MEADOW ARE VICTIMS OF REVENGE.

BEITH 3

IRVINE MEADOW 0

ON-FORM Beith gained sweet revenge for the heavy defeat suffered at Meadow Park a few weeks ago to claim the points with a solid performance..

The result adds to the pressure on Stevie Rankin's struggling side who are a shadow of the team who had been tipped as title contenders last season following a dream start.

Defeat for Meadow was a huge setback following the Scottish Cup victory at Dunbar and they remain anchored to bottom spot in the Premier Division.

Beith, by contrast are now unbeaten in their last five games and clearly playing with a lot of confidence.

Meadow made a positive start with Shaun Fraser in particular causing problems for the home defence. Beith Keeper Stephen Grindlay had to be on his toes to turn a Girvan shot behind but from a second corner Darroch had a great opportunity to open the scoring but he failed to control the ball a few yards out and shot over.

Beith steadily worked their way into the contest and Andy Reid went close with a free kick before Darren Christie had his shot blocked after a good move.

The game was swinging from end-to-end now and well-travelled striker Ian Diack had a chance for Meadow on the break in 25 minutes but decided to shoot early allowing Grindlay to save comfortably.

Beith continued to up the ante and Graeme Shepherd did well to save a Burke shot before McLean headed a Christie cross over the bar.

Meadow midfielder Michael Keenan collected a yellow card for a rash challenge on Martin as Meadow began to struggle with Beith asking real questions. The home side's pressure eventually told and they got their noses in front six minutes before the break when Kenny McLean showed great poise in a crowded box to cleverly back heel a Christie cross home.

Meadow's discipline was unravelling as Beith continued to push forward and Fraser received a yellow for clattering into Tommy Martin before Keenan marched just before the half-time whistle when he stupidly went through Kenny McLean right in front of referee Craig Napier to collect a second yellow.

Beith's attack of Reid, McLean and Christie continued to cause danger after the restart while Meadow's threat seemed to come solely via Gary McCann and he had a fine run and shot blocked for a corner. Another two corners followed but were dealt with comfortably by the Beith defence before they stretched their lead in 54 minutes when Andy Reid finished off a neat move, finding the bottom corner with a fine shot into the far corner from just outside the box.

With the security of a two goal lead, the home side continued to control proceedings and Meadow had an unbelievable escape in 65 minutes when a combination of post, keeper and desperate defending kept Beith from adding another.

Both sides made personnel changes with Beith forced to further re-jg their attack when they lost Darren Christie with a head injury.

Meadow showed some spirited defiance late on and Girvan went close when he drove forward and shot narrowly past. However home side had the last say and after keeper Shepherd had produced a great save to touch a goalbound Tom Collins shot onto the bar he had to pick the ball from the net in the last minute when McLean finished off another good move, shooting home at the back post.

BEIH: Grindlay; Ryan, Burke, MacDonald, Sheridan, Martin, Christie, Wilson, Reid, McLean, McGowan. Subs: Collins, Campbell, Watt, McGregor, McArthur.

IRVINE MEADOW:: Shepherd;; Girvan, Wilson, Darroch, Twaddle, Keenan, McCann, Fraser, Maxwell, Diack, Halliday. Subs: McPherson, Finnegan, Evans, Bolton, Murch.