Blantyre Victoria 3 - 0 Shettleston
Keirin Coleman (41'), Aaron Black (48'), Nadeem Zeb (80')
In what was a crucial match for both sides, one pushing for promotion to the Championship and one trying to secure their stay in League One for next season, both teams were on edge to begin with.
The first chance of the match didn't come until the ninth minute, Vics winger Lewis MacDonald drove in from the left-side before cutting it back to Nadeem Zeb who pulled off a right-footed shot from close range but the Shettleston keeper stopped it with a diving save.
Two minutes later, Shettleston had what was probably there best chance of the entire match. After a mistake in the middle of the park by The Vics, allowed in Shettleston's No.10 who drove past the last man Craig Kerr. He was one-on-one with Dean Trainor in The Vics goal, but the keeper committed to a dive - a risk that proved worthwhile as he managed to halt the shot and get both his hands on the ball.
The next mentionable chance for Blantyre came in the 33rd as Ross Caldwell turned a Shettleston defender on the edge of the box before striking the ball powerfully towards goal. His shot was skewed into the air after deflecting off a defenders leg, it swirled into the back post area where MacDonald managed to get a shot off at close range, but the volley was at a tricky angle and the winger couldn't find the target.
After a largely dull first half, Keirin Coleman opened the scoring in the 41st minute. After MacDonald's run into the box was foiled amongst penalty claims from the home-side, the ball fell to Aaron Black who drove to the byline before laying it off to Coleman on the edge of the box. The midfielders strike was almost stopped by the keeper but it slipped through his grasp and Blantyre took the lead before half-time.
Straight after the break, Blantyre were back at it. Ross Caldwell marginally stopped the ball from going out of the pitch at the byline before slipping a perfect pass through to Aaron Black, who curled in a right-footed dipping shot over the Shettleston goalkeeper who was left hopeless as the ball landed in the back of the net.
In the 65th minute Black and Coleman linked up well on the wing leaving the two Shettleston marksmen bemused, before the winger whipped the ball into the danger area, Caldwell won the ball in the air knocking it down to Nad Zeb. He shifted the ball along the edge of the box finding Con Boyle. His powerful, left-footed shot was driven wide of the target. Shortly afterwards, Coleman found himself with the ball within close range of the goal - the on-form midfielder seemed destined to get his brace, but he was denied by the outstretched leg of the Shettleston keeper.
In the 80th minute Nad Zeb made it 14 for the season (as he eyes up the top goalscorer award), as Ross Caldwell cut the ball into the area where Zeb was waiting patiently. The midfielder stuck the ball past the goalkeeper, in a composed fashion, to secure the three points and the 3 - 0 victory for Blantyre.
As it stands Shettleston are safe from relegation as it stands but with Yoker Atheltic breathing down their necks they will be hoping to get a result against Maryhill and East Kilbride Thistle in the next week.
Blantyre Vics are now poised to take the final promotion place, with only two points required to go up and six wins on the trot they will be filled with hope ahead of their trips to Shotts and Maryhill over the next two weeks.
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