LADESIDE made it comfortably into the second round of the top competition after making the journey up to Fife to take on Newburgh at Eastshore Park.

Four first half goals, three from Steve Meechan and a Darren Miller free-kick, put Kilbirnie well ahead.

And they were able to coast into the second half with further strikes from Matt Bennett and Ian Gold.

Kilbirnie dominated from start to finish and could have taken the lead inside the opening minute when Gold played in Bennett but his shot was saved by Hannan. A minute later Newburgh gifted the ball to Miller and he should have done better but Hannan again made a good stop.

Kilbirnie took the lead after 10 minutes when Ryan Haxton won the ball on the right and found it Kieran Brannan who played a good pass to Meechan inside the box and he made no mistake as he swept the ball past Hannan into the bottom left corner of the net. Meechan notched his second three minutes later, Brannan played the ball onto Anderson who skipped by a couple of tackles before crossing the ball low to the back post where Meechan slid in to fire the ball into the net. Newburgh had about their only shot at goal after twenty three minutes when the ball found its way through the Ladeside defence to Lindsay but he had already been flagged for offside before Hughes saved his effort.

Meechan bagged his third in 25 minutes after Miller swept a pass out wide to Haxton and he beat his defender before firing the ball across the six-yard box where Meechan was there at the back post to fire home from close range.

Ladeside’s fourth goal came in 33 minutes after Gold had been fouled by Hill out on the left wing. Miller fired the free-kick into the box and it was missed by everyone and ended up beating Hannan in the Newburgh goal.

Ladeside started the second half the same as the first and a Gold shot hit the side netting after good play by Miller. A great challenge by Anderson in midfield a couple of minutes later set up Brannan but his shot was deflected wide.

Kilbirnie increased their lead in 53 minutes when Miller played the ball into the path of Bennett and he went past a couple of defenders before slotting the ball home.

Brannan had a chance a minute later after he robbed the ball off Smart and ran in on goal but his shot from the edge of the box went well wide.

With 58 minutes played Ladeside made it six. Good play in midfield between Anderson, Meechan and Miller saw the latter slip the ball into Gold inside the box and he fired a shot past Hannan and into the net.

Kilbirnie lost Kilbirnie lost a bit of their rhythm after making three substitutions but still managed to create chances and Gold turned well inside the box before firing a shot across goal just wide.

Gallacher should have scored after a good ball wide from O’Byrne found Gold on the left and he fired the ball low into the middle of the box but Gallacher somehow shot over the bar from a couple of yards.

KILBIRNIE LADESIDE: Hughes; Haxton, Bennett, Staunton, O’Byrne, Donnelly. Miller, Anderson, Brannan, Meechan, Gold. Subs: Boyd, Rafferty, Gallacher, Duncan, Fahey.

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