. The breakthrough came on the 17^th minute when Aaron Trench got put through by Eamon Bradley and his low shot was sent past the keeper. With the visitors midfield dominating the play chances were aplenty, on the 25^th minute a Connor Macdonald long range shot was touched over the bar by the keeper. Just before half time Mark Hewitson picked up the ball on the edge of the Lochgilphead box and his low shot deceived everyone, including Mark, and went sailing straight into the net.

The second half saw Gleniffer camped mostly in the home team half and both Gleniffer forwards coming close on numerous occasions. The third goal was scored when an Andy Guthrie corner was partially cleared and the ball fell to Connor Macdonald whose shot went high into the net, this time giving the keeper no chance.

 Big thanks to Lochgilphead for all the hospitality that was shown after the game.