BOSS: RENFREW FACE THE DROP

Published 14 Oct 2009 14:52 0 Comments

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Kilsyth: 4 Renfrew: 0

RENFREW'S general manager Dougie Mitchell has warned his side they will face a relegation dogfight if they don't start picking up points.

Mitchell watched an average Kilsyth side run out 4-0 winners on Saturday with the Frew failing to score for the first time in their league campaign.

And with Renfrew winning just one point from their last five games, Mitchell is concerned that the threat of relegation is quickly becoming realistic.

He said: "At this moment, even at this time in the season, the way we're playing and the luck we've had - we're struggling to stay in the league.

"Every team now will gain a bit of confidence from seeing our results and be thinking they can come and get a result."

He added: "We were in this game, we were the better team at one point and then they went up the park and scored.

"We can't concede goals like that and expect to get the three points.

"The biggest problem we have is the talent not

playing, such as Neil Shearer and Alan Prentice.

"Neil Shearer is part of the reason we stayed in the league last year, but we can't just ask him to come straight back in.

"We really need the other players to stand up and be counted now."

Both sides scrapped away in the opening exchanges but Kilsyth grabbed the opener with 23 minutes played, courtesy of Paul Doyle.

The defender nailed a free-kick against Renfrew last year and repeated the feat from over 25-yards with keeper Peter Shaw misjudging the ball.

Frew tried to battle back and target man Gordon Smith angled a clever snap-shot at goal, but Kilsyth's stopper Michael Duke tipped the effort clear.

Lee Sichi would have doubled his side's lead shortly before half-time but his close-range volley was diverted safely onto the roof of the net by Shaw.

Renfrew started the second half stronger and almost got themselves back into the game when Matt McLean powered his header at goal but keeper Duke pulled off the save.

Five minutes later and James Crowhurst came within an inch of levelling the game when his goal-bound header was cleared off the line by Boyle.

But all the pressure was to come to nothing as Kilsyth snatched a crushing treble in an eight-minute blitz.

Andy McGinty popped up in the box to steer home a Darren Dalrymple corner before the provider turned scorer when his speculative cross slipped though Shaw's fingers for the third.

Winger Crowhurst then gifted Kilsyth the fourth when his botched clearance gave substitute Francis Kelly a free run at goal.

The forward, who had only been on the park for a matter of minutes, squared the ball for former Rabs hitman Chris Zok to round up the scoring.

Renfrew were left completely shell-shocked and will look to Saturday's West of Scotland Cup clash with Troon as a welcome distraction before a return to league action away to Whitletts Victoria.

RENFREW: Shaw, Welsh, Gordon, Dickie, Hammond, Currie (Forbes 67), Stewart (Maxwell 72), McLean, Smith, Reid, Crowhurst. SUBS: I Wilson, D Wilson.

This article appeared in The Gazette 14 Oct 09

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