Match Report

Ten men Annan Athletic fall to East Kilbride in a chaotic six-goal outing at Galabank, as Paul Smith and Joel Mumbongo score in a 4-2 defeat.

Annan looked to add to their seven-game unbeaten streak in the league and hoped to make it a third victory over Kilby this season. While East Kilbride, off the back of two successive victories, looked to make it a third, and push for the league’s top spot.

Three changes were made to the Annan starting team from the mid-week clash against Dumbarton. Josh Dixon, Cammy Clark, and Wullie Gibson entered the starting eleven, while Charlie Maxwell, Max Kilsby and Ryan Muir made their way to the bench.

The visitors, on the other hand, remained unchanged from their previous victory over Edinburgh City last weekend.

It was the perfect start for the home side, as Paul Smith opened the scoring after just three minutes. A Cammy Clark long throw on the left-hand side was launched into the box. P. Smith latched onto a failed clearance from Jamie Hamilton inside the six-yard box, to head past Craig Hepburn and open the scoring for Annan.

Annan continued to look dangerous, as just two minutes later Aidan Smith played P. Smith down the left, who whipped a dangerous low cross across the box, going just inches in front of Tommy Muir and narrowly going past the far post.

After Cameron Elliot sent an effort wide of the post in the 10th minute, play was halted by referee Jamie McCunnie, as the East Kilbride number 9 was down and in obvious discomfort following his shot. Elliot received treatment before he was stretchered off and applauded from both sets of fans.

Connor Young would replace the injured Elliot, and after several minutes play would resume.

P. Smith would be involved in action yet again 21 minutes in, after yet another long throw was headed towards Kilby’s box. T. Muir would flick it on at the front post and land to the unmarked P. Smith. However, his shot would fly over the bar.

East Kilbride would level the scoring just a minute later, as they worked the ball nicely up the park. John Robertson slipped in Bobby McLuckie past Annan’s back line, who would square the ball across to substitute C. Young, to finish into an empty net.

A series of corners would arise for Annan, as Gibson whipped in three teasing balls into the box within five minutes, however nobody could force Hepburn into action.

East Kilbride would score two goals in succession on the 40th and 42nd minute. The first coming off the right, from a J. Robertson first time shot across Albinson into the far corner. The second coming from a line breaking pass from J. Robertson to Joao Balde, who was left with a one-on-one opportunity and sent Albinson the wrong way, putting the visitors 2 ahead heading into the break.

Half time: Annan Athletic 1 East Kilbride 3

Ryan Muir would replace P. Smith at half time and after an action packed first half, the hosts would kick off looking to muster up a comeback.

It was a promising start to the second half for Annan, as two chances for T. Muir would arise early on. A header from the big man, met from a Gibson corner, would be blocked as the ball looked to be going in, and a long-range effort would test keeper Hepburn, but neither would hit the back of the net.

Goal scorer from mid-week Joel Mumbongo would be brought on, on the 60-minute mark for Clark, as the home side added some fire power to the attack off the bench.

Just ten minutes after his introduction to the game Mumbongo would pull one back, bringing Annan within just one goal of the visitors. Scott Hooper hooked a ball down the left channel for Mumbongo to chase. He held off and spun Hamilton entering the box and faking a shot sending Sam Young to the floor, before finishing into the bottom corner.

Annan, with their tails up, came close to scoring again, when a Gibson corner on the 72nd minute was swung to the back post. Watson flicked it back into the area and T. Muir met the second ball and fired off the crossbar, with the home fans convinced the ball went over the line.

10 minutes later, a missed Annan chance down one end of the pitch would result in an Albinson red card at the other end. Kilby countered and Balde and Albinson would clash just outside the box, with the referee viewing it as cynical from the Annan keeper, sending him off, taking them to 10 men.

Dixon would be sacrificed for substitute goalie Gio Clarke to make way. The young man would keep Annan in the game, making a few vital saves in the dying embers.

However, East Kilbride would top off their afternoon adding a fourth to their tally, as substitute C. Young would grab his second, with the match finishing with a win for the 11 men of the away side.