Match: Greenock v Port Glasgow
Date: 22/09/2023
Venue: Ravenscraig Stadium, Greenock
Competition: West of Scotland Division 3 (Tier 9)
Entry Fee: £6
Travel: £4.95
Miles completed today: 44
Total miles remaining: 30772
Welcome to the Inverclyde Clasico. The towns of Greenock and Port Glasgow are only 8 miles apart and their two football clubs would come face to face for the first time in just under two years.
Since the inception of the West of Scotland FA, Friday night football has been a frequent and massively successful ploy to get fans through the gates and see these big games. Unfortunately, when the energy prices went wild these evening games died a little but tonight it’d be back in full force.
Greenock is not a place I know particularly well. I’ve only been once before and that was to watch Morton (pre project unfortunately). My train would arrive into Branchton 15 minutes before kick off, so there was no time for the usual wander about. Greenock is on my train line, so it’s always been my intention to do these clubs on a midweek fixture, freeing up a Saturday to go further afield (yes, that’s how I have to think) and as this fixture will showcase Ravenscraig at it’s best – I can’t miss it!
Preview
I didn’t check the odds in time before they disappeared, but if I was McBookie I’d probably have offered you 5/6 for either side. It’s still a tight league table but both clubs find themselves at the wrong end. Greenock are 2nd bottom Port are 1 point and 2 places above. Greenock have played a game more than the majority of the league though, so it’s probably a bigger game for them in terms of the ramifications.
These two know each other well, but we’ve been starved of the derby for nearly two years. Historically, it seems that these games have always been topsy turvy with neither dominating, but Port did win their last meeting 3-0.
The Ground
Ravenscraig is an athletics stadium which boasts a large stand with benches. There’s plenty of places for a decent view including a small terraced area on the far side with just the right amount of elevation. A stand with a running track would sum this ground up but there’s a whole other historical element to hear about.
In the 1970’s the dinosaurs at the SFA banned women’s football, and threatened to ban any member club that facilitated a women’s game. Naturally, nobody did out of fear but there’s nothing the SFA could do about women using the junior grounds.
In 2022, we had the 150th anniversary of the world’s first international football match played in Glasgow against England but it was also the 50th anniversary of the Scotland women’s inaugural match – played at Ravenscraig and only the 2nd ‘official’ women’s international match ever played anywhere!
The defiant Scot’s women were beaten 3-2 and featured a certain Rose Reilly but this game was never about the result. They played just because they can. Although the SFA refused to recognise the game at the time, the players have since been awarded caps retrospectively. As the popularity of women’s football at the moment is at an all time high, it’s important to recognise the role Ravenscraig Stadium had.
Interestingly, I am attending on the same night Scotland and England women face off down in Sunderland, coincidence or what?! This time, their game would be played in front of 41,000 – how times have changed, and for the better.
The Game
I know I arrived closer to kick off than I normally aim for, but I can count on one hand the amount of times I’ve had to queue to get into non league games in Scotland. I was in by kick off which was ideal, but kept an eye on the turnstile and the match was 17 minutes old when the last of the queue actually got into the ground.
I’m not playing a blame game here, but maybe Greenock simply did not expect such a large crowd. I’m told that on a normal match day Greenock can expect a crowd of between 30-60. I’ve been to Port Glasgow and that was the same. Tonight, the game would be played in front of 350-400! This further goes to show that Friday night football makes sense, and the punters love it.
As I headed towards the barrier and looked around at the stand, I couldn’t believe it was more or less full and all the other spectators had to jostle at the barrier looking for a decent view. I decided it’d be best to go round the far side where it was a bit quieter, but the numbers attending here are fantastic.
The game itself was pretty even. A typical derby game with plenty of hard tackles as two teams battled it out through anxiety and desperation.
You’d have been brave to predict which way the opener would go and if we’d even get one at all but it was the home team who opened the scoring through Declan Black. He found himself with space in the box and on the end of a cross from the right which allowed him to guide the ball back across goal and into the corner. 1-0 at the break.
The second half was much the same but with more chances. Port Glasgow will have to ask the gods how they didn’t equalise as a corner was turned towards goal, Tucker in the goals made a point blank save followed by a stramash which resulted in about 8 players on the deck but somehow, the ball had stayed out.
They would have another big chance to equalise as one of their forwards found themself with all the time in the world. This looked suspiciously offside but it wasn’t given and was blasted wide. They’d have another when the ball was blasted over from around 12 yards with the goal gaping and they’d be made to pay for their missed opportunities.
Taylor Lindsay had come off the bench, beaten a number of Port Glasgow defenders before blasting the ball home from the edge of the box. This shot struck cleanly and hit hard but I can’t help but think that Duncan in the Port Goal could’ve done better as it looked from my angle like the ball had gone under him. Nevertheless, Greenock had a two goal lead and that’s how it finished.
Full time: Greenock 2-0 Port Glasgow
After the dust settled
In essence, this was game that could’ve went either way. Both teams had chances of similar quality but Greenock took theirs and that there is the only difference between the two on the night. I’m still surprised at how much of a crowd actually turned out. For two clubs that, with all due respect, are not the biggest in comparison to some in the WOSFL, to pull these numbers was phenomenal and this made the derby that little bit spicier.
I said this was a tight league table, and Greenock have lifted themselves into 11th place and are only 3 points off 4th but have played 2 more than most of the league. Port move down to 14th and I’m sure they’ll agree it’s a night they’d rather forget. Still, they played their part in what turned out to be a huge occasion.
Both club’s grounds are floodlit, so I’d like to start a formal petition to play every Inverclyde derby on a Friday night. I’ll be there and going by tonight’s crowd, so will half the town.
This is a massive night for Greenock. They delivered on the night and they should be proud. It wouldn’t surprise me if Greenock finished in the top 6, but it also wouldn’t surprise me if they were relegated showing just how crazy this division is – but isn’t that exciting?
I’m delighted to see a derby I’d earmarked for a long time in a historic stadium for the part it played in women’s international football. Well done Greenock!
GroundhopScot 