A DRAMATIC injury-time goal saw Winton denied their first point as Chris Strain Snr’s side were edged out by their Ayrshire rivals in a thrilling seven-goal basememt battle A sizeable crowd turned out to watch this game between two sides looking for their first points of the league season.

Winton were down to the bare bones with only John Bradford and Michael Wardrope on the bench.

Rovers started brightly and visiting goalie Darren Johnson smothered a Ryan Caddis shot in three minutes.

Cumnock’s first chance came in nine minutes when Kieran Downs shot just wide from 20 yards. A minute later Dylan Caddis made a good save from a deflected flick from Andy Scott following a good run and cross by Owen Ronald down the right. Bobby Colligan then had a shot through a crowd of players parried away by the Cumnock keeper in 12 minutes.

The visitors had the best chance when the defence didn’t pick up Owen Ronald from a throw-in but from a good position he tried squaring the ball to Andy Scott and Robbie Cochrane made a vital clearance before it reached the striker.

Rovers were dealt a blow when Caddis was taken off injured in 27 minutes to be replaced by John Bradford.

The Cumnock defence had to clear a dangerous Jared Willet cross from the goalmouth just before they took the lead on the half hour. From the resulting corner Ronald cleared the ball out to Josh Watt and he played it between two defenders. Dylan Caddis came out of his goal but over-ran the ball and it reached Paul Burns who forced it home.

Cumnock were in command and doubled their lead a minute before half-time. Rovers had failed to clear their lines before Paul Burns found Scott on the edge of the box to fire low past Caddis.

Winton came out in determined mood in the second half and just three minutes in Willet won the ball from James Lundie before playing in Colligan who swung a dangerous cross into the goalmouth. Johnson then mfingertipped away a Conor Browning shot.

In 61 minutes Willet crossed into the goalmouth where Bradford scored with a spectacular overhead kick which looped over Johnson and into the net.

Willet then had a good long range shot saved by Johnson who saved at Turner’s feet in 66 minutes. Two minutes later Bradford hit a first-time volley home after a cross from the right by Gareth Turner for his second of the game.

It took another great save by Johnson to deny Bobby Colligan in 70 minutes.

Rovers almost took the lead in 79 minutes. Wood passed the ball out to Murphy about 30 yards out. Under pressure he chipped the ball back to Johnson who was out of his goal. The ball sailed over the keeper’s head but unfortunately hit the post and went out for a corner.

Two minutes later Rovers took the lead their play deserved when Colligan ran onto a ball down the left wing from Willet and cut inside Ronald and into the box before curling a shot into the far corner.

Johnson tipped a Willet shot over the bar two minutes later.

Winton paid the price for not killing the game off with four minutes left when another long ball from Johnson was played on by Murphy and Downs was in quickly to force it past Caddis.

Caddis seemed to have salvaged a point with a minute of normal time left with a great double save from a header then a point blank shot from McNeil.

But just when it looked like ending deadlocked, Cumnock scored in time added on. Rovers lost the ball and despite the attentions of Cochrane, substitute Aiden Malone got into the box and slipped the ball under Caddis to spark celebrations for Cumnock and furious protests by Rovers which saw Ben Carson being sent off.

ARDROSSAN WR: D Caddis; Breen, Richardson. Holden, Carson, Browning, Turner, Willet, Caddis, Colligan, Cochrane. Subs: Bradford, Wardrope.