McBookie League One

ARDROSSAN WINTON ROVERS 1

GREENOCK JUNIORS 2

FOR the third game running, Rovers named an unchanged starting line – up and had new signing Paul Young who had arrived in a swap deal for Mathew Ashe from Irvine Vics on the bench. They were looking to put more points between them and their visitors at the top end of the table.

Greenock had the first chance when Darren Kennedy had a shot deflected out for a corner. Following this Winton won a free-kick 25 yards out when Jamie McKenna was brought down by Sean Jamieson after he had run onto a clearance out of defence. However the set-piece was hit into the wall and was cleared in four minutes.

Winton came very close in 10 minutes when Jamie McKenna volleyed a Sean Mears cross off the underside of the bar at the back post but the ball rebounded to a defender who headed the ball clear.

Greenock hit back five minutes later when Derek Kennedy shot high and wide from 20 yards. There was another good chance for Rovers in 23 minutes when following some good lead-up play, the ball was played to Jamie McKenna on the right side of the box. McLement spilled his well hit shot but no one was following in and the danger was cleared.

Despite the chances the game was fairly scrappy with Winton keeping giving the ball away and they went behind in the 32 minutes when a ball into the box from Derek Kennedy wasn’t dealt with by the defence and it ran through to Adam Houlihan who fired past Scott Watson from about 12 yards to make it 1-0. Winton won another free-kick in a good position in 35 minutes but David Cunningham’s shot was deflected wide. Greenock had the final chance of the half when Darren Kennedy at the back post headed the ball wide of the other post.

Greenock had all the early chances after the break with Watson making a comfortable save from Houlihan on 47 minutes. Two minutes after that a poor clearance came out to him but he shot wide of goal. Rovers had an escape on 55 minutes when a good Greenock move saw Derek Kennedy in on goal but he lost his footing and the ball ran through to the Winton goalie. Winton’s first real chance of the second period saw a long range shot from Sean Mears comfortably saved by McLement in 58 minutes.

Winton were really struggling to get going against the better team and made a couple of changes with David Adams and Jordan Bruce replaced Chris Wilson and Ross Ballantyne in 65 minutes. It was almost 2-0 three minutes later after Rovers gave the ball away out on the right wing and although Darren Kennedy was played in his shot was weak and went straight to Scott Watson.

Winton then won a corner-kick on the right following some good play by David Adams and Jamie McKenna. Although Jamie Cunningham’s set-piece came back to him, he crossed the ball again and Graham Longair rose to head the ball home for the equaliser in 75 minutes. With Rovers pushing for a second goal Greenock hit them with a sucker punch when Houlihan got on to a ball over David Wilson out on the left and crossed the ball to Ryan Corr, who shot past Scott Watson from 15 yards to make it 2-1.

Winton pressed for another equaliser and on 90 minutes some good play between Sean Mears and Adams saw the striker get into the box and although McLement spilled his shot, he recovered the ball before anyone could get to it.

It was a poor result and under-par performance from Winton who never really got going.

ARDROSSAN WINTON ROVERS: Watson; McGregor, Hunter, Wilson, Longair, Wilson, Ballantyne, J Cunningham, McKenna, D Cunningham, Mears. Subs: Adams, Bruce, Young, Lennox, Davidson.