Kilbirnie go down to Glenafton

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 3

KILBIRNIE LADESIDE 1

TEN-man Ladeside's woes deepened as they went down to a title-chasing home side with the visitors not yet safe from relegation.

Kilbirnie started the brighter of the two teams and forced early chances from a corner and a free kick but both deliveries into the area were poor.

The hosts won a free-kick 35 yards from goal but David Gray fired in a low shot which went just wide.

In 15 minutes Anderson linked up well with Ronald and he won a free kick wide on the right.

Ronald floated the free-kick into the box where Martin Grehan had a free header eight yards out but his effort was straight at Brian McGarrity in the Glenafton goal.

A Grehan cross went right across goal and Adam Forde nipped in front of Kyle McAusland before going down under pressure but with the Ladeside contingent calling for a penalty the referee booked the Ladeside striker for diving.

With 30 minutes played Glenafton created their best chance of the game so far when Carter crossed for McCann but at full stretch his effort went wide. A Gray corner was then headed over by Marlow before the home side broke the deadlock when a throw in was headed on to McCann who ran away from Green into the box before firing a shot from 12 yards across Hughes into the far corner.

Glenafton increased their lead eight minutes into the second half when Cammy Marlow picked out Mick McCann with a pass from halfway and he smashed a first time shot from 22 yards past Kieran Hughes into the far corner.

Ladeside pulled a goal back just five minutes later after a great cross into the box by Mark Staunton was cleared. When the resulting corner by Harkins found Grehan in the box he headed goalward and as his effort was blocked Forde pounced to force the ball in from close range.

Ladeside's chances of getting back in the game were dealt a blow in 62 minutes when they were reduced to 10 men when Darren Smith received his second yellow card after the referee ruled very harshly the Ladeside man had dived when going through on goal.

McCann then had another chance when he broke the Kilbirnie offside trap but he lobbed wide. A McKinnon cross into the box was met with an over head kick by Paul Ronald but his effort went wide. McCann then went through on goal but was denied by Hughes who saved from close range with the ball cannoning back off the striker for a goal kick.

Ten-man Kilbirnie continued to look for an equaliser and some good play between Meechan and Forde set up Grehan just inside the box but he fired his effort well over. With time running out Glenafton ensured all three point when a Gray free-kick from the right found Chris Dallas unmarked in the box and he made no mistake as he headed into the net from close range.

KILBIRNIE LADESIDE: Hughes; Staunton, McKinnon, Green, Donnelly, Harkins, Ronald, Anderson, Grehan, Forde, Smith. Subs: Meechan, Creaney O’Byrne, Kerr.

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC: McGarrity; McAusland, Cairns, Menzies, Meikle, Gray, Orsi, Marlow, McCann, Carter, McGill. Subs: Dallas, Andrew, Lynass, Borris, Watson.