16 Feb 2008 - Winton win at Barrfields
Saturday 16th February 2008 Ayrshire Weekly Press Cup 1st Round
Largs Thistle 0 – 2 Ardrossan Winton Rovers
Photos available at www.flickr.com/photos/wintonrovers
Winton move into round two of the Ayrshire Weekly Press cup with an impressive display at Barrfields. The opening period saw Winton create the first opening of the game as McAvoy put a decent cross ball from the right but Graham Muir just failed to get on the end of it. The Thistle retaliated and on 6 minutes after some head tennis, Jonathon Donnelly got a low drive in but debutant keeper Colin Robertson saved well with his legs. A minute later and the young keeper got down well at his near post to hold another Donnelly effort as Largs looked to get the opening goal. Molloy was booked for a foul on 20 minutes and from the resultant free kick by Gallagher, Muir’s knock down wasn’t cleanly hit by McAvoy. The Barrfields’ men main threat was coming from Donnelly and on 29 minutes he got on the end of a corner on the right and forced a good block again from Robertson.
In the first minute of the second half, the Rovers took the lead and it came from the right when a Colin Frye free kick was knocked into the near post and John Gallagher stooped to head the ball past Connick in at his near post. A minute later, McAvoy and Frye combined well in midfield and the former ran in on goal but was driven wide and couldn’t get a decent finish. Largs almost got on level terms on 54 minutes when Donnelly saw a shot take a wicked bounce in front of Colin Robertson but he managed to fist the ball over the bar. Winton almost extended their lead on 65 minutes when a corner on the right saw Shanks head the ball back into the mix and Scott Adam’s effort was cleared off the line. Adam was instrumental in Winton’s second goal in 69 minutes as he threaded a pass through to McAvoy who ran on and slotted a good shot past Connick from the edge of the box to give Winton a decisive lead. Largs huffed and puffed but efforts either went wide or lacked any dig as Winton controlled the game. David Wilson saw two chances go a begging late in the game when his shot at the back post was turned out for a corner and from this the full back hit a cracking volley that just went over. With 2 minutes left Graham Black got a header in at the back post but Robertson saved to deny the hosts a late consolation.
Largs Thistle
Connick, Molloy, McLennan, McMillan, McColl, Hendren, Dow, Donnelly, McCabe, Fulton, McCann
Subs McClure, Gault, Robertson, Jamieson, Black
Ardrossan Winton Rovers
Robertson,
Subs Monan, Patterson, Nolan, Milliken, Adam
Ref Kevin Graham