McBookie Super League Premier Division

KILWINNING RANGERS 4

ARTHURLIE 1

CLINICAL Buffs bounced back from their Scottish Cup loss at Bo'ness with a thumping win against the struggling Barrhead visitors.

The scoreline was the same as the reverse fixture and Dunterlie Park, victory moving Buffs within a point of leaders Beith with a game in hand.

The hosts seemed up for the game from the start following their Scottish Cup exit at the hands of Bo’ness the previous week and in the first minute a great effort from Boylan forced Grant Hay into a great save. The Buffs were well on top so it was a surprise when Arthurlie took the lead in 23 minutes when Marc McKenzie took possession and with no support turned his marker before firing past Strain from the edge of the area to make it 16 goals from 16 games for the season.

Five minutes later it looked like they had doubled their lead when Michael Daly headed home a Macaulay Wilson free-kick but the assistant referee flagged him offside which seemed a harsh decision.

Buffs tarted to get back into their stride with the pace of Boylan causing the Arthurlie backline no end of troubles and it was him who had the next chance of the game when he bore in on goal but as he was about to shoot Jordon Chisholm made a great clearing tackle.

Sam McCloskey was finding lots of space down the left and just before the half hour, he fired over a fantastic ball but there were no takers. McCloskey who set up the next good opportunity in 40 minutes, when his cross was met by the head of Carlo Monti but Hay at full stretch managed to tip the ball over the bar.

Just as it looked that Arthurlie would go in at the break in front they were left stunned but a great effort from Michael Wardrope who curled an effort home from all of 30 yards and the sides went in all-square.

The second half had barely started when the hosts went ahead, A cross from Findlay Frye was met by Boylan who headed past Hay, giving the 'Lie keeper no chance.

Boylan seemed to me on a one-man mission now as soon after he forced Hay into another top class save. Then in 52 minutes, he met a cross ball in mid-air to fire home a quite fantastic effort that was again harshly ruled offside. Frye was next to try his luck but was inches wide as Kilwinning started to turn the screw.

In 65 minutes a great ball from Monti saw Wardrope race clear on goal but Hay managed to touch his shot past the post, from the resulting corner the ball wasn’t cleared properly and when it was sent back in from the right Boylan came racing in from the left and headed home unchallenged to increase the lead.

McKenzie had an effort for Arthurlie in a rare attack before Boylan went close on a couple of occasions but on 40 minutes the home side grabbed their fourth when substitute Nisbet ran through unchallenged on Hay and when the Lie keeper raced from his line he side footed the ball past the helpless stopper.

Daly had a header go just wide with a couple of minute left and there was just time for Kilwinning sub Latta to be shown a red card for what was an alleged gesture to the assistant referee and the game ended in four one in favour of Kilwinning.

KILWINNING RANGERS: Strain; Coleman, Milloskey, Pettigrew, White, Frye, Monti, Wardrope, Boylan, Lewis, Hanvey. Subs: Maitland, Latta, McGuinness, Winters, Nisbet.

ARTHURLIE: Hay; Burns, Wilson, Chisholm, Gair, McAleenan, Girvan, Spence, McKenzie, Daly, and Craig.

Subs: Lennon, Graham, Watson, Gabir, Ngnogo.