On a beautiful day at Kintyre Park last Saturday, the Scottish League Select completed one of its most comprehensive victories ever against an Argyll side that was outplayed from start to finish.
Ryan Halpin of Kilbowie Union started the route with an opportunist goal in the fifth minute of the match, a bad goal to lose when the forward prodded the ball home from close range to open the scoring.
The early breakthrough settled the visitors on a day of scorching heat, the pattern of play quickly developing into a lesson in possession football for the home side. Although on the receiving end for most of the first-half, Argyll was unfortunate not to equalise when a half-volley from Gary Grumoli was brilliantly saved by the visiting goalkeeper.
A second goal followed for ‘the Scottish’ when a corner from the attacking right was headed home by left-fullback Scott Wood of Rolls Royce, just reward for a team on top of its form. By this time Argyll was seeking the sanctuary of the break in an attempt to regroup; however, further damage was inflicted on the stroke of half-time when slack marking allowed Kevin Wilson of Rolls Royce to score from point blank range.
Argyll looked shattered after its first-half experience; nevertheless, a strike from Campbell of Oban Saints should have reduced the lee-way when the ball cannoned of the inside of the post before running to safety.
The mercurial Gary Loughlan of Greenock High School was the star of the show, his deft lob setting Lee Harvey of Aitkenhead free to complete the scoring with an angled drive beyond the home goalkeeper. Keith Mitchell of Campbeltown Pupils was Argyll’s top man, with Gemmell of Oban Saints also showing his undoubted ability.
Not the best of days for Argyll, but the trophy count is still finely balanced after twenty-nine years of competition. The teams and officials retired to an after-match reception at the Argyll Bowling Club where the medals were presented.
