GOALKEEPER Graeme Shepherd has high hopes of turning around Irvine Meadow’s fortunes after joining the club for a second spell on Saturday.

The former Albion Rovers number one helped his side pick up their first point of the season as they drew 1-1 at home to fellow strugglers Pollok.

Work commitments meant he left the club at the end of the season.

But with the team leaking goals at an alarming rate, he jumped at the chance to return when contacted by manager Stevie Rankin.

Shepherd is pleased to be back on board and told Sporttimes: “I played a few bounce games in between and went along to a Meadow training session last week. I’m delighted to be back and Stevie Rankin and Murdie MacKinnon are great guys to work with. I was pleased with my performance although felt I could have done better with the goal. It was good to take something from the game and hopefully that will be a turning point as I am confident we will pick up or I wouldn’t have signed otherwise.

“Hopefully we can challenge for the title and also do well in the cup competitions. It was a disappointing result at Shettleston and I was surprised at that. We started very well and fell away last season, so hopefully it will be the reverse this time.” Manager Rankin is delighted to have Shepherd back and said: “Graeme played for us in a bounce game in midweek and was exceptional. I’m delighted, He had offers to go to other clubs, I wasn’t happy with the goalkeeping position at the club and was delighted to come to Irvine Meadow.

He added: “It was a good goal from Ryan Deas who showed tenacity and bravery to score, he was just back from holiday on Thursday and did well.” The boss was also critical of the red-carding late on of defenbder Marc Twaddle for foul and abusive language and said: “I felt it was a bit harsh. If you are going to send everyone off for swearing on the park it will end up five-a-side.” Rankin also hopes the result marks a turning point and said: “I was happy with a draw and hopefully we can go on a run now. We have no game this Saturday but are at home to Beith the following week and will be looking to do well.” The Meadow gaffer will have another look at trialist midfielders Gary Phillips who started the match and Paul Harkins who was on the bench in a bounce game against Vale of Clyde tonight (Wednesday) at Lochinch Park in Glasgow.

He added: “Gary had a good game, I was pleased with how he did and I will see how both guys do on Wednesday.

Meanwhile plain-speaking Kilwinning Rangers boss Chris Strain Jnr has issued a “wake-up” call to his team after they crashed to a second defeat out of three in the Super First Division.

They now face a tough test at home to Super First Division leaders Kilsyth Rangers on Saturday.

Buffs went down 3-1 away to a Largs Thistle side they had hammered in the Ardagh Glass League Cup.

Strain is demanding improvement and said: “Largs were better in both boxes and deserved to win. We gave away a couple of really bad goals through set-pieces and we have to wake because it’s a cut-throat league and you don’t want to fall behind and have to play catch-up. But the players know that. It’s all very well having pretty patterns and a lot of possession but there has to be an end product. It will be a very tough game against Kilsyth who are top of the table and scored five goals on Saturday. But our next three games are at Abbey Park (they play Dalry in the Scottish Cup the following week and Shotts in the league the next week) and we must maximise home advantage.” Irvine Victoria boss Stevie Wilson is delighted with his side’s form as they defeated Darvel 2-1 away to move three points clear at the top of the Ayrshire District League.

He said: “It was great to win at Darvel, especially since they turned us over in the Ardagh Cup, it was a tough game but I fully expected that. We are doing well but it’s only a start and we won’t get carried away. We will train this week although have no game and will prepare for the Scottish Cup tie at home to Camelon.”