Overtown dumped out by rampant Bargeddie

Mar 18 2009 by Andrew Weston, Wishaw Press

The Lanarkshire Cup, Round Two

FIRST-division Bargeddie United produced the shock result of the weekend when they knocked inform LAFA Premier League outfit Overtown Thistle out of the Lanarkshire Cup.

Thistle were strong favourites but on the day they totally under-performed and Bargeddie were well worth their crushing 4-1 win.

The home side took advantage of some poor Overtown defending on two occasions and eventually ran out comfortable winners after scoring their fourth with 15 minutes remaining.

It was clear from the off that the home side were the more committed and had more desire than their opponents and it was no surprise when their good play was rewarded after 13 minutes.

Thistle’s John Darcey was short with a pass back to keeper Scot Shepherd. The goalie tried to hack the ball clear but only managed to blast it against a Bargeddie forward before the ball broke kindly for a simple goal.

Overtown responded and should have equalised five minutes later when James Cordiner somehow crashed the ball off the underside of the bar from one yard out.

Eventually however they equalised when Jamie Dickson raced through to lob the Bargeddie keeper from the edge of the box for a fine individual goal.

Despite levelling things up, the visitors were second best to every loose ball and could not match the hunger of their lower league opponents.

Bargeddie deservedly regained the lead after 36 minutes due to another Overtown error.

Defender James Cordiner failed to clear his lines and was robbed of the ball inside the penalty area. Clinical Bargeddie made no mistake with the opportunity as one of their forwards blasted a low shot into the net to give the home side a 2-1 lead.

Just before the break Kevin McDonald almost equalised for Overtown with a head flick but this would have been harsh on Bargeddie.

Overtown went further behind at the start of the second half when Bargeddie scored with a well-worked corner kick.

Sensing the game was slipping from their grasp Thistle began to step up a gear.

On three occasions Jamie Dickson was presented with gilt-edged chances but Overtown’s top scorer could not replicate his first-half strike as he twice caught the ball under his feet when all he had to do was sidefoot the ball into an empty net.

Then Kevin McDonald played a pass through to Dickson but the advancing home keeper blocked the effort. It proved a turning point and Bargeddie did not need to work too hard to get goalscoring opportunities to add to their lead with a long overdue fourth goal on 75 minutes that put them 4-1 up.

Shellshocked Overtown will quickly want to put this result to the back of their minds as they look to bounce back this weekend in the Joan Roan Cup against Forgewood Amateurs.