UPBEAT Kilwinning Rangers co-boss Chris Strain Jnr and goalscorer John Bradford are targeting Ayrshire District League title success following a 2-2 draw at home to Ardrossan Winton Rovers.

And after the showdown with his son’s team ended deadlocked, Winton manager Chris Strain Snr is hoping both teams will now secure promotion to the Super First Division.

Strain Jnr was impressed with the way his side battled back and said: “I felt we played the best football and Winton came with a game plan to restrict us. When we got the first goal we looked like going on to score two or three. But they scored from their first attack with a set play which disappointed me, and momentum swung to them. They scored early in the second half with a goal I felt we could have defended better.

“We fought back very well against a very experienced team and scored a great goal through Willie McLaren and we finished strongly. John Bradford held the ball up so well and Ben Lewis did well, there wasn’t a failure in the team. A draw was the very least we deserved. It’s still very much in our hands, if we win our last two games we win the league and that is the target. If we win one more we will be promoted barring a massive swing in goal difference.” Meanwhile Bradford (35) was disappointed not to win the match and said: “I was happy enough with how I played and it was a good cross from Ben Lewis for the goal. We are slightly disappointed, not with the performance but at not getting the result. But performance-wise we did what we could and we just could not get the break we needed. The target is to win the league, we will have to win our last two games but hopefully we can do that. It was great to finish unbeaten in the league at Abbey Park. We dropped off at the turn of the year but are starting to pick it. I think Kilwinning and Ardrossan will go up, it was a good game to play in with a good crowd.

“I am quite happy and hopefully I will stick around for another season. As long as I still feel I can do a job then I will be here. There’s a lot of good young talent in the team.” Strain Jnr meanwhile was delighted with the support given to the team in the top-of-the-table clash and said: “We were so pleased to attract such a good crowd, there were just over 400 there which shows the potential we have and I also felt the referee had a very good game. There was a great atmosphere and hopefully the fans will keep coning back.” Saturday sees Buffs take a break from league action with a home Ayrshire Weekly Cup tie against Darvel.

Bradford said: “It will be a change of mindset for us. We have beaten Darvel comfortably three times this year so hopefully we can progress.” Added Strain Jnr: “The league is the top priority for us and the cup tie gives us a break from the pressures of the league. We would like to get through and will take the tie as it comes.” Strain Snr, meanwhile, was happy to take a point and said: “You could see both teams really wanted to win but the draw suits us. We were slack with their equaliser and we had a stonewall penalty turned down when Jared Willet was brought down. In the second half we gave some territorial advantage by allowing John Bradford to come off the two centre backs and that put us on the back foot.

“We showed good fighting qualities and were short with Ryan Caddis suspended, Gareth Turner injured and Billy Gilmour taken off injured. Kilwinning might feel it is a lost opportunity for them.

“If we can win our next two games we will be safely up and hopefully Kilwinning will go up with us and we can have some battles next season.”