Irvine Times | Sport | Buffs mow down a resiliant Meadow

Friday, 29th August, 2008

Published: Wednesday, 28th May, 2008 13:00

Buffs mow down a resiliant Meadow

By Stewart McConnell

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KILWINNING RANGERS 2 v 1 IRVINE MEADOW

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HOLDERS Meadow were dumped by Buffs firing on all cylinders, meaning the Irvine club's first trophyless season in three years.

Alan McTurk's team were worthy winners against the Meadow as they outplayed them for much of the game, although the visitors were left fizzing after having a goal chalked off for an infringement late in the match.

Starman for the hosts was frontman James Tyler, who ran his former side ragged in the second half.

In the opening minute Meadow had an opportunity as a David Hamilton shot was scrambled away by defender Jeff Howe.

But in five minutes the favourites took the lead as an Emilio Jaconelli header was cleared off the line and Joe Gold pounced to hook home the rebound from six yards.

Then a swerving 20-yard effort from andy Essler glanced just over the bar in 13 minutes. But Buffs forged their first opening two minutes later as a Stephen McCulloch cornerkick was headed just past a post from 10 yards by George Wallace.

Then the homeside began to exert some pressure, and were rewarded in 23 minutes when an S McCulloch corner-kick was cleared only as far as Gary Broadfield to smash a low 20-yard piledriver into the bottom corner.

Buffs started the second half as they had ended the first and three minutes in Tyler shot past a post from 20 yards. McTurk's men were in the ascendancy and at 55 minutes Reid teed up Broadfiled to shoot past from just outside the box.

However, on the hour Buffs went ahead when a cornerkick from S McCulloch caught Wardrope by surprise and was ruled to have crossed the line, although it was a marginal decision.

At 71 minutes the visiting bench were infuriated when Derek Wingate headed home a corner-kick from six yards but the goal was chopped off for an infringement by Stephen Swift.

Then four minutes from time the impressive Tyler out-stripped the Meadow defence before mis-hitting close to goal. In the final minute Reid shot just past a post from 16 yards as the Abbey Parkers held out for a famous victory.