McBookie Super League Premier Division

KILWINNING RANGERS 2

BEITH JUNIORS 1

TWO exceptional strikes at Abbey Park on Saturday allowed Buffs to further underline their title credentials and take revenge for for the defeat suffered at Bellsdale earlier in the season.

After a fairly even start which saw action contained mostly in midfield, Beith began to pose more of a threat and Craig Pettigrew nearly put his side in trouble with a short pass back and he was relieved to see the ball spin away from Kenny McLean when he blocked Adam Strain’s hasty clearance. Pettigrew then had an opportunity with a free-kick at the other end but his effort curled over the bar.

With both defences giving away little, neither keeper had been greatly troubled in the opening half hour until Adam Strain found himself facing a penalty in the 32nd minute after referee David Dickinson adjudged that Pettigrew’s challenge on McPherson inside the box was dangerous. Beith’s veteran striker McLean took the spot kick but Strain easily saved his game effort.

As often happens, the miss was quickly rubbed in with Buffs grabbing the lead with a spectacular strike. A Beith attack was halted and Michael Wardrope picked up possession on the halfway line and spotted Beith keeper Stephen Grindlay a bit too far off his line and promptly fired in a measured shot that dipped perfectly into the net over the stranded keeper.

The first half action didn’t end there though and Beith deservedly levelled 4 minutes before the break when McLean atoned for his miss when he reacted quickest to shoot home after a Burke free kick into the box caused danger.

Buffs replaced James Latta with ex-senior striker David Winters for the restart but the sides generally continued to cancel each other out. Bryan Boylan forced Grindlay to turn his shot behind for a corner after he closed in on goal from a distinctly offside looking position while Liam McGuinness did well to block a McLean effort in the box at the other end.

The next goal looked likely to be the winner and it was the hosts who claimed it in 70 minutes through sub Winters, when he used all his experience to hold off Beith defender Ryan Docherty and with his back to goal a couple of yards outside the box get turned to blast a great shot past Grindlay.

The visitors replaced their forwards and committed more players forward in an attempt to find a goal but despite plenty of effort a clear chance failed to materialise as the Buffs defence held firm.

The defeat almost certainly extinguishes any faint title hopes Beith still held as their season continues to slide away after a promising start while it increasingly looks that the title is now Buffs to lose with challengers Talbot also dropping points at the weekend.

KILWINNING RANGERS: Strain; Coleman, McCloskey, Pettigrew, Whyte, Frye, Monti, McGuinness, Boylan, Wardrope, Latta. Subs: Hanvey, Nisbet, Winters, Lewis, Hill.

BEITH: Grindlay; McGlinchey, N Docherty, McLaughlin, R Docherty, Martin, Christie, Frize, McLean, McPherson, Burke. Subs: Reid, Collins, Wilson, Bradley, MacDonald.