Ardrossan Winton Rovers
Away Day Delight
| Muirkirk Juniors | 3 |
| Ardrossan Winton Rovers | 5 |
Stagecoach Ayrshire League
WINTON finally picked up three valuable away points from the third away match on the trot, but not before allowing their hosts take an early lead and let them build on it through some shambolic defending.
Rovers pegged them back though, just before half time, and then produced the football they are capable of in a dazzling second half blitz.
The visitors were trailing as early as the sixth minute when a long clearance went over the head of Andy Rae and Chris Hynd was through on goal, rounded Ross Stewart and rolled the ball home.
Rovers drew level after 20 minutes after a well worked passing movement through midfield that found Jamie Paton on the right wing and his cross found John Gallagher, who got between Muirkirk's two towering central defenders to head home from eight yards out.
Two bookings followed shortly after this, Hannah for Muirkirk in the 25th minute and Rae three minutes later for a poor tackle, while Winton seemed happy to offer the home side chances.
Poor passing in midfield allowed Muirkirk to take possession and, although Stewart blocked Hynds' effort, Stewart Bryce following up had the easiest of tasks to put Muirkirk back in front.
They extended the lead in the 38th minute, once again through a defensive blunder after George Bonnar and Chris Jones collided going for the same ball and Grieg Gallagher scored at the back post.
Adams was booked for going down to easily in the Muirkirk box three minutes before half time, but there was no doubting Rovers next penalty claim.
Gallagher went through on goal, took a touch to round keeper McInnes, who brough him down, he could easily have faced the same fate as England's Robert Green later in the day, but he was only yellow carded.
Scott Adam proved to be more accurate than Andrei Schevchenko and hammered the resultant spot kick home, to give Rovers a lifeline right on the half time whistle.
As the second half started, the Winton management team opted for a traditional sweeper system after a troubled defensive display in the first period and looked more solid for it.
It took them just seven second half minutes to draw level when Adam played a ball to Gallagher who turned his marker, slid a pass to Paton and the full back fired a low shot across McInnes.
Once again Winton were denied a penalty when Adam appeared to be brought down by Wright, but his earlier booking may have influenced the referee's decision.
But they finally took the lead in the 65th minute after amazing work by Gallagher who held off two defenders in the area, find space to pick out Graeme Hamilton at the front post who notched number four.
Just three minutes later came the fifth when another strong run from Paton ended with him being upended by Minor and once again Adam made no mistake from the spot.
Muirkirk's troubles continued when Ross Hannah was given a straight red for speaking out of turn to the referee and compounded his offence in a farcical manner.
He stripped his shirt off and threw it away, gathered up some mud from the pitch to throw at the referee before re-emerging from the dressing room, bare chested, to further berate the official.
Winton could have extended the lead when Gallagher, after a strong run, laid the ball off to Graham Muir, but the skipper's shot was bravely blocked by a defender.
On Saturday October 17 face their fourth week running on the road with a trip to Wisha in the New Coins Automatic West of Scotland Cup first round.
But they will have to have a more secure defensive formation than the recent format that has saw them ship 11 goals in their last three games.
Man of the match was John Gallagher who had a hand in all five goals.
WINTON: Stewart, Paton, McMillan, Rae, Bonnar,
Muir,
Adam, Gallagher, Gilmour, Hamilton, Jones.
Subs: Breen, Reid, McGeady, Graham.
This match report has been reproduced by kind permission the editor, Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald.