23 May 2008 - Winton bow out of the Ayrshire cup to the Meadow

Ayrshire Weekly Press Cup Quarter Final                                 Friday 23^rd May 2008

Ardrossan Winton Rovers 1 – 3 Irvine Meadow XI

Photos at www.flickr.com/photos/wintonrovers/ 

Meadow progressed into the semi final of the showpiece domestic cup competition to set up a derby clash with Kilwinning Rangers. Winton never made it easy for their more illustrious opponents but they did have the consolation of scoring possibly the most spectacular goal ever seen at Winton Park. Winton had an excellent chance on 4 minutes to take the lead when Scott Adam latched onto a loose ball in the box but Wardrope got a leg to it and turned it past the post for a corner. Meadow’s Jaconelli got on the end of a diagonal ball 6 minutes later but he hooked the ball past the far post. Paul Brown was guilty of a short pass back and Gavin Friels latched onto the ball only for Stevie O’Neill to come rushing out to block his effort.  O’Neill was called into action on 23 minutes pulling off a low diving save to deny the Meadow.  Yet despite Winton’s resolute defending, Meadow took the lead on 30 minutes in the simplest of fashion when Charlie Adam put in a corner on the left and David Hamilton lept to head the ball home in off the post.  Meadow then tried to kill the game off but although they had plenty of possession the final pass wasn’t there.  Paul Hilland saw a snap shot from wide left fly just over the bar shortly before the interval but Winton almost got the equaliser when Gallagher set Adam free down the right channel and his cute cut back saw McAvoy in space but he fired just wide of the far post. 

Winton opened the second half brightly and an early chance saw a low ball go flying across the Meadow 6 yard box and on 55 minutes Scott Adam warmed Wardrope’s gloves with a stinging shot.  Meadow retaliated after this scare and Essler got free at the back post but saw his downwards header saved by O’Neill.  Millken for Winton got past McLaughlin on 58 minutes to try and test the Meadow keeper but his shot went over then Essler saw a free kick from the edge of the box clip bar and go over but O’Neill looked to have had it covered.  Meadow did extend their lead on 63 minutes when a ball from deep was misjudged by the Rovers defence allowing Friels all the time in the world to side foot the ball past the helpless O’Neill. Winton’s task of salvaging anything from this tie was effectively lost with 20 minutes to go when Colin Frye received his marching orders for dissent.  Joe Gold made it 3 – 0  with 8 minutes to go when a poor clearance allowed Gold to tuck the ball past the Winton keeper. Winton saved the best till last and scored what most commentators feel was probably the most spectacular goal seen at the park when direct from the restart following Meadow’s third goal, John Gallagher hit the ball from the centre spot straight into the top right hand corner of the net for a 56 yard screamer. 

Ardrossan Winton Rovers

O’Neill, Paton, Milliken, Brown, Easton, Muir, Patterson, Frye, McAvoy, Adam Gallagher

Subs Monan, Davidson, Shanks

Irvine Meadow XI

Wardrope, Wingate, Hilland, Gold, McLaughlin, Swift, Adam, Hamilton, Friels, Jaconelli, Essler

Subs Dillon, Mason, Ramsey, Strain, Turner

Ref S. MacMillan