MATCH REPORT: ARDROSSAN WINTON ROVERS 2-4 ARTHURLIE

Wednesday 31 July 2024 19:30

WoSFL First Division

Ardrossan Winton Rovers 2-4 Arthurlie

Scorers

Ardrossan: Ryan Wilson (12), Findlay Frye (28)

Arthurlie: MacNeil (23), Brophy (48), Healy (50, 82)

Valefield Park, Kilbirnie

ARTHURLIE continued their winning start to the WoSFL First Division season with a thrilling comeback win over Ardrossan Winton Rovers at Kilbirnie’s Valefield Park.

Michael MacNeil had recovered from injury to retain his place in the starting line-up, but Mark Taylor was sidelined with a knock as summer signing Kieran Brophy started for the first time on this warm Wednesday evening.

The first real effort of the game came from Lee Roulston on 10 minutes, who saw his left-foot effort deflected wide following a nice jink on the edge of the box.

Michael McMullin sent a free-kick from distance just wide a minute later before the home side went straight up the park to take the lead.

It was Winton Rovers captain Ryan Wilson who opened the scoring, finding far too much space on the left of the box before curling a right-footer in off the post.

It was an action-packed game at this stage and Roulston nearly claimed an immediate equaliser, but his powerful drive flew just wide of Marc Fisher’s right-hand post.

Blair Docherty came close to doubling the lead on 21 minutes, finding the same space Wilson had for the opener, but this time the shot sailed just past the upright.

A minute later the scores were level when Roulston was sent racing through on goal and was upended by Fisher inside the box. Skipper MacNeil grabbed the ball when the penalty was awarded, and he made no mistake with a powerful low drive.

The parity lasted only 6 minutes, however, the home side retaking the lead in spectacular fashion when Findlay Frye latched on to a short clearing header from MacNeil and rifled in a first-time volley into the top left corner.

With 3 minutes on the clock in the second half the visitors found their second equaliser when former Neilston teammates Conor Bolger and Brophy combined, the former sending in a free-kick from the right that the latter turned into the bottom right corner.

Two minutes passed and ‘Lie took the lead in spectacular fashion, the ball sitting up perfectly for Aaron Healy to launch the ball into the postage stamp from all of 30 yards.

Healy almost made it 4 on 56 minutes, racing into the box and getting a shot away, but the angle was against him and his effort flashed across goal and out for a goal-kick.

McMullin certainly looked keen to get on the score sheet and he twice sent powerful efforts goalwards from distance, but on both occasions the ball was comfortably held by Fisher.

The left-back then almost turned provider on 76, getting into the box and cutting the ball across goal only to see it detected narrowly past for a corner.

Roulston came close from the resulting corner, but his left-foot volley bounced inches wide.

The game was becoming frenetic as full-time approached, and Findlay Frye found space again on 81 but this time his effort drifted wide from 20 yards.

A minute later and the points were clinched for the visitors, Healy finding himself with only Fisher to beat as the ball bounced invitingly for him to side-foot over the keeper’s head into the net.

Arthurlie team: 1. Waters 4. Roulston 5. Healy 7. Bolger 8. Leyden 9. Brophy 11. McGaughey (10. McGuigan 70) 17. MacNeil (20. Greenwood 88) 18. Doherty 21. Sinclair 23. McMullin

Subs not used: 3. Eadie 6. McEwan 22. Gordon 26. Calder

Ardrossan team: 1. Fisher 2. Simpson (16. Montgomerie 70) 3. Cairns 4. Howie 5. Reid 6. F.Frye 7. D.Frye 9. Ferris 10. Docherty (11. Duffy 76) 19. Curragh 20. Ryan Wilson (c)

Subs not used: 12. Reece Wilson 14. Campbell 17. Pearson 21. Young