McBookie Super League Premier Division

POLLOK 2

KILBIRNIE LADESIDE 4

NEW-look Ladeside got their league campaign off to a flying start with victory away to big-spending Pollok.

Kilbirnie had the better of the early chances and only some wayward shooting and a brilliant early save by Longmuir kept the away side out.

The hosts took the lead after 11 minutes when Gary McCann cut inside and slipped a pass into MacKenzie on the edge of the box and he in turn laid the ball off to McCluskey whose shot skidded low into the bottom left corner.

Ladeside got back on level terms two minutes later when John Sweeney did well before threading a pass through to Jon Scullion and his low driven cross was met by Williamson who rifled the ball into the net.

Both keepers then made some good saves before ex-Ladeside striker Adam Forde had a great chance six yards out but the ball went well over the bar.

Kilbirnie took the lead in 44 minutes from a corner-kick after Longmuir had palmed away a 30-yard Scullion free-kick. It was Scullion who took the resulting corner finding Juskowiak unmarked at the back post and his downward header beat Longmuir and crossed the line despite the efforts of Pollok defenders on the line.

The home side started the second half brightly and they were rewarded in 52 minutes when they went further ahead. Good play on the left saw Scullion whip a left-footed cross into the six-yard box and Ross McCabe, under pressure from James Finlay right beside him, appeared to glance the ball beyond Longmuir and into the net.

Forde then saw a free-kick from the right go across the box and just wide. Longmuir then produced another great point-blank save after good link-up play between Williamson and Scullion saw the latter denied again.

Scullion eventually got the goal he deserved to increase the away side's lead. A long goal kick by Kieran Hughes was headed on by Finlay and Scullion stole in behind the Pollok defence and although Longmuir again made a good block the ball came back to the Ladeside striker and he made no mistake with his second effort, firing the ball into the net.

Pollok pulled a goal back with minutes remaining when a Prentice ball into the box found McCann who set up Little to shoot low past Hughes from 16 yards.

It was a great winning start to the league campaign for a new-look Ladeside team with Hughes and David Anderson the only players from last seasons team.

KILBIRNIE LADESIDE: Hughes; Halliday, Mitchell, Sweeney, Juskowiak, Hughes, Williamson, Anderson, Finlay, Scullion, McGill. Subs: Lafferty, A Bembo, Clark,

E Bembo, MacKinnon.

POLLOK: Longmuir; Gallacher, Sideserf, McCabe, McGoldrick, Brash, McCann, MacKenzie, Forde, McCluskey, Young. Subs: Buchanan, Little, Hepburn, Prentice, Byrne.