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10-Man Glasgow Ansar Fight Back to Stun Pollok United
Pollok United went into their Championship clash with Glasgow Ansar at Nethercraigs in confident mood after an impressive start to the season.
By the final whistle, however, it was Ansar celebrating a remarkable 2–1 victory after recovering from a goal down despite playing much of the match with ten players.
POLLOK MAKE THE EARLY BREAKTHROUGH
Pollok started brightly and took the lead after 17 minutes through Simpson, giving the Championship side the early advantage their start had deserved.
What followed changed the direction of the afternoon.
ANSAR REDUCED TO TEN
Glasgow Ansar appealed for a penalty after Azeem Hussain believed his effort from outside the box had struck the arm of a Pollok defender.
No penalty was awarded.
Hussain was subsequently shown a straight red card following an exchange with the referee.
Ansar disputed the circumstances surrounding the dismissal, maintaining that no foul language had been directed towards the official.
Manager Zuby Malik was also dismissed from the touchline following his protests.
With emotions running high, there was even a point when Ansar considered whether to continue the match before the players helped calm the situation and attention returned to the football.
TEN MEN — BUT ANSAR RESPOND
That could easily have been the end of Ansar’s challenge.
Instead, going down to ten players brought a very different response.
Ansar became more compact, defended deeper and denied Pollok space through the middle while looking to Aqib and Hassan to provide an attacking threat on the break.
Rather than simply trying to survive, the ten men fought their way back into the contest.
Ansar got back on level terms when a delightful delivered corner kick was headed into the back of the net.
Suddenly Pollok, who had been a goal and a player to the good, found themselves chasing the match.
Ansar done the unthinkable moments later and took the lead when another corner kick was not cleared properly and the ansar midfielder was first to react and he smashed the ball into the net.
POLLOK PUSH — ANSAR HOLD FIRM
Pollok threw players forward during the closing stages in search of an equaliser and created opportunities to rescue something from the game.
Ansar refused to buckle.
The ten players protected their advantage until the final whistle to complete an impressive 2–1 comeback and secure one of the standout results of the Championship season so far.
HUGH DUNNIT’S FINAL WORD
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Football can change very quickly.
At 1–0 down and reduced to ten players, Glasgow Ansar could have allowed the afternoon to unravel.
Instead, they regrouped, stayed in the contest and somehow turned it around.
The controversy will undoubtedly be talked about — but so should what happened afterwards.
Ten players. A goal behind. A 2–1 victory.
That’s the part of this story Glasgow Ansar will remember.
