GREENOCK Juniors assistant manager Stephen Docherty says he was delighted at the character shown by his players as the Ravenscraig men chalked up a sixth straight league win, and a fifth successive clean sheet, to stay in touch with the Third Division summit.

Jamie Black's strike earned the Nock a vital 1-0 win away to Glasgow University - making it 'mission accomplished' for the visitors as they stayed within four points of leaders Thorn Athletic, and with a game in hand on the Renfrewshire side.

The key objective was to leave the Excelsior Stadium with all three points, and overall it was a deserved win for Greneock, who created more chances than the students in a game that was for the most part was characterised by some very slack passing and a lack of composure by both sides.

The fact that neither team had played any competitive football since before Christmas was probably a contributing factor to the lack of quality, but Greenock’s resilience, and another fine defensive performance, in which Pat Tonner was outstanding, saw them through.

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Speaking after the match, Docherty said: “We are extremely pleased with today’s performance after so many weeks without league duty.

"Glasgow are a very fit team and have found form recently. They are extremely physical and I must admit I was worried about the protection of our players’ well-being at times; particularly Jamie Black, who had a great game, topped off by scoring the only goal.

“Again we showed the character required to come out on top in game such as these. It takes bodies on the line and unity.

“We performed as a collective and reaped the reward of anther clean sheet; the fifth on the bounce in the league and the eighth of the season.”

Greenock Juniors were delighted to return from North Lanarkshire with full points after a 1-0 win over Glasgow University. (Image: alex craig) One feature of the game which was quite surprising was the physicality of the University team. Several Greenock players were on the wrong end of some quite reckless challenges which went largely unpunished.

As early as four minutes Ryan Sinnamon was scythed down just outside the penalty box with only a free kick being awarded.

The Nock were the dominant team in the first half without asserting full control of the game; in the eighth minute Cammy Barclay had a good effort turned round the post by keeper Sandberg, and Black, from the left edge of the Glasgow box, had a decent swerving effort saved by the hosts’ keeper.

It took 29 minutes for the university team to have their first shot on goal, when a cross into the box was nicely controlled on the turn by Murphy, but his mis-hit shot trundled safely into the hands of Craig Beaton.

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Ryan Sinnamon came close to finding the opener on a couple of occasions: on the half hour mark a well taken free kick from the arc of the penalty box was palmed away by Sandberg, and some five minutes later he shot over the bar from inside the box after some good build play by the Nock.

The opener – and, as it turned out, the winner – came in the 40th minute after Tonner picked up a pass from Andy Hunter just inside the Glasgow half and drove towards goal; playing a neat one-two with James Marks, Tonner touched the ball to Black, who calmly lobbed the goalkeeper to score.

Greenock started the second half with new-found energy, pressing effectively and looking as if the quality and composure absent in the first half had returned to their game.

On 51 minutes, Black, on the left edge of the Glasgow box, produced a wonderful sleight of foot and sent a floated cross to the back post, which tantalisingly just drifted beyond Marks and Hunter.

Saturday's win keeps Greenock within touching distance of Third Division leaders Thorn Athletic. (Image: alex craig) Tonner, again running from deep, combined with Marks to set up a chance for Sinnamon, who sliced his shot high and wide of Sandberg’s left hand upright.

Glasgow University then sparked into life and wrestled control of the game from Greenock, though for all their dominance they created very little until the 80th minute.

The Nock’s defence, for once, was caught napping when a long ball from well inside Glasgow’s own half found Glass running behind the Greenock rearguard, only to be denied by superb keeping by Beaton.

From there on in the Nock saw the game out for a very valuable three points.

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Elsewhere on Saturday, Thorn beat Threave to maintain their four-point advantage at the top, and Finnart had a fine win over Glasgow Perthshire, while Kilsyth Athletic continued their fine run with a win over Irvine Vics and Ardeer drew with Dalry in the North Ayrshire derby.

As a result Thorn and Greenock have an important but by no means decisive cushion over the other promotion candidates, setting Nock up nicely for a return to home soil and a meeting with Vale of Leven on January 25.

* Greenock are sponsored by Saveheat, Keystore Cowal View, Safer Group, The Lighthouse Bar, McGills, ARC and Blairs.