McBookie Ayrshire District League

McBookie Ayrshire District League

ARDROSSAN WINTON ROVERS 0

SALTCOATS VICTORIA 2

THE Saltcoats team who arrived for the local derby was a bit of an unknown quantity as the new manager George Grierson had brought in a host of new players.

However Winton were looking to continue their recent run of successes against their local rivals.

In a fairly poor first half the visitors had the first effort on goal almost from the kick – off but Bryan Tucker made a comfortable save.

In five minutes, good play between Lee Davidson and Thomas Donovan saw Jamie McKenna unable to get to the latter’s pass into the goalmouth. Rovers were dealt a blow a minute later when Alan Muir suffered a facial injury in an off-the-ball incident missed by the referee and was unable to continue. ]

Visiting goalie Louis Kerr made a save just before Tucker made a good double stop from a Declan Smith effort and follow-up shot in 10 minutes.

McKenna then won the ball in the box in16 minutes and turned and shot but the ball went wide. A couple of minutes later Kerr cleared a ball from Larry McMahon into the goalmouth with his feet at the near post.

In a scrappy game Winton were creating most of the few clearcut chances but were not taking them.

In 44 minutes good play from Thomas Donovan saw the ball played to Jamie McKenna but his shot was poor and the danger passed. It took a great save from Kerr almost on half-time from a shot following a good ball into the box from Thomas Donovan.

Winton paid for not taking their chances when Saltcoats took the lead in 50 minutes when a ball in from the left wasn’t cleared properly and Chris McInnes scored from close range. Larry McMahon had a chance six minutes later but his shot was comfortably saved by Kerr at his near post. There was another chance for Vics a minute later when a free header went across the face of the goal. The home side’s task was made more difficult on the hour when Michael Lennox was given a second yellow card for a poor tackle and was sent off, reducing Winton to 10 men.

However Winton had a good shout for a penalty a couple of minutes later when he was brought down in the box after he had passed the ball but the referee played on.

Saltcoats won a free-kick 20 yards out in 73 minutes but the wall partly blocked the ball which was cleared. Kerr saved an Andy McGregor header comfortably on 75 minutes just before Vics doubled their lead when centre half Dominik Chiedu headed home a free kick from the right.

The visitors then brought on former Winton striker Stephen Reid and a couple of minutes later McKenna went close to reducing the deficit but the ball went wide in 80 minutes.

A couple of minutes later Reid almost made it 3-0 when he chased a ball to the edge of the box where the Winton keeper and a defender failed to clear the ball properly and the substitute ran into the box, however his shot was deflected wide,

In 83 minutes McKenna should probably have made it 2-1 when he chased down a ball got into the box and rounded Kerr but he lost control.

Regan Ross free-kick then went wide as Vics held out to win.

ARDROSSAN WR: Tucker; Cairnie, Davidson, Lennox, Irvine, McGregor, McMahon, Muir, McKenna, Donovan, Orr. Subs: Davidson, Ross, Trialist, Jamieson, Slavin.

SALTCOATS VICS: Kerr; Ross, Beveridge, Cripps, Chiedu, Russell, Smith, McIntyre, Condon, Murtagh, McInnes, Subs: Hill, Watupa, Reid, Ferris.