McBookie Championship

IRVINE VICTORIA 2

ST ROCH’S 5

By Stewart McConnell

KAMIKAZE defending cost careless as they tumbled to defeat against a visiting side who have former Irvine Meadow boss Stevie Rankin in their coaching team.

It was the third straight defeat for Vics, who have shipped 14 goals in their last three outings.

After falling behind, the hosts levelled and then had St Roch’s on the ropes for 20 minutes and were hit by two killer blows on either side of half-time by a side whose style matched Rankin,’s Meadow team.

The visitors were on the attack from the start and missed three good chances before going ahead in three minutes when the unmarked Kieran Daw sent home a powerful header from eight yards. Then three minutes later, Jordan Brown shot inches wide from 12 yards.

The Candy had another great opportunity in 11 minutes when Jordan Logan saw his header from eight yards glance narrowly wide.

Vics battled away and Roddy Paterson saw the ball snatched off his foot inside the visitors’ half after a good through ball in 20 minutes. However two minutes later it was all-square when Gabe Skeoch sent a superb through ball to Hamish McKinlay who outstripped the home defence before rolling the ball home from 10 yards.

Paterson was adjudged offside when he ran on to a pass 20 yards out but there didn’t look to be much in it.

Vics came so close in 33 minutes when an 18-yard effort from Ross McKenzie was blocked by the legs of goalkeeper John Stark.

A cruel blow was dealt Vics in 42 minutes when the unmarked Jordan Logan was allowed time and space to blast the ball home from eight yards

The visitors soared into a 3-1 lead in 46 minutes when Logan shot home from close range. A minute later Vics were unlucky when a Paterson header from eight yards glanced just over the bar. Two minutes later, Westenders skipper Kevin Adam shot just across the face of goal from eight yards.

Robert McGuire thundered home a shot from 10 yards to make it 4-1 for St Roch’s in 65 minutes.

Vics were hard done by in 67 minutes when substitute Calvin Smith was adjudged offside when he ran on to a long through ball but it looked a fractional decision. Five minutes later, a strong shot from Sean Viola was well saved by Ryan McLaren

However in 73 minutes Vics pulled a goal back when Paterson ran on to a long through ball before shooting home from 10 yards. However two minutes later, Daw shot home from 12 yards for his second goal of the afternoon.

In 78 minutes a Paterson shot was hooked off the line by a defender.

Paterson was beaten to the ball by Jordan Stork just outside the box three minutes from time as the hosts saw the game out.

Vics are a developing young team with goals in them and if they improve at the back they will climb the table.

IRVINE VICTORIA: McLaren; Farrell, Jamieson, Craig, Young, Skeoch, Morrow, McKenzie, Paterson, McKinlay, Adam. Subs: Smith, McCann, Catterson.