McBookie Super League Premier Division

IRVINE MEADOW 1

BLANTYRE VICTORIA 0

Pictures by Gordon McCreath

RUSTY Meadow, playing their first game in three weeks, picked up a vital victory to bolster their promotion hopes.

The first half was low key with very few chances for either side.

However just after the break a Graham Barbour shot was saved by the visiting goalie and new signing William Wells, making his debut, fired the rebound over the bar.

The visiting goalie then produced another fine save, this time to deny Lee McCrea and a Graham Boyd header from the resultant corner-kick crashed off the crossbar.

However with 16 minutes remaining, Meadow sealed victory in style when substitute Andy Cripps flicked the ball onto Boyd, who poked the ball under the goalie and into the net.

Meadow were not at their best but results rather than performances are the most important thing at this time of the season.

They are in fifth place in the table, but just four points behind second-placed Kilsyth Rangers in what is proving to be a very tight league.

Saturday sees them taking on Clydebank at Holm Park.

IRVINE MEADOW: Newman; McLennan, McCrea, Strachan, Begley, Carson, Blair, Black, Muir, Willet, Wells. Subs: Cripps, Murray, Browning, Hannah, Boyd.