Beith are held by Kilbirnie

BEITH 2

KILBIRNIE LADESIDE 2

THE scoreline suggests a tight local derby but the reality was that Beith should have won this by the proverbial country mile with the chances they had and they somehow let their two goal lead slip away in the closing minutes.

Beith dominated the opening stages playing down the slope and Nicky Docherty, returning from a lengthy lay off due to injury, shot narrowly over. It was the 12th minute before Ladeside managed to pose any threat but a free-kick delivered into the box was cleared after a bit of a scramble.

The home side couldn't have gone closer in 14 minutes when Darren Christie cut inside and made enough space to rifle in a shot that beat Kieran Hughes but rebounded off the upright and the keeper did well to get up to turn away Conor McGlinchey's follow-up effort.

Beith kept up the pressure and they got their just reward a few minutes later. Richie Burke, who had a fine game, won possession in midfield and sent Darren Christie away and his inviting cross was clinically finished by the inrushing Kenny McLean.

Burke went so close to increasing his side's lead with a header that went just over the bar and soon after young Kilbirnie keeper Hughes did well to turn away his powerful swerving shot.

Kilbirnie rarely threatened but they did try to keep the ball on the deck and any forward moves went through their evergreen midfielder Davie Anderson. A deflected Beith clearance allowed the visitors a half chance but Grehan's poor effort sailed well over the bar.

Chances were created by Beith and duly missed with the clearest being Calum Watt blasting a shot straight down the keeper's throat when either side would definitely have counted and then Nicky Docherty slashing his shot wide when composure and a side foot finish would have done the job.

The home side were virtually playing shooting in as Kilbirnie tried to cling on with half-time approaching and they had Hughes to thank for getting them in only one-down with great saves to touch away netbound efforts from Burke and Kenny McLean.

Kilbirnie showed some improvement for a spell after the interval and home goal keeper Stephen Grindlay made saves from on target efforts from Grehan, Forde and Harkins. However by the hour mark Beith had regained their superiority with Jamie Wilson dominating in midfield. The Beith forwards were not finding any luck in front of goal though with a Paul Frize shot deflected clear and Hughes again thwarting Christie and Burke.

The hosts' pressure eventually told in 66 minutes with a fine "trademark'"Darren Christie goal when he cut in off the wing and curled a measured shot into the far corner out of the diving goalie's reach.

Both sides made changes with the contest appearing all but over but from nowhere Kilbirnie conjured up what seemed merely a consolation goal with three minutes remaining. Beith failed to clear their lines and sub Stevie Meechan lashed home a shot from a very tight angle in the crowded box.

All of a sudden Beith looked fragile, while Kilbirnie saw a glimmer of getting something that they never really looked capable of. Injury-time saw Ladeside throw men forward with Beith losing their composure and they earned an unlikely point when a ball, thrown into the back post was forced home by Adam Forde.

There was only enough time left for frustrated Beith captain John Sheridan to collect a second yellow card, resulting in him getting a fractional advantage for the showers.

The home side will still be scratching their heads trying to fathom how they dropped points from a match that was all but won but the answer is they just haven't been scoring enough goals from the chances they have been creating in recent matches.

Conversely Kilbirnie will be ecstatic at bagging a point from a match they were scarcely in but their manager Mark Bradley will gladly take it as he goes about making his mark.

BEITH: Grindlay; McGlinchey, Docherty, MacDonald, Sheridan, Wilson, Watt, Frize, McLean, Christie, Burke. Subs: Collins, McPherson, Martin, McMenamin, Bradley.

KILBIRNIE LADESIDE: Hughes; Brannan, Gray, Staunton, Donnelly, Green, McElroy, Anderson, Grehan, Forde, Harkins. Subs: Meechan, Rafferty, Gold, Maxwell, Haxton.