Largs Thistle 3 Hurlford United 3


This was an blistering Barrfields barnstormer as Largs and Hurlford fought out an exhilarating six goal thriller played in all weathers.
Determined Thistle faced a fierce wind and a two goal deficit in the first half which was barely deserved by the visitors only for Largs to turn the game on its head to move 3-2 up early in the second half sunshine.
A minute's applause was held in memory of St Roch's manager Paul Kelly who sadly passed away after battling severe Covid complications over recent months.
Hurlford had a few early chances with Liam Coogans trying his luck with a 40 yard effort which sailed wide
Sean McLeod was an ever present threat on the right wing blasting a shot across the face of goal and then forcing keeper McDonald into a good parry from an angled shot with Sewell just missing contact diving in at the far post.
In the high winds, Largs keeper Danny Farrell got down well to push Lewis Morrison's 20 yard effort away at the right post.
On 32 minutes Hurlford opened the scoring during a counter as skipper Paul McKenzie's wind assisted 25 yarder flew into the bottom left corner.
Hurlford's McGee overhead kicked it off the line with Milliken about to shoot a minute later after McDonald dropped a dangerous cross from McLeod.
Then on 36 minutes Lewis Morrison showed great skill as the ball fell over his shoulder and he let rip with a 30 yard volley into the bottom right corner of the Largs net.

 
Largs halved the deficit on 40 minutes as McLeod's cross into the box was only partially cleared and Jamie Ballantyne sidefooted it home.


Thistle thought they had scored as a cross into the box was met by McLeod who teed up Milliken to lash home into an empty net.
But while making the pass, McLeod was upended by the keeper in a crude two footed challenge and the referee blew his whistle right away- so play was pulled back for a penalty which Will Sewell coolly converted on 56 minutes. See clip below.


Thistle fans barely had time to catch their breath as a quick move resulted in Sewell accelerating away from defenders on the right wing and cut inside to smash the ball past McDonald on the angle to put Largs 3-2 up.
Hurlford netted an equaliser from a corner as McKenzie's initial effort was blocked but he volleyed the rebound into the roof of the net on 61 minutes. See clip below.


In another move Milliken was felled by the keeper outside the box but referee Sean Henderson didn't believe it was a foul. See clip below.

Thistle were undeterred and nearly notched a dramatic winner as MacIntyre was barged off the ball but Sewell burst through with McDonald blocking with his foot to deny the Thistle forward his hat-trick.


And then in another attack Sewell was also floored in the midfield area sparking angry calls from the Thistle bench for action from the whistler but to no avail. See clip below.

A dismissal did come for Hurlford after an altercation on the touchline after a Largs throw was blocked but it was way too late to influence proceedings as when play re-started the referee blew the final whistle. 
Hurlford struggled to contain Largs' pace and guile on the day and were extremely fortunate indeed to escape Barrfields with a point.
Thistle who are getting better and better with every game, and if they can keep performing like this, will be a real force to be reckoned with in the second half of the season.


THISTLE: Farrell, McMaster, Ballantyne, Love, Gray, Faulds, McLeod, Forbes, W.Sewell, Milliken, MacIntyre. Subs: Haggerty Adam, Docherty, Lapsley, McBryde, G.Sewell.