AMATEUR FOOTBALL

Budget Blinds Division One

DEAN THISTLE 2

ARDROSSAN CASTLE ROVERS 3

SKIPPER Paul Brookes led by example with a hat-trick as Castle edged to victory

The Ardrossan side travelled to East Ayrshire for what would turn out to be a fiercely contested match.

The boys controlled and dominated the first half and were held until five minutes from half-time when club Brookes caught the goalkeeper off his line and tried his luck from just inside the halfway to put the visitors 1-0 ahead.

Shortly after half-time man-of-the-match winner Brookes got on the end of a great cross from new signing Stuart Hodge to make it 2-0,

The hosts rallied 10 minutes of madness saw Dean pull it back to 2-2 with 15 minutes remaining.

On a horrible day and on a terrible surface it was going to take another special goal to win the game and in stoppage time that's exactly what happened. Mark "Chuck" Kilpatrick crossed into the box and Brookes headed into the top corner to complete his treble and secure a well-deserved three points.

ARDROSSAN CR: Coyle; Smith, McBreen, Davidson, Beveridge, Higgins, McLeod, Kilpatrick, Lundy, Brookes, Dunlop. Subs: Wieringa, Hodge, Oakley.