League

Ballachulish
Spectators: 6787 (Terracing: 5000, Seating: 1787, VIP seats: 0) It was fairly windy and cold on the field when Irvin McGhie kicked off to start the match. After 10 played minutes, Bathgate's Danny McIlriach shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Stephen McCormick came through and got his fingers on the ball before it flew over the goal line. He then quickly gripped the ball tighter before the forwards in Bathgate reached it. Darren McAlister fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 11th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Stephen McCormick having to interfere. Stephen McCormick came out of the goal in the 20th minute to try and stop a shot by Bathgate's Gavin Scott. But to his dismay, Gavin Scott quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 1-1. After some fancy dribbling in the 23rd minute, Jeremy Leitch managed to get in a good position for a shot. Ballachulish's supporters rose to their feet, but Jeremy Leitch was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Martin Robinson breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. In the 26th minute, Derek Banks sent off a long shot on goal, but the shot was nowhere near the goal and Bathgate's Martin Robinson didn't even have to move. Munro O'Shaig fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 28th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Stephen McCormick having to interfere. After a rather tough play, Bathgate's Gavin Scott got a free kick in the 31st minute. Derek Banks was probably a little too eager to shoot when he, in the 32nd played minute, shot the ball from way out. The shot was hard, but the ball flew wide of the goal. 35 minutes into the match, Bathgate's goal looked a bit too open when Irvin McGhie came free, but Martin Robinson reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. The referee blew the whistle for a penalty in the 37th minute of the game. One of Ballachulish:s players had nearly got his shirt torn off by an opponent while getting free in front of Bathgate:s goal. Jordan McKellachie's late challenge caught a Bathgate's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Jordan McKellachie helped the player get up and apologised. In the 43rd minute, Jordan McKellachie hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. After some fancy dribbling in the 46th minute, Darren McAlister managed to get in a good position for a shot. Bathgate's supporters rose to their feet, but Darren McAlister was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Stephen McCormick breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. The Ballachulish players were disheartened as they walked off the pitch after the first half. Bathgate were winning 1-2.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Darren McAlister to make the kick off. An unexpectedly hard shot by Lloyd McThomas in the 52nd minute of play forced Ballachulish's goalkeeper Stephen McCormick to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Jeremy Leitch received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 56th minute. Martin Robinson tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After a rather tough play, Ballachulish's Blair Ferguson got a free kick in the 63rd minute. When Ballachulish's Irvin McGhie in the 67th minute got a chance for a shot 67th didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Bathgate's goalie prevented a goal. After having played for 73 minutes, Jeremy Leitch managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Ballachulish's supporters crossed their fingers, but Jeremy Leitch was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. An unexpected shot in the 75th minute by Darren McAlister got the crowd on their feet, but to their dismay it went out on the left side. Martin Robinson made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Jeremy Leitch in the 77th minute of play. The referee blew the final whistle, and the away crowd roared, having watched Bathgate eke out a victory against a very well matched opponent.