Central League: Division 1

  Glasgow Perthshire 2 - 6 Dunipace  

With two wins in their last two league games Dunipace travelled to Keppoch Park for this tie with Glasgow Perthshire hoping to continue to play some of the good football that has been on show of late. Over the 90 minutes, this was not to be the case as the 'Pace' never really got going at all, but as has been the way in their games this season, goals were still aplenty!

Dunipace started pretty slowly, struggling to adjust to what must be the narrowst park in the division and the home side were on top without really creating anything for the better part of the first 15 minutes.

Meighan though in the Dunipace goal was seldom called upon, taking a routine catch from a header and making a smart save from a shot from distance. And with the defence coping with everything that was coming at it, Dunipace took the lead from a breakaway.

Paul Tweedie raced onto a ball in the wide right channel and, with the home side claiming for an offside that wasn't even close, he turned the ball into the middle towards the onrushing McCafferty. Before McCafferty could get there though, the home player who had tracked his run turned the ball into his own net to make it 1 - 0.

And it wasn't long before Dunipace extended their lead as they came more into the game. Again it was Tweedie, who was having an up and down start to the match, who caused the problems latching onto a fantastic pass from Michael Cullen. As the striker tried to hold off the defender he was hauled to the ground and the referee pointed at the spot.

No question it was a foul, despite the home protests, but Dunipace were perhaps fortunate to be awarded a spot kick as the incident went on over at least 10 yards meaning the original fould was probably outside the area.

None-the-less, Ryan McCafferty slotted beyond the keeper to keep up his fine scoring run, scoring in each of the last three games and making it 7 in total for the season.

And with the home side reeling from these two goals Dunipace turned the screw in the 10 minutes before half time, making it 3-0 as Tweedie turned in a well worked corner from McCafferty, albeit with the aid of a couple of deflections, before tapping in a Marty Wright centre for a fourth following a superb 50 yard "pass" from Graeme MacMillan that had opened up the home defence.

4-0 at half time and Dunipace came out at the start of the second expecting to face a home onslaught, but before the home side could settle it was 5 for the visitors.

Marty Wright skipped past a couple of tackles outside the area before squaring to Keiron McIllduff who took one touch before rifling the ball low into the bottom corner with his left foot.

With the game won, Dunipace started to get a little carried away and began giving the ball away cheaply in poor areas, causing themselves problems in the process. And it was to be from one of these situations Perthsire got a goal back. The ball was lost in midfield and with the home side breaking they worked the ball to the striker inside the area. Gary MacMillan blocked the shot onto the bar, but with Meighan already commited to the initial effort it dropped kindly onto the head of the midfield runner who headed beyond Mullen on the line.

The Dunipace defence were clearly unhappy at losing a goal, passing up another opportunity for a clean sheet in the process.

And despite Dunipace having chances to add more goals they were to conceed another soft one, as a runner on the right got forward unmatched following a home corner to deliver to the back post where the wide midfielder walked in untracked to head in for 5-2.

Another sloppy goal of the type that on another day might (and has already this season) cost Dunipace points and will have to be addressed in the coming months.

Still, the game was won and Dunipace saw it out playing some nice football before Ryan McCafferty added a 6th in the dying moments. A free kick from fully 35 yards out on the left and the keeper didn't set up a wall for whatever reason. McCafferty obliged by firing low into the bottom corner for his second of the game and 8th of the season. Poor goalkeeping no question, but still a fantastic strike to complete the win.

So, 10 (7 league and 3 league cup) games Dunipace have been involved this season with no less than 52 goals on show! They certainly can never be accused of being a boring side!