West League One

ARDROSSAN WINTON ROVERS 1

BLANTYRE VICTORIA 4

WINTON went into this game knowing victory would move them within a point of Gartcairn ahead of this coming weekend's meeting of the two teams.

They made one change, with Sean Mears returning to the starting 11 due to Sam Liddington returning to Hurlford United at the end of his loan period.

The hosts never got going in this game, played at a windy Winton Park and the visitors controlled proceedings from kick-off. Some early pressure saw them take the lead in two minutes when poor defending allowed former Irvine Meadow man Con Boyle in to head home from close range.

Rovers had a bit of pressure of their own with Mears shooting wide and Jamie McKenna having a shot saved by Dean Trainer. Then in 10 minutes the striker was just unable to connect with a good ball into the box from Jamie Cunningham. However Winton were keeping giving the ball away and not finding their men with their passes and 12 minutes, Scott Watson saved a shot from Scott McLean.

It was however Rovers who got the next goal when David Smith did well to win possession out on the right and played a dangerous ball into the goalmouth where Jamie McKenna was brought down for a penalty which was converted by Jo Maxwell in 23 minutes.

Two minutes later Blantyre restored their lead when they were awarded a dubious spot kick after Watson came off his line and pushed a dangerous ball into the box away from the oncoming Vics player who then went down. Despite Winton protests, the referee gave a penalty which was scored by Dale Jones in 25 minutes. In an increasingly scrappy and poor game Winton cleared the ball off the line in 33 minutes and a couple of minutes before the break they fell further behind when they lost the ball on the right corner of their box and it was played in to Nadeem Zeb who had a free header from 0 yards.

The second half continued much as the first had ended with Winton giving the ball away and misplacing passes although in 53 minutes, David Adams forced Trainer to make a save when he picked up a throw-in from Andy McGregor on the left and cut into the box before shooting. Winton then brought on Davie Cunningham for Sean Mears just before Scott Watson saved a header from Kieran Coleman on the hour. Blantyre got a fourth in 65 minutes when Winton once again lost the ball and Lewis MacDonald got into the box where he was needlessly pulled down by Andy McGregor, who was booked, resulting in another penalty, which was converted by Jones.

To cap a miserable afternoon a few minutes later, McGregor was shown a second yellow card for a tackle on the halfway line.

It was a poor result and probably the worst performance of the season will see Rovers have to step up a gear or two when they travel to face Gartcairn on Saturday.

ARDROSSAN WINTON ROVERS: Watson; McGregor, Hunter, D Wilson, Longair, Maxwell, Smith, J Cunningham, Adams, McKenna, Mears. Subs: D Cunningham, Bruce, Young, Lamb, C Wilson.