BEITH showed they possess bouncebackability to take three points from a crucial match against promotion rivals Shotts and atone for the previous week’s poor display at Greenock.

Changes meant starts for Joe Bradley, Gary Wild and Nicky Docherty with Andy Reid taking the striking role.

Fans in the healthy crowd enjoyed a lively start with plenty of attacking intent on show from both sides. Playing up the slope the home side built up some steady pressure as the game settled and grabbed the lead in the 10th minute when they kept Shotts pegged back from a corner allowing John Sheridan to head down in the box for Paul Frize to sweep the ball home from six yards.

Beith continued to hold the majority of possession but Shotts were quick to break forward when the opportunity arose and Hanlon found room to fire in a shot that went a few yards wide. The home side continued to build on their positive start with Joe Bradley and David McGowan in particular giving the visitors a difficult time and they duly doubled their advantage after 25 minutes. McGowan’s industry around the box paid off when he slipped a perfectly timed pass into the path of Nicky Docherty who wasted no time to shoot past White.

Shotts showed they were not going to roll over easily and they upped their game forcing Docherty to make a brilliant challenge on the edge of the box to rob McStay as he was about to shoot. Danger man McKenna also began to show his class and Adam Strain did well to hold him up when he burst clear to force the ball out for a corner. The keeper was called upon minutes later to block a Hanlon effort as the visitors turned the screw. John Sheridan and Gary Wild in the centre of the Beith defence looked to have repelled the danger as the interval approached and they should have bagged a third when a fine move let Bradley play McGowan in only to see him pull his shot wide of the target. The visitors persisted however and they got themselves right back into the match in the last action of the half when McStay clipped a shot into the bottom corner to finish off a fine passing move.

The entertainment continued after the restart with both sides continuing to go forward. Beith forced a couple of corners and were delighted to accept a slice of luck when a dangerous delivery into the box ended up in the net with the last touch hard to make out with an own goal looking most likely. The elation was short lived however as Shotts rallied again and pulled back the deficit a minute later when McKenna got clear on the right, from what looked an offside position, and showed great composure to chip advancing keeper Adam Strain.

Pedantic referee Mr McKniff seemed to be doing his best to spoil what was a fine contest, booking players for very minor offences given any opportunity but the players thankfully managed to remain focused on the contest in hand. Shotts missed a great chance to level in the 70th minute when McKenna was allowed a virtual free header from free kick but somehow headed over. Adam Strain, who had a fine game in the Beith goal, produced another crucial save as time wore on to turn a deflected shot wide when he was initially diving the other way.

Beith had a good shout for a penalty ignored late on when sub Hobbs went down under a challenge in the box before the action was brought to a close with Beith working hard to keep their precious lead intact.

In stark contrast a week earlier, the whole Beith side deserved praise for their efforts but a special mention should be made for Gary Wild who was comfortably the best player on the pitch.

BEITH: Strain; Ryan, Wilson, Wild, Sheridan, MacDonald, Bradley, Frize, Reid, McGowan, Docherty. Subs: Hobbs, McKay, Gibson, McShane, Lundy (gk).

SHOTTS BON ACCORD: White; Finnigan, Burns, McMahon, Walker, Canning, Hanlon, McStay, McKenna, Marriot. Summers. subs: Smillie, Cross, McSorley, White, Rankin.

Pictures by Stephen Kerr.

For the full story see this week's Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald.