McBookie Ayrshire District League

SALTCOATS VICTORIA 3

ARDROSSAN WINTON ROVERS 2

RESURGENT Vics defeated their derby rivals for a second time this season, with defeat meaning Winton will find it difficult to even make the promotion playoff place.

The hosts were without former skipper Ryan Caddis, who has returned to amateur football after the one game.

In a poor first half Winton created the better chances but failed to make them count. They won a free-kick in the two minutes but Lee Davidson’s ball into the box ended with an offside decision against Rovers. Jamie McKenna had the ball in the net in 13 minutes but the referee had already blown for offside against the striker. They did however take the lead in 15 minutes when Alan Muir hit a shot from about 30 yards which hit the right hand post and Steven Tan, following in fired the ball home from close range. The same player had a good run and cross down the right after winning possession, but Graeme Condon headed clear before the ball reached Jamie McKenna a few minutes later. Tan then made another good run down the left but there was no one on hand to get on the end of his low cross into the goalmouth in 20 minutes.

Despite having the better chances and possession Rovers let Vics back into the game with Evariste Bembo causing problems chasing long balls and getting in behind the defence.

Rovers were lucky a couple of times in the first half when Vics players were given handball decisions against them on the edge of the box as they tried to get in on goal. In 25 minutes Muir played a free kick to McKenna on the edge of the box and although the striker turned and shot his effort was comfortably saved by Chris Wright. Three minutes later Steven Tan went down in the box following some good lead up play but the referee played on.

Winton had the first chance of the second half when Jordan Cairnie nodded on a Muir free-kick to McKenna, but his header went wide in 50 minutes. Bryan Tucker denied Bembo the equaliser in 55 minutes when he dived at the striker’s feet after he had broken into the box. Tam Jamieson then picked up a knock and went off and was replaced by Bryan Slavin. Tucker then pulled off another great save in 66 minutes when he tipped a Millar header over the bar.

McKenna then had a header comfortably saved just before Saltcoats equalised four minutes later when, despite Rovers having several chances to clear the ball after Vics had hit the post the ball was played into the goalmouth where Andy Cripps headed home to make it 1-1. Three minutes later, Saltcoats took the lead when Rovers lost the ball and Bembo played a low cross into the goalmouth which was missed by a defender and Chris McInnes forced the ball home - despite an attempt to clear the ball off the line by a defender.

In 78 minutes McKenna had a header deflected for a corner following a good run and cross from Steven Tan. Two minutes later Rovers made it 2-2 when Tan hit an angled shot into the net. However Vics grabbed the winner with five minutes remaining when once again the defence failed to clear the ball, despite several opportunities and Cripps forced the ball home following a goalmouth scramble despite attempts to clear the ball off the line. Winton attempts to get the ball back out of the net resulted in a melee with a number of players involved on both sides and when order was restored, Marc Davidson was red-carded to complete a miserable afternoon for the visitors.

SALTCOATS VICTORIA: Wright; Haji, Anderson, Cripps, Condon, McIntyre, Smith, Millar, Bembo, Stewart, McInnes, Subs: Murtagh, Brodie, Russell.

ARDROSSAN WR: Tucker; Davidson, Jamieson, Irvine, Cairnie, McGregor, Donovan, Muir, McKenna, Tan, Davidson. Subs: Slavin, Lennox, Orr, McMahon.