Published: Thursday, 18th March, 2010 9:48am

Pitch chaos ends in draw

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By Sahil Jaidka - Johnstone Burgh 1 Greenock 1

HARD TACKLE: Tensions were high throughout this encounter. Picture by Joe Mulgrew.

JOHNSTONE Burgh's first home game at Keanie Park for six months ended in a draw as they entertained Greenock in an ill-tempered encounter.

The action packed game saw the referee award a penalty as well as producing three red cards, as chaos erupted on the pitch midway into the second half.

Burgh boss George Walker was disappointed with the effort shown by his players and their composure in front of goal, but vowed to change that for the next game against Carluke Rovers.

He said: "There were so many players who were lazy today and they didn't play collectively as a unit.

"We were poor in the wide areas and the midfielders and defenders didn't work hard enough.

"The game should have been over by half-time, we missed some glorious chances, but we will sort that out at training next week."

It was the visitors who started the brighter of the two teams as early pressure on the Burgh midfield led to a miss-placed pass by David Brolly. Greenock midfielder Kenny McKay intercepted, playing in striker David McLeur who slotted past keeper Fraser Wilson after just 44 seconds.

Despite the setback, Burgh began to dominate the game and striker John Sherry spurned two glorious chances to draw his side level midway through the first half.

Burgh wasted another great chance before the interval as Neil Dinnen's cross found Brolly who headed the ball across goal, but Ross Perrie's tame shot was easily gathered by keeper Mark Monk.

The second half saw Burgh pick up from where they left off and a good pass by Steven Fitzpatrick found Sherry, but his strike was again gathered by Monk.

Minutes later Dinnen felt the full force of a wild elbow thrown by ex-Burgh player McDonald.

As Dinnen collapsed to the floor with a bloody nose the referee was in no doubt to show a red card to McDonald.

And the game went from bad to worse for Greenock as Michael Crawford conceded a penalty and Sherry stepped up to send the keeper the wrong way and leve the score with 30 minutes remaining.

The 61st minute saw a foul by Kenny McKay result in chaos, as players from both sides clashed as well as substitutes and managers running onto the pitch to try and calm the players down.

The referee pulled out a red card for the second time as he sent off Greenock's unused substitute Tommy Bell for an off-the-ball incident during the

melee.

As tension on the park rose, a tussle between Martin McIntyre and Rolland Fabiani resulted in both players being shown a yellow card as the game threatened to spiral out of control.

McIntyre and Fabiani collided again minutes later when the referee was left with no choice but to show McIntyre a second yellow, leaving both teams with 10 men.

Despite the sending off, Burgh pushed on for the winner and a lofted pass by Raymond Donaghy found Gordon Chalmers, but the midfielder's volley hit the bar as Greenock breathed another sigh of relief.

Team: Wilson, Brolly (Marr 68), Donaghy, Cuddihy, McGarrigle, McIntyre, Perrie, Chalmers, Fitzpatrick, Sherry (Flannery 82), Dinnen. Unused subs: Lennon, Ross, Hamilton.