Ravens hit 'vale for six

Rossvale .2 Ravenscraig .6

RAVENSCRAIG bounced back emphatically from their narrow defeat at the hands of league leaders Riverside when they netted six goals in a disciplined win at Rossvale in the Second Division of the Strathclyde Saturday morning league.
Euan Nolan and Chris Muir both scored doubles and were joined on the scoresheet by Raymond Battersby and Jamie Bradley as the Wishaw side returned to winning ways by taking the game to their battling rivals.
It took just 10 minutes for Nolan to put his side in front after he chased down a passback, the home goalkeeper’s attempted clearance blasting back off him and into the net via the post — and he then added a second by superbly bringing the ball down on his chest before turning and firing into the net.
The visitors should have increased their lead before the interval, with Graeme Irvine’s direct running causing particular difficulty for Rossvale — but the winger’s failure to release the ball after a mazy run led to the hosts netting a surprise goal.
Irvine burst down the left and had three players including centre-half Raymond Battersby waiting to pounce at the edge of the box, but the youngster was caught in possession and with Battersby out of position, the defence was caught out by the counter-attack, the ball being chipped over goalkeeper John Devine.
However, Ravens took the initiative after the restart by laying siege to their opponents’ goal, coming close with a large number of shots from the impressive Muir and Gary McAdams.
Muir gave his side a three-goal cushion by netting twice with outstanding strikes from outside the box; and although those goals seemed to take the fight from Rossvale, the hosts managed to net a second when a clearance ricocheted off Phillip Farren.
However, Battersby made it 5-2 and midfielder Jamie Bradley then ensured a convincing win for the local side with the final strike of the game.

Tempers flare as Ravens claw out a super win

A SUPERB performance from Ravenscraig saw them thump Glasgow rivals DTI 6-1 in a bad-tempered affair at King George V Park which ended with just 19 players on the pitch.
The Wishaw side have found form in recent weeks after a poor start to their Second Division campaign in the Strathclyde Saturday morning league, and carried on in superb style with their emphatic home win.
Euan Nolan, playing up front in place of injured Avin Bagri, kneed his side in front after only six minutes but the goal strangely subdued Ravenscraig and they were pegged back when a DTI striker superbly turned his marker to fire a left-foot volley in off a post.
Ravens forced themselves back in front just as quickly, however, with a “total football” goal — centre-backs Raymond Battersby and Joe O’Brien exchanged passes before the latter knocked the ball wide to Paul McDade, who strode forward and sent an inch-perfect ball up the right channel.
It reached winger Scott Simpson, and his cross into the box was totally misjudged by the DTI goalkeeper allowing home midfielder Graeme Irvine to nod his side back in front.
His direct approach terrorised his marker throughout the match, and another surging run from the Ravens youngster helped make it 3-1. He picked up the ball wide on the left and drove into the box before being felled by a frustrated late tackle, and Gary McAdams netted the resulting penalty.
Tempers then boiled over, however, as a crunching O’Brien tackle sparked a 20-man brawl which ended with McAdams and a DTI player seeing red for violent conduct.
Striker Nolan made a more positive contribution when order was restored, doubling his tally for the match with a cool chip over the goalkeeper. But the home goalkeeper Andy Jordan still had to look lively as Ravenscraig relaxed in the closing stages.
However, Irvine then scored his second and Gary Reilly rounded-off an impressive team performance with an excellent volleyed goal straight from a miskick by the visiting goalie.
DTI were reduced to nine men for a malicious off-the-ball kick at substitute Craig Fox.

Ravens storm back for victory

RAVENSCRAIG were forced to stage a second-half comeback after losing the first goal away to Second Division strugglers Peterson Park despite dominating their Strathclyde Saturday Morning League match.
The local side pinned their opponents in their own half for much of the first period but remarkably went in a goal down at the interval after poor marking at a routine free-kick handed a free header to a home midfielder.
It could even have been worse for the shellshocked Wishaw side as Peterson Park also hit the bar after bursting through on goal midway through the opening period.
Midfielder Jamie Bradley was introduced at the interval in place of Philip Farron, with Craig Fox switching to right midfield, and the visitors were soon back on level terms when Gary McAdams’ superb cross, fired in with the outside of his right foot, was powered home by striker Gary Reilly.
Ravens then seized the initiative and they took the lead for the first time when the ball broke to Christopher Muir outside the box and the left-back fired an unstoppable shot past the helpless Peterson Park goalkeeper.
The now-dominant visitors made it 3-1 when the tireless Graeme Irvine jinked his way to the byline and cut the ball back for Avin Bagri to slide home.
Reilly secured full points by nodding home a second header from six yards to round off a commanding performance.