A BUMPER crowd rolled up at a blustery but dry Winton Park to see this crunch match between two of the pre-season promotion favourites.

Victory for the high-flying Buffs would have seen them extend their advantage at the top. Victory for Winton would ensure Buffs’ advantage over them was cut to five points.

Winton had former player Darren Miller who re-signed during the week in a three-man defence while Scott Adam and Jared Willet played up front just in front of Ryan Caddis.

The first 25 minutes were scrappy and not helped by a strong wind which the Buffs played with in the first half. There were no clear chances for either side.

The game started to spark into life from 27 minutes when player-manager Chris Strain Junior worked his way along the byeline before cutting the ball back into the goalmouth.

A clearance from a home defender hit off a Buffs player but went over the bar for a goal kick.

Winton’s first real chance came in 36 minutes when Willet put over a dangerous cross across the face of the goal and after a Marc Fisher save, Ben Carson came in at the back post but just failed to connect.

Home goalie Kenny Pollock saved an almost certain goal on 41 minutes when he dived at the feet of Jamie Anderson.

Pollock picked up a knock but was able to continue.

The dangerous Ben Lewis then went close with headers as half-time approached.

Although Kilwinning had finished the first half the stronger, Winton, with the wind at their backs that made the breakthrough just three minutes into the second period.

Jared Willet chased a long ball down the left into the box and Fisher came out and brought down Willet. The referee spointed to the spot and booked Fisher.

Home skipper Caddis made no mistake from the spot to put Rovers 1-0 up.

A couple of minutes later Fisher punched a long range Ben Carson free-kick over his own bar. Caddis was booked before Pollock saved with hi feet at the near post from Lewis in 55 minutes.

It was however Rovers who extended their lead in 58 minutes when they won a free-kick out on the right. Craig Breen swung in a pinpoint cross to the back post where an unmarked Caddis stooped to head the ball back across Fisher and into the far corner of the net.

It then took a great last ditch tackle from Robbie Weir on the hour to stop Jared Willet running in on goal.

Buffs’ hopes seemed to be dealt a major blow when Chris McGowan was shown a straight red for a foul on Darren Miller in 63 minutes.

As the free-kick went to the Buffs the red was presumably for retaliation.

However Rovers struggled to make the man advantage count.

Pollock made a great save from Lewis in 65 minutes.

Buffs were now piling on the pressure as they looked to keep their unbeaten run going and Willet and Robbie Cochrane were yellow-carded before Rovers went close when Connor Browning was upended just outside the box out on the left. Fisher had to look sharp in the Buffs goal to palm Ben Carson’s shot over the bar in 79 minutes.

The last 10 minutes saw Kilwinning bombard the Winton goal but the defence stood firm until the 85 minutes when Rangers were awarded a penalty following a goalmouth scramble.

An attempted clearance by Pollock as the ball pinged about in the goalmouth hit Craig Breen’s hand and although he had only been a couple of yards away he was shown a yellow card and the referee awarded a penalty.

Lewis made no mistake from the spot to make it 2-1 to Rovers and hand the title favourites their first league defeat.

ARDROSSAN WR: Pollock; Breen, Miller, Gilmour, Cochrane, Carson, Caddis, Johnston, Adam, Willet, McCrea. Subs: Cashmore, Browning, Wardrope, Hainey, Hay.

KILWINNING RANGERS: M Fisher; Weir, Fleeting; Kerr, nMcGowan, Maitland, Agnew, Strain, Anderson, Lewis, Quigley. Subs: Kemp, Campbell, Hunter, Stewart.