TOP striker Roddy Paterson has been a huge hit at Meadow Park in recent times - but for other teams.

Now he is hoping to help Irvine Meadow revive their fortunes after crossing the great divide, following his signing from derby rivals Irvine Victoria last week.

Paterson netted a hat-trick for Vics in the Marymass Derby in August, but still ended up on the losing side and that came a few months after bagging a double for Darvel in their famous win at Meadow Park late last season.

The former Ayr United ace made his Meadow debut in Saturday's 1-0 McBookie Premiership win at Petershill and boss Brian McGinty was encouraged with how he did.

Paterson told Sportscene: "Brian McLuckie is doing a great job at Irvine Vics with a low budget. But when this opportunity came up it was a no brainer for me. I will be playing in a higher league and Irvine Meadow are one of the big junior clubs. This will give me an opportunity to really push myself. When you think about where they were when Brian took over - near the bottom of the division below, he has done a great job. It was good to get on against Petershill and that was a good win for us at a ground which has been a fortress over the years, although I don't think they don't quite have the same squad they had last season.

"The aim is to try and make sure we consolidate our place in the division. It's a big game at home to Troon on Saturday - I still know one or two of the guys from playing there previously. But it's a home match and one we must look to win. Hopefully it will be on,"

McGinty was impressed with the performance and said: "It was a really good goal from Callum Gow and a good cross from Ben Carson. I said to the players the draw at Beith the week before would only have been a good result had we followed it up with a win at Petershill and we did. Roddy made some good runs and this is a good move for him to a club where he will be worked hard."

Meanwhile, Irvine Vics boss McLuckie refuses to be too downbeat, despite his side's 3-0 loss at Rossvale.

He said: "I don't think we deserved to lose 3-0, as we created some chances and I would say they will be in the top four or five."

Vics make the long trip south to face second bottom Kello Rovers on Saturday and McGinty said: "We have done well against Ayrshire teams and the aim is to win, hopefully we can put Kello away."