Johnstone Burgh FC 3-1 Hurlford United FC

11-03-2026 19:30

WoSFL Prem Matchday 22 (07/03)

Keanie Park

Johnstone

Hurlford United

3 - 1

Player statistic

Ross Love		6'
Broque Watson		9'
		13'		Carter Frew
Leon Murphy		88'

The Burgh got back to their winning ways tonight, after a convincing 3-1 win over an in form Hurlford United side, under the lights at a cold, wet and windy Keanie Park in Johnstone.

Johnstone Burgh manager Murdo MacKinnon made four changes from the starting XI that lost 3-2 to Arthurlie on Saturday, with Scott Forrester replacing the injured Cammy Eadie, Club Captain Del Esplin replacing Ian McShane, Stuart Faulds in for Blair Rossiter and Aidan Gilmartin in for Kyle Lafferty.

Hurlford United had a sight of goal in the very first minute of the match, but Calum Watt’s powerful right foot shot from around 45 yards, went high over the crossbar. Just a minute later, Burgh striker Aidan Gilmartin was next to have a long range effort on goal, but his left foot shot from 25 yards, went over the crossbar.

In the 4th minute, Broque Watson came close to giving Johnstone Burgh an early lead. Aidan Gilmartin produced a powerful run down the left hand side, and fired a brilliant ball into the box that fell straight to Watson, but his low side foot shot from 8 yards was well blocked by the Hurlford defender.

In the 6th minute, Johnstone Burgh would take a deserved 1-0 lead. Aaron Mason showed pace and skill down the left hand side and produced a brilliant pass into the 6 yard box, and the ball was diverted into the net from 2 yards by Hurlford United’s Ross Love for an unfortunate own goal.

Just 3 minutes later, it would be a another goal for the Keanie Park side. The impressive Aidan Gilmartin showed brilliant skill and strength down the left hand side to turn the Hurlford defender, and then put in a lovely left foot pass into the box straight to Broque Watson, who produced a clinical right foot finish into the left hand side of the net from around 14 yards.

Hurlford United pulled a goal back just 4 minutes later. Lewis Morrison found some space down the left hand side, and put in a fine cross straight to the head of Carter Frew, who bulleted a header into the net from around 6 yards, leaving Luke Scullion with no chance.

Aidan Gilmartin came close to adding goal number three for the Burgh in the 16th minute. After yet another powerful run, the big striker had a fine left foot shot from 20 yards that was well saved by Hurlford United goalkeeper, Martin McDonald.

On the half hour mark, Danny O’Neill almost scored a freak goal. From around 45 yards out, down the right hand side, the Burgh defender swung his right foot at the ball, which looked to be heading well over the bar at first, but somehow almost snuck in. Unfortunately, it bounced off the crossbar, much to the relief of Martin McDonald.

A minute into first half added time, Stuart Faulds came close to adding to the Burgh’s lead, but his left foot strike from the edge of the box was well saved by McDonald. From the resulting corner kick, Danny O’Neill produced a fine header at the back post, from around 8 yards, but it went just over the crossbar.

Johnstone Burgh would lead 2-1 at the break.

In the 51st minute, Scott Forrester had a good chance to score from a dangerous Aaron Mason corner kick, but his powerful header from 6 yards, went just wide of the left hand post.

As the weather conditions started to worsen, Hurlford United had a good chance to level the match in the 55th minute. Ross Love went on a solo run from his own half and produced a fine pass to Larry McMahon, but his left foot shot from 12 yards, from the left hand side of the box, could only find the side netting.

Aaron Mason was next to come close to scoring 5 minutes later. The Burgh winger showed some clever footwork just outside the box, but his right foot shot, that looked to be heading for the top right hand corner of the net, went just off target.

The home side were looking for the killer third goal midway through the second half, and had three efforts on goal in the space of a minute; two from Aaron Mason and the other from Broque Watson, but the Hurlford United defence held firm.

For the next 20 minutes, The Burgh had almost complete control of the game and would finally score their third goal of the night to seal the three points in the 88th minute through Leon Murphy, who collected a crisp Kyle Lafferty pass down the right hand side, before making a clever run into the box and producing a fine left foot finish into the left hand side of the net, from around 14 yards.

Johnstone Burgh would see out the remainder of the match, to secure a morale boosting 3-1 win.

After securing the 3 points tonight, the Burgh remain in 9th place, on 27 points, after 16 matches played.

After the match, Murdo MacKinnon, said: “I knew it was going to be a really tough game because Hurlford are a strong side, capable of beating any team in the league. They normally set up well, they’re really robust to play against and they’re a threat all the time.

“I thought we started the game brilliantly. We started it really, really well. We got ahead in the game, which was great, and then we went and scored the second one.

“If I was to be critical, we gave away a poor goal. Again, we need to make sure we’re sharp enough at free-kicks and stuff like that. We were a bit off it, so it was a bit of an error.

“But we went and got the goal to make it 3-1, closed the game out, and that was brilliant. I thought the performance was really, really good and I thought the boys were excellent across the pitch.”

Looking ahead to Saturday’s trip to St Cadoc’s, he added: “It’s going to be a tough game. I think St Cadoc’s have struggled a bit this year, but I’ve watched them a couple of times and they’re a really young side. They’ve got loads and loads of energy, and they want to play and get on the ball.

“A new manager has come in and is obviously making them really difficult to beat because they’ve picked up a lot of results recently and teams have struggled to get victories against them.

“So I’ve got no doubt it’s going to be a really tough game, but we want to keep continuing and try to get a few more points on the board. It’ll be tough, but we’ll be well prepared.”

Next up for the Burgh is a trip to New Tinto Park, Glasgow, where they will face St Cadocs in the WoSFL Premier Division, on Saturday 14th March. Kick off is at 2pm.

Full time: 3-1