It was a crucial victory for The Buffs this weekend as they beat Hurlford 3-2, showing good character to bounce back from last week’s disappointment. It wasn’t the prettiest of games, with the testing conditions laying the foundations for the scrappy contest, but a win nevertheless for Chris Strain’s Buffs.
Harry Weir and Robbie Scullion both made their first starts for the club yesterday and had an instant impact on the match. Scullion kicked off a Buffs counter-attack as he picked up possession on the edge of his own box, before driving forward and pinging a pass out to Boylan on the left. Boylan controlled and sent a low cross into the six-yard box, where Harry Weir was on hand to finish into the bottom left corner. It was a dream start for The Buffs as they opened the scoring in just the 3 minutes.
Unfortunately, The Buffs weren’t allowed to settle into their lead, with Hurlford replying with an early goal of their own, just seven minutes later. McKenzie won a foul on the edge of the box, which gave league top scorer Lewis Morrison the chance to shoot at goal. Morrison’s free-kick hit the wall, but deflected through and just past Brown to net Morrison’s 100th goal for ‘The Ford’.
The Buffs looked really rushed in possession during the opening stages of the match, adding to the already scrappy nature of the affair. Brown was called into action again soon after, as Kristopher Kerr caught a glimpse of goal. Hurlford moved the ball up the right wing before finding Kerr in space, outside the box. The winger took a touch and aimed at the bottom right corner, which forced Brown into making a smart stop down to his near post.
Chances were few and far between in the first half, and it looked like we were going to be headed into the interval at 1-1 until a mad final few minutes of the half. It was The Buffs who struck first, thanks to a great Kyle Chrystal header. Ben Lewis floated a deep free kick towards the back post, where Chrystal had seemingly ghosted through. The defender leapt and looped a perfect header over McDonald and into the left side of the net.
Yet again, however, The Buffs were caught out just after scoring as Morrison proved to be a thorn in the Buffs’ side once again. Immediately from kick-off, The Ford cut The Buffs open with ease, culminating in Morrison running through on the right side of the box and bending an effort around Brown and into the far corner. It was Morrison’s third goal against The Buffs after his free-kick was the difference when the sides met earlier in the season.
The second 45 turned out to be much more of the same in terms of action as both sides huffed and puffed to no avail. The Buffs did start the half the brighter of the two, with McLaughlin going close, from close range. It was Scullion who started the move again with a switch out to the left, this time for Wilson. Ryan carried the ball down the line before cutting in and trying to get his shot off, although it was blocked at source. A lucky bounce left the ball at the feet of McLaughlin inside the box, who turned and hit, but McDonald had reacted brilliantly to get off his line quickly and save the attempt.
Hurlford grew back into the game and had a huge chance of their own when Jack Whittaker danced through the Buffs’ defence. It was far too easy for Whittaker as he dribbled past numerous Buffs men and ran through on goal, where he looked destined to score. Fortunately for The Buffs, the forward got his strike all wrong and blazed the ball high and wide from a great position.
Just as the game seemed to be drifting away and towards a 2-2 draw, The Buffs found a dramatic last-minute winner when Chrystal nodded home for the second time in the game. Substitute Nick Lockhart’s corner was whipped into a dangerous area in the congested box, where Kyle rose highest and powered a header past the goalkeeper to win his side a vital three points.
It was a great moment for a man who’s struggled for consistent game time since joining in the Summer and an even better moment for the club as it means they close the gap on Drumchapel and overtake rivals Glenafton in the race for promotion.
