VICS stayed firmly in the promotion hunt with an important win against one of their main challengers.

Striker Greig Mitchell, who had been on loan at Winton Park from Irvine Meadow until recently, lined up for Vics and he was to play a major part in their victory.

Vics were the more determined and Rovers struggled throughout the first half to get their game going and create any real clearcut chances. It took a great save from Michael Wardrope inside the first minute from a close range Kevin Adam shot to keep the game scoreless and for the first ten minutes or so it was a fairly even match without either side having any real chances.

However on 16 minutes Vics took the lead when a corner on the right came to Mitchell who diverted the ball into the back of the net from 10 yards.

Mitchell then scored a second in almost identical circumstances on 20 minutes when another cross from the right was allowed to go right across the face of the Winton goal where the striker was on hand a couple of yards out to blast the ball into the roof of the net.

Rovers’ first real attempt came a minute later when Chris Lamb in the Vics goal got down well to turn a well- hit shot, from former Vics player Jared Willet, round the post. In 40 minutes Rovers cleared a Vics shot off the line before Wardrope was booked for picking up a passback. He had been unable to clear a passback and had to grab the ball as a Vics players bore down on him. From the resultant free-kick Vics had another shot cleared off the line.

Winton had a much better second half although Vics almost increased their lead a couple of minutes in. George Bonner fouled a Vics player just outside the box and was booked. It took another good save from Wardrope after the ball broke to Adam in the box and he shot home.

Rovers had another escape in 55 minutes when Colligan went past Mark Murray and crossed to the back post where Chesney went close with an overhead attempt.

On the hour Rovers had a good claim for a penalty turned down after Callum Walsh crossed to the far post where Paul Walker’s shot was clearly handled by a defender. Winton clawed their way back into the game with 20 minutes to go when Ben Carson, playing against his old team, flighted a free kick to Bonner and the ball was played on to Willet who shot low and hard through a group of players and past Lamb from 10 yards to make it 2-1.

Former Vics man Ian Cashmore was unlucky to see his well hit shot from just inside the box hit team mate Joe Young on 75 minutes.

The good work was undone when Vics won another free-kick just outside the Rovers box which they took quickly catching the Winton defence out as the ball came to Vics top-scorer Adam who shot past Wardrope on 77 minutes to restore Vics’ two-goal advantage.

Winton had a good chance with 10 minutes left when Walsh played a good cross into Carson on the edge of the box and although he did well to bring the ball down, turn and shoot the ‘keeper saved comfortably. Carson then had a good effort well saved by Lamb in an almost identical move from a Paul Walker cross.

Winton bagged a second on 89 minutes when the Vics defence allowed a Walker corner to go right across the face of their goal and it came to Young at the back post who made no mistake from five yards.

IRVINE VICTORIA: Lamb; McDermott, Allan, Wilson, Burgess, Scaramuzza, Colligan, G. Russell, Adam, Mitchell, Chesney. Subs – McKay, Adams, Webb, D. Russell. McIlroy.

ARDROSSAN WR: Wardrope; Walsh, Murray, Biggart, Bonner, Carson, Walker, Weaver, Cashmore, Young, Willet. Subs: McCrea, Hainey, Hay, Houston, Smith (Trialist).