McBookie Super League Premier Division

ARTHURLIE 1

BEITH JUNIORS 4

WITH recent cancellations, fans were pleased but somewhat surprised that Dunterlie was declared playable and sympathy had to be shown to the players who tried their best to play football on a surface akin to a bowl of porridge.

Both sides had some personnel unavailable but they took up the challenge in the testing conditions.

Beith were quickly on the attack and the home side survived the first of several scrambles in the box in four minutes, hacking the ball off the goal line. Arthurlie striker Gary Smith then collected an early booking for a heavy challenge on Paul Frize.

The hosts were doing all the defending as Beith pressed almost continually with the breeze at their backs. Chances were being carved out but Richie Burke headed a David McGowan cross wide and soon after had a shot blocked for a corner where Paul Frize saw his shot cleared off the line in a crowded box.

Beith had a setback when they lost striker Darren Christie when he had to leave the field with blood pouring from a nasty head injury. However the visitors had an eager replacement in the shape of Thomas Collins.

The hosts were creating little going forward with Beith goalkeeper Stephen Grindlay a virtual spectator.

Chances for Beith came and went with most efforts on target finding keeper Hay. Ross McPherson had a decent opportunity following a fine Frize run but he shot past under pressure from defenders. As half-time approached, 'Lie somehow survived another goalmouth melee this time clearing a Mark McLaughlin effort off the line. Beith finished the half in almost complete control but with nothing to show for their dominance.

Beith started the second half where they left off and in the first action a Conor McGlinchey cross hit off a defender and bounced off the crossbar.

Under pressure, 'Lie were taking no prisoners and Leydon collected a yellow before they were reduced to 10 men when defender Mark Blakey was shown a straight red for a wild reckless challenge on Frize.

Another twist quickly followed when the hosts went ahead totally against the run of play. 'Lie got the ball forward to Ryan Deas on the edge of the box and he made enough space to drive in a low diagonal cross where Gary Smith got the crucial touch at the back post to stab the ball into the net.

Beith rolled up their sleeves and reapplied pressure on the home defence. Mark McLaughlin had the ball in the net with a header but this was ruled out for an infringement before they finally found the net in 51 minutes when McPherson smashed a powerful volley into the net from six yards.

The visitors were clearly not planning to settle for another draw and Johnny Millar quickly made positive changes - bringing on Calum Watt and Joe Bradley.

Home keeper Grant Hay was doing more than his bit to try to stem the tide and he stopped efforts from Frize and Watt before the former capitalised on another ball into the 'Lie box smashing the ball from seven yards.

Arthurlie's resistance was now broken and Joe Bradley inflicted more pain with his skills. He drove into the box leaving defenders in his wake then cut along the bye line then picked out McLaughlin who shot home in the box.

In total control Beith added a fourth with Bradley again the architect with a defence splitting pass to set up Collins to shoot across Hay into the far corner.

The scoreline could have greater with further chances going a begging before the end as Beith ran out very comfortable winners.

ARTHURLIE: Hay; Blakey, Brennan, Chisholm, McGregor, Convery, Deas, Leydon, Smith, Fulton, McTernan. Graham, Munday, McNeil, Bishop (gk).

BEITH: Grindlay, McGlinchey, Docherty, MacDonald, McLaughlin, Wilson, McGowan, Frize, McPherson, Christie, Burke. Subs: McLean, Watt, Collins, Sheridan, McArthur.