Central League: Second Division

  Blantyre Vics 3 - 3 Dunipace  

Matches between Blantyre and Dunipace over the past couple of seasons have for whatever reason have been talking points more for the decision making of the man in the middle than the football on show and unfortunately this Central League division 1 tie was to be no different.

From the off both sides were to be frustrated by the slightest contact being deemed a foul and the game being broken up at every opportunity by the referee, unaware that contact is (at the moment anyway) still allowed in the game.

That said, this had the potential to be a decent game, with both Blantyre and Dunipace teams who like to get the ball down and play a bit and as the game progressed there was some pretty decent stuff on display from both sides.

The first chance of the game fell to Rodger, who robbed the keeper of the ball outside his box. What the stopper was doing is anyone's guess and Rodger was unlucky to see his drive from a tight angle cannon back off the bar.

Blantyre too created chances, Hutton having to be sharp to tip an effort out for a corner before the Vics striker headed over from the resulting corner.

It was the visitors who took the lead though after around 15 minutes, McIllduff managing to pull the ball back to Oates on the edge of the area despite looking as if he had been fouled. Oates though didn't wait for the penalty decision and swept his shot across the keeper first time and into the far corner. An excellent finish from the full back, his first of the season having popped up with a few important strikes last term.

Withing minutes though Blantyre were level, with a lot of help from a dreadful decision from the man in black. A long ball from the heart of the Blantyre defence was heading through to goalkeeper Hutton, or would have been had the Blantyre striker not been standing 5 yards offside. With no whistle from the official, Graeme MacMillan had to try and reach the ball, but couldn't quite get there and the ball skimmed the top of his head into the strikers path who finished past Hutton.

Miles offiside, no question, with the explanation tendered that it had come off a Dunipace player so he couldn't be offside. Apparently they have changed the wording from "when the ball is played" to "when it last hits of someone on its way" and being in a position that influences other players actions is no longer a problem.

1-1 at half time and Dunipace came out for the second half with 1 change, Kane replaced by a trialist (Willie).

And the visitors took the lead when a well worked corner between McCafferty and Rodger allowed the Midfield man to shoot for goal. His shot nicked of Paul Tweedie and went into the far corner with the keeper helpless. Hard to tell if the forward was fully aware of what was going on, but he was adamant he meant it and given his recent run of goals who could doubt the big man.

And Dunipace extended their lead moments later when McIllduff skipped beyond 3 tackles inthe middle of the park, doing brilliantly to keep his feet, before sliding the ball beyond the defence into the path of Rodger. Rodger took the ball in his stride before slotting past the keeper, who could only get a hand to it.

3-1 and that should have been job done for Dunipace, but as has been the way of late that wasn't to be the case.

The goal that brought Blantyre back into it though, again, had a large slice of controversy about it. A long ball over the top saw the forward in a foot race with Gary MacMillan. Hutton raced from his goal to confront the forward, who lifted the ball over the outrushing keeper as he dived at his feet and hurdled the challenge.

As the ball rolled towards goal, MacMillan managed to get back and hook it off the line, but despite their being no contact with the keeper as the striker jumped the attempted save, the referee pointed for a penalty as soon as the ball didn't go in.

Questionable at best, but given the two soft awards for Dunipace at St Anthonys this was perhaps a bit of "what goes around". Gary MacMillan was booked for his protests and the number 9 slotted beyond Hutton, who was unlucky to get a hand to it but not keep it out.

And it got worse for the Pace, when another long punt upfield wasn't dealt with By Graeme MacMillan who got himself all in a tangle, and the number 9 was able to slot past Hutton for his hat-trick and 3-3. Easily Blantyre's best player, the tricky frontman caused problems all afternoon for an underperforming Pace rearguard.

With the score at 3-3, the whistler saved his worst for last. With one soft penalty already awarded and a foul given for the slightest of contact all afternoon, when the Blantyre defender barged into the back of Rodger in the area sending the forward tumbling everyone assumed penalty when the whistle went. And why not, as stone wallers go it was a stick on. But no, Rodger was yellow carded for diving.

An unbelievable decision, but sadly not out of context with the rest of the game on an afternoon where Dunipace might have accepted a point going in but will be disappointed only to have taken one given the position they put themselves in.