Johnstone Burgh cruise to 5-0 win at Glenafton Athletic

10-02-2026 19:45

WoSFL Prem Matchday 07/02

Loch Park

Glenafton Athletic

Johnstone

0 - 5

Player statistic

		14'		Ciaran Diver
		39'		Blair Rossiter
		61'		Leon Murphy
		84'		Aiden Gilmartin
		88'		Broque Watson

Johnstone Burgh produced a near flawless display as they cruised to a sensational 5-0 win over Glenafton Athletic on a cold, wet Tuesday evening at Loch Park, New Cumnock.

The Keanie Park side made three changes from the team that started the 3-1 win over Largs Thistle at home on Saturday, with Leon Murphy, Aaron Mason and Ciaran Diver coming in to replace Ian McShane, Broque Watson and Allan MacKenzie.

After a quiet opening to the game, the Burgh’s Kian Gilday had the first attempt at goal of the evening as his well-struck low shot from the edge of the box was well saved by Glenafton goalkeeper Ollie Ecrepont in the 9th minute.

The Johnstone side would take the lead in the 14th minute as Blair Rossiter whipped a dangerous ball into the box from a free kick on the left channel, straight to Ciaran Diver, who produced a powerful downward header from seven yards out that was brilliantly saved by Ecrepont. Diver was on hand to force the ball into the net from barely a yard out to open the scoring.

Leon Murphy, making a rare start for the Burgh, had the next chance of the game but dragged his left-foot shot wide from 20 yards after 19 minutes.

Aaron Mason had an even better chance to add to Johnstone Burgh’s lead as he ran into the box following a clever headed flick-on by Ciaran Diver, but the former Auchinleck Talbot man could only fire the ball over the bar from eight yards out in the 23rd minute.

Glenafton Athletic had barely threatened in the first half but came close to levelling the match as the Glens’ number five, Ollie Rowe, produced a powerful shot from 40 yards that flew just wide of Burgh goalkeeper Luke Scullion’s left-hand post after 35 minutes.

The Burgh added their second goal of the evening in the 39th minute following good attacking play and pressure applied by Leon Murphy and Ciaran Diver. The ball broke to the in-form Blair Rossiter at the edge of the box, who fired a lovely left-foot strike into the bottom left-hand corner of the net, leaving Ecrepont with no chance.

As half-time approached, Aaron Mason fired over the bar from 16 yards after 42 minutes. The final effort of the half came from the Glens, but Callum Wilson’s left-foot volley from 14 yards flew well wide of the left-hand post on the stroke of half-time.

Half-time: Glenafton Athletic 0 – 2 Johnstone Burgh

As the second half started, it was all pressure from the away side, and the Burgh got their third goal of the evening in the 61st minute. After a mix-up in the box from the Glens defence, Ciaran Diver dribbled the ball around Ecrepont to leave himself with an open goal from less than a yard out but somehow failed to get the ball over the line to score what looked a certain goal. As the ball was scrambled off the line by the home side’s defence, it fell to Leon Murphy, who rolled the ball into the net from inside the six-yard box, much to the relief of the healthy travelling Burgh support.

Leon Murphy came close to adding his second goal of the evening two minutes later but made a poor connection from eight yards following a Ciaran Diver pass.

The game continued to be played in the Glenafton half and the Burgh created yet another chance, but Stuart Faulds could only fire the ball over the bar from 20 yards in the 67th minute. Just a minute later, Ciaran Diver came even closer to adding to the away side’s lead, but his effort was well saved by Ecrepont from close range.

Cammy Eadie came close to adding goal number four for Johnstone Burgh in the 80th minute, but his close-range header from an Ian McShane corner was well blocked by a Glens defender.

The fourth goal of the night finally came for the Keanie Park side as Aiden Gilmartin’s powerful header flew high into the net from four yards out after a brilliant Ian McShane corner from the right-hand side in the 85th minute.

The Burgh added their fifth goal of the game as full-time approached. The away side won a penalty as Allan MacKenzie was the victim of a poor tackle in the box while bearing down on goal. It was Johnstone Burgh’s latest signing, Broque Watson, who converted from the spot, stroking the ball into the bottom right-hand corner of the net past a helpless Ecrepont in the 89th minute.

The final whistle blew a minute later to seal a very impressive 5-0 win for Johnstone Burgh over a Glenafton Athletic side that had caused them serious problems in the two previous meetings played at Loch Park earlier in the season.

The three points earned in New Cumnock sees the Burgh move up to eighth place in the table with 24 points after 11 games played.

Full-time: Glenafton Athletic 0 – 5 Johnstone Burgh

Photo Credit: with thanks to Johnstone Burgh

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