Ardagh Glass League Cup

ARDEER THISTLE 2

SALTCOATS VICTORIA 4

THE Seasiders got off to a winning start against a slack home team who were made to pay for defensive errors.

Ardeer were missing a number of players due to injury and unavailability, and lined up for this match in unfamiliar attire of sky blue shirt, red shorts and black socks, Saltcoats having brought their home strip with them which clashed too much with that of the hosts.

Ardeer had looked the most likely to scoring in the opening 25 minutes, but had failed to test Vics keeper Jim Catterson, Gareth Turner and Jack Robertson shooting wide while Derek Kennedy beat two defenders but saw his effort go over the crossbar. However, the home side then fell behind to a calamitous goal in 26 minutes. Goalkeeper Paul McCann made a hash of claiming a harmless long ball following an awkward bounce off the wet playing surface, with Thomas Donovan taking advantage to score into the empty net.

The visitors' pace upfront was causing Ardeer problems and Jack Ewing wasn't far away soon after with a speculative effort from the corner of the box with McCann advancing on him. Late in the half Ardeer pushed for an equaliser but Kennedy had a shot saved by Catterson when presented with limited attacking support, and Scott Reid headed off target from Kwaku Nyame's cross.

Ardeer were perhaps unlucky to be behind the break but an atrocious start to the second half cost them dearly. Donovan grabbed his second two minutes in, getting the better of Paul McKay to receive a pass and finished confidently past McCann.

Donovan had featured for Ardeer as a youngster back in 2010-11 and relished returning to Ardeer Stadium as he then provided the assist two minutes later for Vics' third goal, taking advantage of a defensive mix-up to square to fellow former Ardeer man Chris McInnes who netted.

Things were rapidly going downhill for the hosts but they were given a break in 50 minutes when referee David Ingram awarded a penalty when Sean Quinn brought down Derek Kennedy. It appeared to be a soft decision and Saltcoats felt vindicated when Catterson saved the spot-kick. However, Ingram awarded a re-take and booked the goalie for leaving the goal-line before the kick. Kennedy made no mistake at the second attempt and buried the penalty to reduce the deficit.

Kennedy had a better penalty appeal turned down minutes later, and then hit the crossbar with a free-kick. McCann denied Donovan his hat-trick and parrying over a fizzing strike from distance by David McLeod.

Sean Quinn sealed the victory five minutes from time with a low drive from 20 yards. Ardeer had a number of corners in the final minutes and Reid scored a consolation goal with the final kick. But it was too little, too late.

ARDEER THISTLE: McCann; McKay, Maxwell, Gemmell, Scaramuzza, Stevenson, Reid, Nyame, Kennedy, Turner, Robertson. Subs: Sewell, Gillies, Smith,

Donnelly, Kean.

SALTCOATS VICTORIA: Catterson; McLaughlin, Quinn, Park, Burgess, Smith, Campbell, McLeod, Donovan, Ewing, Smith. Subs: McInnes, Gilmour, McKenzie, Gallagher, Farrelly.