5 May 2008 - Three towns derby win for the Rovers
Stagecoach Ayrshire League Monday 5th May 2008
Saltcoats
Photos at www.flickr.com/photos/wintonrovers/
Winton managed to snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat after the Seasiders raced into a 3 – 0 lead but the Rovers clawed their way back into this game and came away with the three points. Winton opened this latest three towns derby playing some decent passing football on the long grass and Saltcoats had a couple of efforts from distance but they didn’t trouble the Winton keeper. Saltcoats went ahead after Winton failed to clear their lines following a corner on the right on 16 minutes when former Winton man Iain Collins latched onto a poor clearance and he lashed the ball through a ruck of players into the net. Worse was to follow for the Ardrossan side in 22 minutes when a free kick from Ian Gillon on the left was fumbled by Robertson and nipped Collins to make it 2 – 0 for the home side. Robertson redeemed himself pulling off a good save from Colin McClung diving to tip his effort past the post. The Seasiders went 3 – 0 up on 33 minutes when McClung went down the right and his cross went in behind the Rovers defence and Lee Duncan nipped in on the blind side to slip the ball past Robertson. Winton got a goal back 3 minutes before the interval and it was the product of a quick free kick from Colin Frye to McAvoy and he turned to send a low shot past Markey in the Vics’ goal. Winton could have got another goal back before the interval when a free kick from the edge of the box was curled in by Frye but Markey got a hand on it to tip the ball onto the post and out to safety. Winton started the second half meaning business and Gary Davidson got free on the left only to see his shot squirm past the far post. Saltcoats had their chances early in this period and Tam McLelland saw a header at the back post drift over. Winton were beginning to create more and more chances and Muir forced Markey into a save on 49 minutes after he cut in from the left. Davidson repeated his miss at the start of the second half on 51 minutes again stabbing the ball past the far post when one on one but Winton were awarded a controversial penalty on 55 minutes when Patterson was fouled by David Thomson inside the box. Patterson took the spot kick and scored to make it 3 – 2 despite Markey getting a hand on the ball. Winton were pushing for an equaliser and on 61 minutes a sharp move on the right saw Gallagher cut the ball back for Patterson to connect with a flying header but it was too straight at Markey. Winton were passing up chances and Muir hit a knock down from Gallagher on 64 minutes at the back post into the caravan park when it looked easier to score. The move of the game on 65 minutes saw Colin Frye skip past a couple of challenges as he ran at the Vics’ defence and then chipped the advancing keeper only to see his effort come off the post and away to safety. Greig Kean saw a mistake in the Winton defence allow him a chance but he shot wide but the Rovers equalised on 71 minutes when a corner on the right was headed home by the unfortunate James Thompson who had just come on for the Vics for a spectacular own goal. The Seasiders really should have gone ahead when an attempted header back by Brown allowed Greig Kean to get past the advancing Rovers’ keeper but from the tight angle he lost his composure and the ball went out for a throw in. Winton got the inevitable winning goal with 6 minutes to go when a Davidson effort from the left saw the ball get to McAvoy who forced a save from Markey but Scott Adam was on hand to tap the ball into the net.
Saltcoats
Markey, McKay, Affleck, Donnelly, Thomson, McLelland, Collins, Gillon, Duncan, McClung, Taggart.
Subs D.Kean, Fairbairn, Thompson,
Ardrossan Winton Rovers
Robertson,
Subs Adam, Shanks, Paton, Monan
Ref C.Brawls