5 Apr 2008 - Hurlford win in thriller at Blair Park
Stagecoach Ayrshire District League Saturday 5th April 2008
Hurlford United 3 - 2 Ardrossan Winton Rovers
Photos available at www.flickr.com/photos/wintonrovers
The first meeting of these two clubs in 8 years saw the home team take the points in a game where Winton twice took the lead but ultimately couldn’t hold onto it. The ‘Ford took the game to their visitors early in the game playing up the slope and against the wind in the first half and on 5 minutes Tony Murphy saw his low shot blocked on the edge of the box. Garry Russell’s free kick after 9 minutes of play took a deflection off Hart but the ball landed safely in the arms of Robertson in the Winton goal. Winton’s first real effort came on 13 minutes when a cross ball from the right was laid off by Gallagher to Muir but his left foot strike was saved by Allan Smith in the ‘Ford goal. Scott Adam picked up a loose ball from Crawford 3 minutes after this and had a go from 20 yards but the ball went past the left hand post. There was plenty of action in the early part of this game and Robertson did well to so low at his near post from a shot by Murphy. Gallagher set up Adam with a chance on 24 minutes but the striker’s effort skewed past the far post. The Rovers took the lead 2 minutes after this when a long throw in from the left by Milliken was flicked into the box and McAvoy scored with an overhead kick from 12 yards out. The lead wasn’t to last long when a simple ball through the middle on 26 minutes saw Derek Rae score with a low shot from just inside the box. The game was quite even at this stage with some half chances falling to either side. Winton started the second half well and a good move saw Graeme Patterson get on the end of a cut back but there wasn’t enough power in his shot to trouble Smith. Gallagher cut in from the left on 50 minutes and he got a curling shot that was deflected out for a corner as Winton began to push on. McAvoy got free on 53 minutes but Smith got out to block his effort. The goal that the Rovers’ pressure deserved came in 54 minutes when another move on the right saw the ball cut back to Patterson who in turn squared the ball for Milliken to run in and side foot the ball home from 12 yards out. Alas the Rovers’ inability to hold onto the lead saw ‘Ford get an equaliser 2 minutes later but only after Winton got away with a miraculous clearance off the goal line the ball eventually came out to Burgess who fired in a low shot that Robertson could only parry and the loose ball fell nicely to the feet of Hart who tucked the ball home. Robertson kept Winton in the game in 58 minutes when he pulled off a brilliant stop at the feet of Lawless at the back post when it looked easier for the number 6 to score. The game was flowing from end to end and Patterson rolled the ball into Muir who got in a shot that Smith managed to tip round the post. Scott McGregor got a decent turn and shot in on 62 minutes. The winning goal came in 67 minutes, courtesy of a slip by Winton when a throw out to Patterson was intercepted by Crawford and he ran in on goal forced a save from the Rovers’ keeper but the loose ball this time was picked up by McGregor who scored from 6 yards out. Gallagher’s close control and running saw him force another decent stop from Smith on 75 minutes as Winton tried to claw their way back into this game. As Winton pushed up the park David Craig got in on goal but Robertson again saved and a minute after this the Hurlford defence was opened up but the resultant effort from Davidson saw the ball loop over the bar. On 82 minutes Davidson again got in on goal but he didn’t produce an effort to trouble Smith. The game was really being stretched as Winton pushed on leaving some gaps at the back and a free kick to ‘Ford on the edge of the box saw Robertson tip over Rae’s curling effort with 2 minutes left on the clock.
Hurlford United
Smith, Burgess, Crawford, Rae, McAnenay, Lawless, Murphy, Russell, McGregor, Hart, Craig.
Subs Robertson, Nimmo, McKinnon, Carr, Caldwell
Ardrossan Winton Rovers
Robertson,
Subs Paton, McCann, Davidson, Cook
Ref G.O’Neil