McBookie Ayrshire District League

DALRY THISTLE 3

ARDROSSAN WINTON ROVERS 0 (at Winton Park)

By Stewart McConnell

DETERMINED Dalry looked like the champions in waiting on Monday night as they dismantled Winton with a fine second half performance.

They are now just six points behind leaders Irvine Vics with FIVE games in hand.

The game was switched from Merksworth Park owing to drainage problems, but Dalry made it fell just like home as they racked up another vital victory.

However they were made to work hard by an improved Winton side, who were playing their final match of the season.

Indeed Winton began well and in nine minutes David Orr sent a cross-cum-shot over the bar from 25 yards.

Then a long ball from Orr just evaded Lee Davidson 25 yards from goal in 16 minutes.

There was another near miss from Winton in 20 minutes when Steven Tan made darting run and squared to Lee Davidson, who screwed a shot just wide from eight yards.

Thistle were unlucky in 38 minutes when winger Kieran McLaughlin had a shot inside the box scrambled away by the Rovers defence.

However two minutes later Dalry scored when a mix-up between goalkeeper Bryan Tucker and a defender allowed McLaughlin to pounce and rattle the ball home from eight yards.

Three minutes after the break a 25-yard rocket from the goalscorer was tipped round the post by Winton captain Tucker. At the other end a header Nick Wilde was well saved by Blair Lochhead.

Dalry came close in 53 minutes when a Dylan Stevenson thunderbolt came off the post. However a minute later the same player shot low into the bottom corner from 25 yards.

Then in 66 minutes Thistle were awarded a penalty-kick when McLaughlin was tripped inside the box and veteran striker Ian Cashmore confidently netted from th penalty spot.

Winton had another opportunity in 75 minutes when Lee Davidson saw his 25-yard effort well saved by Lochhead.

DALRY THISTLE: B Lochhead; Burns, K Lochhead, Hannah, Kirkwood, Lavery, McLaughlin, Turner, Cashmore, Cumming, Stevenson. Subs: Lawrie, Collins, McGowan, Fleeting, Fisher.

ARDROSSAN WR: Tucker; Orr, Wilde, Ashe, McGregor, Davidson, McVeigh, Tan, Lennox, Louchlin, McMahon. Subs: Thompson, Mills, Davidson, McKenna, Jamieson.