McBookie Ayrshire District League

ARDEER THISTLE 2

KELLO ROVERS 2

THISTLE and Kello fought out an entertaining 2-2 at a sunny Ardeer Stadium on Saturday.

Third placed Kello had an early chance with Kieran Pagan's shot blocked by an Ardeer defender. At the other end a dangerous Lee Munro cross was just out of reach of James Maxwell. Stefan Johnstone went down with a head knock which caused concern but he quickly got back on his feet. Geoff Paterson saw his header from a corner well held by Paul McCann.

Ardeer trialist Grant Loftus-Bird was having a good game in midfield and his pass found Johnstone in space and his cross to Lee Munro went inches wide.

However it wasn't long until they made the breakthrough. In 28 minutes Lee Munro was hacked down inside the area and Ryan Morrow did his usual confident job from the penalty spot.

In 34 minutes Ardeer went 2-0 up when Morrow picked up the ball out wide on the left went past two Kello defenders on a run along the edge of the penalty area before firing an 18-yard shot past Ryan Dunsmuir.

Kello made two changes at half-time anonly took six minutes to get a goal back courtesy of a soft penalty. Captain Jamie Donnelly was adjudged to have fouled Kieran Pagan in the area and Martin Shaw scored from the spot. Kello had certainly upped their game in the second half and Ardeer were struggling to get back into it.

The visitors levelled in 58 minutes when Miller picked up a clearance on the edge of the area and gave McCann no chance with a hooked shot into the far corner.

Ardeer's task was made all the more difficult when Jordan Bruce picked up two yellow cards in the space of nine minutes. The second card was for a 50-50 challenge on the ground which a visiting player made the most of. Referee Jordan Paterson showed the unlucky Bruce a second yellow and then red while the Kello player, who had been just as committed in the challenge walked away unpunished

Both teams pushed and Morrow came close with a 20-yard drive which was saved by Dunsmuir.

Pagan mis-hit his shot in the box and Miller also had a chance but his effort was inches over the bar.

Morrow made a jinking run and his pinpoint cross found the head of substitute Jack Robertson but the midfielder couldn't get enough power on it.

Right at the death Kello almost snatched the points when a Hampson header hit the bar and Miller's follow up looked netbound but McCann saved brilliantly.

Probably a draw was a fair result both teams entertaining the crowd for the full 90 minutes with chances at both ends.

ARDEER THISTLE: McCann; McKay, Campbell, Donnelly, Holden, Bruce, Morrow, Johnstone, Munro, Loftus-Bird, Maxwell. Subs: Robertson, Smith, Colligan, Sewell, Gemmell.