McBookie Championship

IRVINE VICTORIA 1

ARTHURLIE 5

By Stewart McConnell

THREE minutes of madness late in the first half sealed Vics’ fate as they crashed to a seventh defeat out of 10 on Saturday.

Skipper Kevin Adam levelled for Vics late on before promotion hopefuls ‘Lie went straight up the park and levelled before netting again before the break.

It was fast, frantic stuff and at Vics games you always seem to be guaranteed goals.

‘Lie came close in three minutes when Hal Bohme shot narrowly over the bar from 18 yards. At the other end three minutes later a Hamish McKinlay shot from 18 yards was booted clear by visiting defender Liam Mushet.

Vics then won two successive corner-kicks as they exerted some early pressure, but they were dealt with by the Arthurlie defence,

However the hosts came close in 13 minutes when Jordan Craig shot just wide from 25 yards. Then in 18 minutes James Maxwell sent an effort narrowly wide.

Victoria were more than holding their own in the first 20 minutes as they looked to improve their disappointing form run.

Ryan Singleton made a fine run deep into Arthurlie territory in 22 minutes but was shut down by Niall Reynolds.

Vics almost broke the deadlock in 23 minutes when Singleton sent a precision pass to skipper Kevin Adam, who shot across the face of goal from eight yards. Then two minutes later Singleton shot narrowly wide from eight yards.

Arthurlie were awarded a penalty in 28 minutes when Gabe Skeoch tripped James Docherty inside the box and the visiting number 10 dusted himself down to net from the spot.

Vics pulled a goal back when skipper Adam netted with a great shot from outside the box in 43 minutes. However barely a minute later ‘Lie levelled when Marks headed home from six yards

Then two minutes into injury-time a Stewart Hall shot was well saved by Ryan McLaren, however former Irvine Meadow and Largs Thistle striker Marks blasted home the rebound from eight yards.

The Barrhead side took a commanding 4-1 lead three minutes after the break as Marks set up Docherty to send home a left-foot drive from 10 yards.

In a rare Vics attack visiting goalie James Digney dashed out to beat McKinlay to the ball inside the box in 56 minutes. Two minutes later Docherty sent a cheeky lob inches behind the goal from 25 yards.

Vics were denied what looked a clearcut penalty in 61 minutes when Ryan Morrow was tripped inside the box.

Then in 79 minutes visiting substitute Anthony Etherson won a challenge with striker Roddy Paterson, returning from a five-week injury absence. Just a minute later home goalie Ryan McLaren made a great save from a fierce Hal Bohme effort. It was 5-1 in 86 minutes when a Derek McLaren cross was turned into his own net by home defender James Donnelly to complete a miserable afternoon for the Westenders.

IRVINE VICTORIA: McLaren; Anderson, Skeoch, Young, Donnelly, Craig, Singleton, McKinlay, Maxwell, Morrow, Adam. Subs: Paterson, McDonald. Smith, Farrell.

ARTHURLIE: Digney; Reynolds, Bradley, Molloy, Mushet, Hall, Payne, Bohme, Marks, Docherty, Gray. Subs: Etherson, McPhee, Barrowman, McLean, McNab,.