Pollok vs East Stirlingshire

Dachnowicz's opening goal in the 49th minute — the first meaningful attack of the second half — shifted the momentum decisively. The quick follow-up from McCracken two minutes later turned a tight contest into a two-goal cushion that East Stirlingshire could not fully overcome despite Weir's late consolation.

P. Dachnowicz (Pollok) — Scored the crucial opener that broke the deadlock and set his side on course for victory. His movement in the box caused problems for the East Stirlingshire defence throughout.

L. McCracken (Pollok) — Doubled Pollok's lead within two minutes of the first goal, effectively killing the contest as a contest before the hour mark.

J. M. Weir (East Stirlingshire) — The visitors' best performer, pulling a goal back in the 85th minute to give his side a late lifeline, though the comeback fell short.

The provider data shows Pollok scored twice from their three recorded shots on target, an efficient return that reflected their clinical edge after a cagey first half. East Stirlingshire's solitary goal came from their only real period of sustained pressure late in the game. The 0–0 half-time scoreline — predicted by pre-match models as a 40.4% likelihood — gave way to a second half that exceeded the 66.7% probability of over 2.5 total goals. Pollok's win probability of 52.1% (via Sports Mole) aligned broadly with the eventual outcome, while the exact 2–1 scoreline had been forecast at an 8.4% likelihood.

Both sides used this fixture as part of their pre-season preparations. Pollok, who compete in the West of Scotland League, built momentum after a goalless draw with Partick Thistle in their previous friendly. East Stirlingshire, who play in the Scottish Lowland Football League, will look to sharpen their defensive organisation before the competitive season begins. Neither side has a competitive fixture confirmed at the time of writing, with further friendlies expected to be scheduled in the coming weeks.

A pre-season friendly that followed a familiar pattern: a quiet first half gave way to a sharp burst of quality from the home side after the break. Pollok's two-minute blitz proved decisive, and East Stirlingshire's late response was too little, too late. The result was the most probable outcome according to pre-match data, and the scoreline reflected the balance of play.