Ayrshire Weekly Press Cup Quarter-Final

MAYBOLE 0

KILWINNING RANGERS 2

By Stewart McConnell

BRAVE 'Bole went down to their Premiership rivals in an entertaining last eight tie.

But there was no disgrace in defeat as Carlo Walker's youthful team are a work in progress, who look to be improving. Indeed if he can hold on to most of the squad for next season they should do well.

The manager said afterwards: "We had four 17-year-olds and an 18-year-old in the squad and I was pleased with how we played, especially in the first but unfortunately we didn't take them. But these boys can only get better and they can learn from this. The only way to improve is by playing against better teams."

Buffs began well and forged a good chance in two minutes when Carlo Monti made a surging run before shooting inches over the bar from 25 yards.

Ian Cashmore shot narrowly wide from 16 yards three minutes later as the visitors kept pressing.

However Maybole came close in eight minutes when Aidan Connor saw his effort from 16 yards deflected wide.

The same player then sliced an effort wide from 16 yards four minutes later. However in 13 minutes Buffs went ahead when Findlay Frye shot home from the edge of the box.

Maybole should have scored in 15 minutes when Chris Allan shot wide from 12 yards.

Buffs missed a good chance in 17 minutes as Bryan Boylan sent a 10-yard drive narrowly over the bar.

Ben Lewis shot straight at home goalie Elliot Masterson in 20 minutes after latching onto a through ball. Boylan laid a pass on a plate to Monti who shot into the goalie's arms in 23 minutes.

Buffs doubled their advantage three minutes later, when a Boylan effort from 18 yards was drifting wide but Ian Cashmore connected with the ball and netted from

all of four yards.

Tommy Maitland headed wide from 12 yards for Buffs in 35 minutes and Boylan had his shot from 25 yards well saved two minutes later.

Ben Lewis shot wide for the visitors in 40 minutes.

Chris Allan chipped a free-kick from the edge of the box just over the bar for Maybole in 40 minutes.

The hosts were so close in 50 minutes when an Ally Bell shot from the edge of the box was blocked by Tommy Maitland.

Boylan sent a header just over the bar from 10 yards in 59 minutes.

Frye had his effort from 10 yards blocked by a defender five minutes later.

Home goalie Adam Strain caught a 12-yard shot from Connor in 74 minutes as the visitors held on to set up a semi-final at home to Auchinleck Talbot.

MAYBOLE: Masterson; Sloan, Walker, Baird, Peacock, Bloy, Connor, Bell, Allan, Scott, McMillan. Subs: Dunn, Caldwell, Dempsey, Nimmo.

KILWINNING RANGERS: Strain; Maitland, McCloskey, Hanvey, Morris, Frye, Monti, McGuinness, Cashmore, Lewis, Boylan. Sub: Morrison.