Ardrossan Winton Rovers Archive
Winton Dominate Thistle for Easy Win
| Ardrossan Winton Rovers | 4 |
| Ardeer Thistle | 2 |
Stagecoach Ayrshire League
ROVERS picked up a welcome three points, although they passed up a few chances to make this victory a wee bit more emphatic.
Ardeer had new signings Thomas Latta and Paul Monan in their line up and it helped with the re-building of the Stevenson side.
Winton showed their menace after only 10 minutes in this game when a corner on the right was met by McAvoy who saw his effort blocked instinctively by Scott Henderson but the loose ball was tucked home by Scott Adam.
After 16 minutes Winton passed up a couple of chances to extend their lead but Muir's pass through to Hamilton saw Henderson block his effort and the Ardeer defence managed to clear.
Derek Gemmell hit an effort from 30 yards on 20 minutes but it was always going too high. Ardeer got back on level terms on 26 minutes when Stephen Renton side footed home a cross from the right. Winton were still the dominant team and Muir was blocked by Henderson one-on-one on 30 minutes.
Billy Gilmour almost restored Rovers lead when he leapt to head a corner just passed the post on 35 minutes.
A series of chances fell to Winton five minutes later but a combination of poor finishing and good goal keeping saw Rovers held.
Winton went ahead on 41 minutes after Hamilton rose at the back post to bullet a header past Henderson. Rovers made it 3-1 when Hamilton rolled a ball into the feet of McAvoy who let the ball run before firing a shot low into the far post.
Three minutes into the second half and Ardeer got a life line when Renton was upended in the box by Stewart who was booked for his trouble and Kennedy stroked home the spot kick to give the Stevenson men some hope.
On the hour Monan set up Thornhill with a good move but his low shot was held by Stewart.
Winton extended their lead on 65 minutes when a good ball from Gallagher saw Scott Adam hold off his man, cut inside and stroke the ball home from 18 yards to give Rovers a decisive lead.
The hosts were dominant but guilty on 70 minutes of trying to walk the ball into the net but were found out.
Hamilton hit the cross bar with four minutes remaining as Winton tried to extend their lead.
Further chances as the game ended saw a John Gallagher shot brilliantly saved by Henderson but in the final minute Winton had four chances to score, but each one was missed as a combination of Henderson's brilliance and the lack of a killer instinct saw the visitors survive.
WINTON: Stewart, Paton, Milliken, Gilmour, Easton,
Muir,
Patterson, Hamilton, McAvoy, Adam, Gallagher.
Subs: Graham, Wilson, Houston, Cook.
Ardeer: Henderson, Gemmell, O'Keefe, Latta, Thornhill,
McKinon,
Kennedy, Chesney, Renton, Paton, Monan.
Subs: Kean, Hillier, Stirling, McKinnon, Lewis.
This article has been reproduced by kind permission the editor, Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald.