Buffs soar into last 16

KILWINNING RANGERS 3

ARNISTON RANGERS 0

by Stewart McConnell

BUOYANT Buffs breezed into the last 16 of the national competition with an assured performance against the East League visitors.

Now you just wonder if history could repeat as 13 years ago a Buffs team featuring current manager Chris Strain Jnr defeated the same side en route to the semi-finals.

Remarkably unbeaten in more than four months Buffs are on the crest of a wave and on this evidence anyone coming to Abbey Park in the next few months will face a very stern test.

In four home ties they have scored 12 goals and conceded just four and the addition of former Ayr United stalwart Martyn Campbell had further strengthened an already solid defence.

Strain Jnr was impressed with his team's showing and said: "I am very pleased to get through to the next round and over the piece it was a good performance. In the first half we weren't quite as fluid usual. In the second half I thought we were excellent, killed the game and defensively we looked as I we were very strong. There are a lot of positives from it, the good thing is we have come off the back of not playing for a couple of weeks. Once we got going we looked good."

Buffs had a chance in the opening minute when visiting goalie Dale Cornet was caught In no man's land after coming out to make a clearance. But Ben Lewis sent a 25-yard lob high and wide. Home striker Bryan Boylan, who was in inspired form, had the ball in the net in six minutes but was rightly adjudged offside. A minute later good work on the left by the same player won Buffs a corner but it came to nothing.

Liam McGuinness teed up Boylan inside the box but the striker had his shot blocked by a defender In eight minutes.

However a minute later Buffs went ahead when a Boylan shot was handled by an Arniston defence inside the box but referee David Dickinson waved play on and the striker lashed home the rebound from six yards.

Home player Dean Agnew shot wide from near the corner flag in 18 minutes.

A Lewis free-kick was deflected wide by the visiting defence in 19 minutes and seconds later a Tommy Maitland cross was headed over the bar from six yards by Boylan.

Dean Agnew was left one-on-one with the goalie in 22 minutes but had his shot from just inside the box blocked.

The industrious Agnew sent a cross into the box on the half hour but it just evaded the onrushing McGuinness, who was a real workhorse in midfield.

Boylan sent a 10-yard volley narrowly wide in 37 minutes as Buffs pushed for a second goal.

Darren Leslie was booked for a foul on home winger Barry Fleeting in 41 minutes. A minute later Agnew fired a cross into the box but it spun across the face of goal. Arniston came close in 47 minutes when a Darren McTernan cross was headed over the bar by Isaac Kerr.

Buffs doubled their advantage in 50 minutes when Agnew beat an opponent and stretched to send a Barry Fleeting cross in off the post from eight yards. It was 3-0 in 53 minutes when an Agnew corner-kick was headed on by Martyn Campbell to Isaac Kerr who shot into the roof of the net from six yards.

Arniston had a half chance in 64 minutes when a 25-yard effort from Kieran Somerville was saved on the line by Cornet.

Ricky Hanvey teed up fellow sub Ian Cashmore who had an effort from eight yards well saved by the visiting goalie in 69 minutes. Kerr was taken off injured in 73 minutes with Kyle Cummings replacing him.

A Boylan rocket from 25 yards was blocked by the goalie two minutes later.

McGuinness set up Boylan who found Cashmore in 84 minutes but he shot wide from eight yards.

Cashmore headed home from six yards in 88 minutes but was adjudged offside as the hosts saw the game out to progress.

KILWINNING RANGERS: Strain; Coleman, Boyd, Kerr, Campbell, Maitland, Agnew, McGuinness, Boylan, Lewis, Fleeting. Subs: Burns, Cashmore Stewart, Hanvey, Cumming.