Busby Amateur Football Club

A typical start to a cup tie, 100mph end to endbut with Kilbowie Union seeting out their stall as a back to front pressurising team.  Against this type of team the defence has to be on top of their game but alas for Busby we weren't quite at the rces today. That said, the loss of the first goal in 11 mins came from some lazy play in midfield allowing the Kilbowie player to cut inside, push forward unleash a 30 yard drive which evaded Scott Kennedy(who was a bit slow getting down) in goal.

This fixture was re-arranged, due to an unlined pitch at Eaglesham, to Busby's Overlee Park. Conditions were not ideal with the pitch being muddy and slippy and on top of this it was cold, windy with driving rain. It was no surprise, given two previous defeats to Busby, that Eaglesham went at Busby from the start and with the wind behind them pressured all over the park. However, it's goals that count and in 13 mins Eaglesham conceded a foul in midfield some 35 yds from their goal.

With regulars Hicks, M. Smith, Torney and Divers missing due to work and injuries, Paul Smith, Nick Smith and John O' Neil were drafted in from the G/G squad. Following on from a good 3rd round victory and a well deserved bounce game win against local rivals Giffnock North the management team of Jimmy Roberts/Alan Bruce and the players travelled in a confident mood even though the opponents play at the top level of amateur football in the West of Scotland area.

The Greater Glasgow team, minus 3 or 4 regulars faced Partick West (Div 1 runners up) in a league cup tie. Whether they would have made a difference is another matter because this Partick West team showed why they were runners up by delivering a football lesson. They were skilful, clever, organised, disciplined and fit and controlled this match from start to finish. Busby were second to every ball and hardly won anything in the air and just could not cope either man to man or as a team.

A narrow but deserved win for Busby who, in truth, played the better football over the 94 mins played. Busby's first chance came after 4 mins when Scot Bruce stepped into space to take a nice pass then he drove forward firing an excellent low shot across the Eaglesham keeper (Danny Moy - a name from the past and a golden oldie) which he palmed away. Oh for the players to have taken in the pre match comment to follow in as soon as the shot was hit - result a yard slow and the chance was gone.