5 Jan 2008 - Beaten by Lugar

Stagecoach Ayrshire League

Ardrossan Winton Rovers 2- 4 Lugar Boswell Thistle

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

Lugar dug deep to win this game played in terrible conditions at Winton Park. The first chance of the game arose when Campbell McCluskie decided to try out the Rovers' trialist keeper with a chip from 40 yards but Gordon Adam proved equal to the task as he gathered the ball after tipping the ball onto the bar then gathering it.
Winton went up the park after this scare and Alan Shanks saw a good drive well parried by Derek Gall in the Lugar goal. Lugar retaliated with a couple of dangerous corners but there was no one to finish of the move. Winton went ahead on 16 minutes when Graham Muir got free on the left and from his cross McAvoy had an effort on goal but the ball eventually fell to John Gallagher who hit a spectacular over head kick in to the postage stamp corner of the net to give the Rovers the lead. Lugar consolidated well after this so it took another eight minutes before Graeme Patterson got in on goal after Muir had set him up. Stephen Auld was looking dangerous showing good pace but his momentum carried him beyond getting a decent effort on goal on 26 minutes. Gary Grossart got a decent effort in on goal for Lugar on 34 minutes but Gordon Adam saved well at his near post. John Gallagher did really well a minute later to go past two Lugar defenders to get a shot in on target but keeper Gall was blocking every move the Rovers could make. Lugar got back on level terms in 38 minutes when a free kick was lofted in to the box and the ref penalised a raised arm to award the penalty kick. Campbell McCluskie took the spot kick and despite Adam getting hands on the ball the Lugar man scored. Winton tried to get ahead before half time and Shanks saw a flying header go over from a corner kick. Lugar went ahead just before half time when a seemingly innocuous cross from Morrison was adjudged to have been taken over the line by the Winton keeper to give Lugar a surprising half time lead.

Winton went at the Lugar defence and McAvoy was unfortunate to see his driving run on 49 minutes blocked by the feet of Derek Gall. Winton went down to 10 men on 55 minutes when Colin Frye was dismissed for a second yellow making the home teams task all the more difficult. Winton's luck was summed up on 59 minutes when a cross from Alan Shanks was missed by the Lugar keeper but Patterson and Muir also missed the ball as Lugar cleared. Patterson had a chance after being set up by David Wilson coming from deep. Stephen Auld was breaking for Lugar but the stand in Winton keeper did well to save with his legs. The Rovers almost got on level terms on 67 minutes but although Wilson stroked the ball home he as adjudged offside after knocking in Graham Muir's effort. Winton's task of getting something out of this game suddenly got harder on 71 minutes when Blackhurst slipped the ball past Adam and extend Lugar's lead. Blackhurst was then sent off in the most mysterious circumstances after 81 minutes. McCluskie sealed the game for Lugar on 82 minutes when he latched onto a knock down and slid a good low drive past Adam from 18 yards. Adam pulled off a couple of good stops towards the end of the game but the game ended with a consolation goal for the Winton when Lugar's keeper Gall was penalised for handling a pass back, John Gallagher hit a good low cross which was knocked in by Paul Monan playing his first game since his leg break two years ago.


Ardrossan Winton Rovers
Adam, Wilson, Milliken, Brown, Easton, Shanks, Patterson, Frye, McAvoy, Gallagher, Muir
Subs Paton, Nolan, McCann, Monan, Wallace

Lugar Boswell Thistle
Gall, Dunlop, McDonald, McCluskie, Muir, Mulgrew, Auld, McMahon, Grossart, Blackhurst, Morrison
Subs Roy, Millar, Cameron, Thorburn

Referee D. Roache