It was Jack McMahon to the rescue once again in the derby as Buffs secured yet another Eglinton derby win. The young striker would grab two second half goals to seal another very important win as The Buffs head into the final 4 games of the season with promotion in their sights.
Neither side were fast starters in the game, with the opening exchanges consisting of a series of long balls which never came to much. The first chance of the derby would come around the 5-minute mark when Lawrence Hendry received the ball from a short goal kick before spraying a great pass out to Fraser Malcolm on the right flank. Fraser took a great touch to bring the ball down before turning and sending an early cross into the box in search of Jack McMahon, who was occupying the space between the 2 ‘Medda centre-backs. McMahon managed to stretch out and get a toe on Fraser’s cross to redirect it goalwards, but his effort was well saved by Jamie Barclay, who got down to his right well to push the ball wide of the left post.
It was Irvine Meadow’s turn to create next when Shaun Gallacher launched a hopeful ball forward from left back, which looked comfortable for Dylan Brown to come out and collect. The goalkeeper managed to get out and catch but lost control of the ball in the air, which left it bouncing loose in the centre of the box. Medda forwards rushed to the scene, but fortunately for The Buffs Jack Maccalman was on hand to clear the danger well out the Buffs’ box.
The game was still quite frantic, and it was another direct ball which would unlock The Medda defence. Lamont played a tidy flick round the corner to Blair MacIntyre, who had time in midfield to pick out a nice, lobbed ball into the channel for Malcolm. Fraser managed to get on the end of the pass and looked like he was going to be in on goal until Lewis Kinnaird nicked the ball off of the big striker’s toes, sending the ball out for a corner. The following corner was whipped into the centre of the box by Lamont and looked fairly harmless until Meadow defender George Sewell ran across goal and headed the ball into his own bottom left corner to break the deadlock on derby day.
Medda’s best chance of the half came when Brown played a short goal kick to Maccalman, who was pressed hard. Jack tried to play around the press with a quick pass, but just as the defender tried to play the pass, the ball bobbled up off the defender’s leg, which sent it rolling to Meadow forward Brophy, who squared the ball back to striker Cruden. The striker received the ball with his back to goal and attempted to backheel the ball into the net from close range, but his effort was well blocked by Lawrence Hendry. The rebound fell to David Anderson on the edge of the box, who fired a first-time effort with his left foot, which went wide of the left post.
The game was levelled up by Ross McKenzie, who found himself on the end of a direct ball up the park, with his back to goal. The forward was given too much time on the ball to control and turn before driving a low effort into the bottom left corner of the Buffs’ net to equalise for his side just before the interval.
It was a polar opposite start to the second half than it was in the first, with both sides coming flying out of the blocks in the second. It would be The Buffs with the first chance of the half when Maccalman launched the ball into the box from a long throw-in on the left side. Jack’s throw was headed on target by Malcolm at the front post, whose header deflected off one of the many Meadow defenders in the area. The ball looked like it was just going to drop into the top left corner but floated just over the bar and out for a corner.
The Medda replied with a chance of their own as the ball was transferred out to the right wing to Eaun Baird, who seemed to have all the space in the world as he received the pass. Chris Bell scrambled across to try and put some pressure on the winger, but Baird just cut inside Bell as he entered the box before hitting a low effort towards the near post, which bounced over the leg of Brown and into the bottom right corner of his goal to give The Medda an unlikely lead.
Meadow’s lead wouldn’t last long, however, as just 1 minute later it was all tied up once again. The ball was worked down the right wing by The Buffs, before it was driven into the feet of Jack McMahon in the box, who took a touch before swivelling and striking the ball at goal. Barclay tried to get down to his left but wasn’t able to save McMahon’s effort as the ball just trickled into the bottom right corner off of the goalkeeper’s leg.
The Buffs kept up the pressure following their equaliser as Maccalman sent a long throw from the left towards the back post for substitute, Bryan Boylan. The ball was volleyed back across the goal and looked headed for the bottom left corner before David Anderson managed to clear it off the line to keep the score all square.
The Buffs’ second half pressure was finally rewarded when a Jamie Barclay goal kick fell just short of the half way line. Bryan Boylan was on hand to head the ball straight back over the Medda defence, which set Jack McMahon through on goal. McMahon latched onto the pass before driving at goal with a big touch. Jack’s big touch invited Barclay to charge off his line, which allowed the striker to just get a toe on the ball to lift a shot just over Barclay and into the back of the net to complete Jack’s second derby brace of the season.
It was a nervy end to the game for the Buffs’ support as The Medda probed the Buffs box with many direct balls, which were dealt with brilliantly by the Buffs’ rear-guard before referee, Keiren Traynor would finally blow for full time after plenty minutes were added on.
The victory means The Buffs stay 1 point off Renfrew atop the table, with 2 games in hand on the league leaders but, more importantly, stretches the gap to, now, 4th placed Rutherglen Glencairn to 8 points after The Glens were defeated by Vale of Clyde on the day. Kevin Kelly makes it 2 derby wins from 2 as Buffs manager and will now have to prepare his side for a trip to Thorniewood United next Saturday.
