ARTHURLIE SLIP IN RACE TO BEAT THE DROP

COLIN REILLY LEFT BEMOANING THE FIRST 45 MINUTES

Arthurlie’s rollercoaster battle with relegation could be going right to the wire after they failed to close the trapdoor by losing 3-1 at home to Hurlford United on Saturday.

Colin Reilly’s side were never able to fully recover from a traumatic closing 20 minutes to the first half wherein being stung by two goals for the Ayrshiremen was preceded by a penalty kick miss from Lie skipper Jordan Leyden.

A third Hurlford score in the game’s closing stages only acted to confirm a defeat that was duly compounded by word coming through of their rivals for the Premier Division’s last remaining drop place, Kilwinning Rangers, running out 1-0 winners over Largs Thistle.

The state of play prevailing from these contrasting outcomes now shows Kilwinning heading through to take on Troon in their penultimate league game on Wednesday night knowing another victory will close the gap on Arthurlie to a single point and set up a `final day of reckoning` next Saturday when the Buffs are again on the road to face already relegated Petershill at the same time as the Barrhead outfit will be hosting the visit of Glenafton.

“We.re back in the mix and have to prepare for the equivalent of a Cup Final this coming week rather than rely on other teams doing us favours.” said Lie boss Reilly when he emerged afterwards.

“At least it’s still in our own hands however we simply must do better than the first half today when we just never turned up in my opinion.

“Our lack of composure on the ball was frustrating because the guys are so much better than that and then of course we have Jordan’s penalty miss which has to go down as a massive turning point in the game considering Hurlford score with their next attack upfield.”

He added ,” Changing our shape at half time brought an improvement of sorts and Lee’s goal gets us back in contention however it only goes to prove it wasn’t our day when their keeper comes up with a wonder save to keep out a Ryan McGregor header and then the Referee doesn’t see the blatant hand ball that everyone else in the ground did prior to Hurlford killing us off with a sucker punch goal.”

The acclaimed stalwart likes of Paul `Taz` McKenzie, Chris Robertson and Marc McKenzie were posted missing from Hurlford’s starting line-up but one would have to say their understudies Neil McGregor, Josh Jack and Alex Bell more than stepped up to the mark as Darren Henderson’s men served up a typically compact , battling and well-organized performance.

This much was obvious after an opening Dunterlie 20 minutes which amounted to the two teams cancelling each other out as neither goalkeeper was called into action.

Arthurlie were presented with a 25^th minute opportunity to land the first punch when United full back Liam Miller’s sliding challenge felled Lewis Warnock running away from goal and Referee Paul Simmons unhesitatingly pointed to the spot as if to bely circulating whispers that someone other than a reputedly Kilwinning based Category 2 official might have been a better man in the middle choice ?

Arthurlie skipper Leyden was tasked with taking full advantage of the decision but unfortunately his well struck shot slipping the wrong side of Chris Taylor’s post also acted to stimulate Hurlford into making the breakthrough at the other end of the pitch after a clever reverse pass by Jack Whittaker set up team mate Calvin Kemp to lash the ball past Lie keeper James Scott.

An impressive finish yet one bettered just seven minutes later when an attempted pass from home team youngster Kinlay Bilman was intercepted by former St Mirren protégé Josh Jack whose 22 yard first time shot was a goal from the moment it left his foot.

Lie gaffer Reilly must have reminded his playing charges about the stakes on offer because Arthurlie , boosted by the introduction of substitutes Andy McLaughlin and Gary Smith, roared out of their second half blocks to halve their 2-0 deficit just six minutes in when Lee Roulston turned inside the area to poke a controlled low drive beyond Taylor.

The pressure was now upped for the Ayrshire visitors but McGregor & Co were not unduly troubled until the 81st minute when another Roulston effort drifting wide of target was followed by a powerful six yard header from Arthurlie’s member of the clan McGregor, Ryan, that looked a certain score before Taylor stuck out a foot to stop the ball going over his line.

Controversy then erupted with the clock ticking down when a McLaughlin back post cross from wide left, found Gary Carroll rising highest only for his header to clearly strike Sam Liddington’s hand (in an anything but natural upraised position) however whistler Simmons showed no reaction and remained impervious to the howl of “Penalty” coming from the terracings as well as from a possee of Arthurlie players chasing him down , one of whom Carroll was yellow carded for his continued protestations.

Salt was then rubbed into the home team’s sorely felt wound when a swift Hurlford attack upfield saw substitute Ryan Walker make the most of a kind break of the ball to fire home and clinch a 3-1 triumph.

The contentious hand ball was firstly touched upon when seasoned Hurlford gaffer Daren Henderson gave his summations at the final whistle.

“ We felt there was a push in Sam’s back by the Arthurlie player even though the Referee didn’t award us a foul either” said a smiling Hendo.

“There was a lot for us to be happy about in the first half because we scored a couple of quality goals and controlled the game for long spells however we made the second 45 minutes a lot more difficult than it should have been by conceding such an early goal .

“That gave Arthurlie momentum and it became backs to the wall for the most part however the young guys brought into our side will be better for the experience and I’m now looking forward to how they shape up in our final two league games against Auchinleck and Beith.”

IT WAS AS MUCH A FOUL FOR US AS A PENALTY FOR THEM SAYS DARREN

Kilwinning giving themselves an outside chance of securing a top flight safe place thanks to Blair McIntyre snatching the only goal of their Buffs Park contest against Largs will have raised spirits for going up against a Troon side that suffered their first defeat in four matches via a 3-0 beating at the hands of Scottish Junior Cup finalists Cumnock for whom top scorer Jordan Moore notched a brace of goals on his playing return after suspension to go along with a Findlay Frye counter.

Elsewhere, a Josh Fowler hat trick enabled newly crowned champions Beith to run out 3-2 winners over second in the table Darvel while current third best Auchinleck Talbot had Ross Taylor, Keir Samson and Bryan Boylan on the mark in a 3-1 defeat of Irvine Meadow whose only score was by Cammy McNair.

Up to fourth top spot are Clydebank after goals by Lee Gallagher(2), Nikky Little (2) , Ciaran Mulcahy and Alan Kelly racked up a 6-2 victory over Glenafton whose midfielder Scott McLean grabbed a brace of his own.

Cambuslang Rangers ace Nikky Fraser was also a double scorer as the Premier bottom markers went down 3-2 to Kian Gilday, Del McNab and an own goal scores for Rob Roy.

Meanwhile, everything remains up for grabs atop the First Division pile where Gartcairn continue as frontrunners thanks to a 2-0 success over Thorniewood United through Kevin Nicol and Jordan Love goals .

Second place now belongs to Benburb on the back of a 5-3 win over St Rochs , Declan McDonald(2), Aiden Fellows, Lewis McTaggart and Aaron Black on target while Evan Gallasso (2) and Darren McGuire weighed in with strikes for the Candy Rock.

Back into third are St Cadocs ,left regretting a late collapse on Friday night away to Neilston whose late in the day scores by Olly Smith and Darren Jones earned a 3-3 draw when it was looking like the ambitious Newton Mearns club were taking the spoils at 3-1 up.

Drumchapel have not yet given up the promotion ghost following a 5-0 hammering of Johnstone Burgh through Joao Victoria (2) , Daniel Finnigan, Josh Winton and Ryan Deas while Rutherglen Glencairn warmed up for their forthcoming Scottish Junior Cup tussle against Cumnock thanks to Jack McIlveen (pen), Jay Mackay and Roan Fitzpatrick netting in a 3-1 victory over Rossvale .

WEEKEND RESULTS: P.D.M.Buildbase Premier Division. Darvel 2 Beith 3, Irvine Meadow 1 Auchinleck Talbot 3, Kilwinning Rangers 1 Largs Thistle 0, Arthurlie 1 Hurlford Utd 3, Clydebank 6 Glenafton2, Rob Roy 3 Cambuslang Rangers 1, Troon 0 Cumnock 3. PDM Buildbase First Division. St Rochs 3 Benburb 5, Thorniewood Utd 0 Gartcairn 2, Whitletts Vics 1 Shotts Bon Accord 1, Blantyre Vics 4 Kilbirnie Ladeside 0, Neilston 3 St Cadocs 3, Rutherglen Glencairn 3 Rossvale 1, Drumchapel Utd 5 Johnstone Burgh 0. PDM Buildbase Second Division. Yoker Athletic 6 Glasgow Utd 0, Ardeer Thistle 0 Maybole 2, Ashfield 2 Glasgow Perthshire 2 ,Craigmark 0 Maryhill 3, Kilsyth Rangers 1 Renfrew 1, Muirkirk 3 Wishaw 0, Glasgow University 2 Forth Wanderers 1. PDM Buildbase Third Division. Carluke Rovers 5 Saltcoats Vics 1, Vale of Clyde 7 Newmains Utd 1, Port Glasgow 0 Ardrossan Winton Rovers 1, Dalry Thistle v Lugar Boswell, Vale of Leven 1 Bellshill Athletic 0, Girvan 2 Lesmahagow 1, Larkhall Thistle 2 Royal Albert 0, Kello Rovers 0 Finnart 1, East Kilbride Thistle 2 Irvine Vics 4.

Regards

Jim O’Donnell