LEADERS Irvine Meadow missed a great opportunity to move well clear at the summit of the Premier League with Glenafton proving frustrating oppoents..  The result dents the Irvine side’s title hopes as they had been looking to build on the previous weekend’s win against Cumnock.

Stevie Rankin’s team were held 2-2 at Loch Park earlier in the season and again the East Ayrshire side caused them problems.

Following a dream start which saw them win their opening 10 league matches, the wheels have fallen off in the Meadow title challenge following defeats against Clydebank and Hurlford United and the two draws with Glens.

The first half was a tense affair with little in the way of goalscoring opportunities, with only Craig Menzies driving an effort wide for the visitors after a surging run and Willie Sawyers forcing a good save from visiting goalie David Buchanan.

The second period began at a faster pace with Meadow taking the lead seven minutes in with a well-worked goal. Wing wizard Gary McCann fed Willie Sawyers to force a save from Buchanan.

Robert Halliday floated over from the resultant corner-kick from the right flank. After pressure from Sawyers and McCann, former Airdrie man Grant Evans fired home the loose ball from close range.

The lead only lasted four minutes however as former Kilbirnie Ladeside striker Alain Kinney exchanged passes with Menzies to blast in the equaliser with Graeme Shepherd only getting a hand to the ball.

Sawyers and Evans went close to claiming a winner for Meadow with Glens always looking lively on the counter-attack. But the game lacked the quality required to produce a killer finish.

The single point leaves Meadow six points clear of closest challengers Auchinleck, although having played some five games more.

Hurlford United are still very much in contention and are 12 points behind Meadow with six games in hand.

Meadow have to win their remaining four league games and hope for slip-ups from the others to stand any chance of reclaiming the title they last won three seasons ago.

IRVINE MEADOW: Shepherd; Evans, Sideserf, Staunton, Twaddle, Murch, McCann, Deas, Sawyers (Finnigan 62); Hall (McParland 81) Halliday (Keenan 62): Subs not used: Horne (Trialist); Lee Thompson