McBookie Championship

IRVINE VICTORIA 2

GIRV AN 0

By Christopher Dodds

DELIGHTED boss Brian McLuckie heaped praise on his young Irvine Victoria side as they mathematically secured their West Championship safety with a solid 2-0 victory over relegation rivals Girvan at Victoria Park on Wednesday night.

A Ross McKenzie double ensured the Westenders remained in the division for the first time, marking success on a season where they only had three signed players in the summer. Girvan started brightest and gave Vics a scare three minutes in, Cameron played a ball in over the top for Wilson to chase in behind the defence.

Ryan McDonald came running off his line only for Wilson to lob him with a goal bound effort. The recovering Gilmour magnificently cleared off of the line.

McKenzie bagged his first five minutes later with Vics’ first real opportunity, Skeoch’s free kick from the right hand side failed to beat the first man, who made a mess of the clearance, allowing Jamie Donnelly to lay it back for McKenzie to lash the ball across goal and into the top left corner.

McKenzie bagged his double just after 15 minutes. Some fine hold-up play by Hamish McKinlay saw him find Ryan Morrow on half way, his neat first time pass found McKinlay and he played it back to Gilmour who crossed it in for McKenzie who found space 10 yards out to head across goal into the bottom left hand corner.

McLuckie said: “For the first time the club has stayed in the division. We’ve been playing well the last five or six weeks and unfortunate in not picking up many points.”

IRVINE VICTORIA: McDonald; Craig, Gilmour, Holden. Donnelly, Loughlin, Morrow, Warnock, McKenzie, McKinlay. Skeoch. Subs: Singleton, Farrell, McLuckie.