Kilwinning Rangers secure victory against Albion Rovers in Lowland League West clash at Cliftonhill.
Albion Rovers suffer defeat to dominant Kilwinning Rangers at the Reigart Stadium, as the visitors secure 3-0 victory.
Murray MacKintosh’s header gave the Buffs the lead, before Ryan Wilson doubled their advantage. Lewis Morrison’s deflected strike completed the scoring to seal all three points for Kilwinning Rangers at Cliftonhill.
GAFFER Steven Saunders makes one change to the starting XI that earned a draw against Beith Juniors on Saturday. Dan Hunter drops to the bench as Che Campbell makes his first start for the club ahead of the reverse fixture against Kilwinning Rangers at the Reigart Stadium this evening.
Grant Tamosevicius starts in goal, Chris Neeson, Innes Clark, Rock Moses and Liam Dolan ahead of him in defence. Barry Duncan and Conor McLaughlin keep their roles in midfield. Fan favourite Alex McCaw starts on the wing, with Leo Clark adjacent. Kemo Darboe leads the line.
ARFC Community keeper Aaron Pollock is on the bench, Dan Hunter, Nathan Brown, Owen Ronald, Dev McColl, Dean Rhappozzoh and Adam McMillan complete the substitutes. Alex Eguagie drops out of the matchday squad.
After a short delay to proceedings as the officiating team had to change kits at the last minute, Kilwinning Rangers kicked things off and looked to impose themselves early. Three minutes in, Nicky Lockhart picked up the ball in the middle of the pitch before dribbling forward and getting a shot off just outside the box. His effort was blocked and put behind for a corner.
Kilwinning Rangers continued their early dominance, creating a number of chances. A floated ball into the area found Ryan Wilson on the far side, but Liam Dolan did well to limit him to a shot from a difficult angle, resulting in another corner. The hosts defended the set-piece and put the ball out for a throw-in before another floated cross was met by Dan O’Neill. His looping header looked destined for the net, but Grant Tamosevicius tipped the ball behind for a corner.
O’Neill forced another corner, this time allowing Rovers to hit on the break. A run from deep by Conor McLaughlin gave Leo Clark an opportunity to threaten down the right-hand side before McLaughlin won a foul in the middle of the park. However, the resulting free-kick came to nothing.
Despite the Buffs’ dominance, there were encouraging signs for the home side. Long balls down the left-hand side towards Alex McCaw caused issues, but once again the chance went begging for Albion Rovers.
Eleven minutes in, the visitors continued to turn the screw. A goal kick won in the middle of the field was played out to Murray Mackintosh, whose cross was knocked on by Carlo Monti, allowing Wilson to shoot and sting the palms of Tamosevicius at the near post.
Mere seconds later, the Buffs should have taken the lead. A free-kick from O’Neill on the halfway line found the head of Wilson, who headed it back across for the waiting Lockhart. His header whistled millimetres wide of the goal.
Kilwinning came close again after Tamosevicius came for a loose ball in the box following Robbie Scullion’s cross. Mackintosh got there first and lifted the ball over the keeper, but Innes Clark was there to clear his lines.
The Buffs would finally make their dominance pay after a series of corners, some of which were controversially awarded. Monti’s corner evaded the high-rising Innes Clark before Mackintosh, in space just inside the edge of the area, headed low through the packed box and past Tamosevicius to give the visitors a deserved lead.
Albion Rovers reset and looked to get their foot on the ball more in search of an equaliser. The hosts continued to find a little joy down the left-hand side through McCaw, who won two free-kicks in as many minutes. The second resulted in Ewan McLevy being booked, but the Wee Rovers could not create much of a threat from the set-pieces.
McCaw again appeared to be the preferred outlet for the Rovers attack. The winger dispossessed McLevy on the touchline before advancing into the box and firing well wide.
The hosts continued to try to impose themselves with some neat interplay in the wide areas but lacked the final ball before a major flashpoint in the half. A clearance from O’Neill was contested by Monti and Innes Clark, with the youngster catching the experienced attacker very high and appearing fortunate to escape without a card. The managers on the sideline exchanged heated words while Monti received treatment before referee Regan Wallace gave Kilwinning manager Chris Strain his marching orders.
Albion Rovers seemed to gain some encouragement from their play before the incident, with Leo Clark and McCaw looking to create chances and get back on terms. Unfortunately, it was more of the same, with some tricky dribbling and nice passing moves continuing to be let down by the final ball.
As the game approached half-time, the visitors looked comfortable while the Wee Rovers tried to claw their way back into the contest. Attention had also turned towards the tunnel, where Strain appeared to be barking orders from the entrance, much to the dismay of the home support.
Monti unleashed a shot from the edge of the box, but it was blocked before Albion Rovers created their best chance of the half. A long ball over the top from Barry Duncan was contested by McLaughlin and O’Neill, but the Kilwinning keeper came out to clear his lines straight into the path of Kemo Darboe. The striker had an open goal to aim at from 25 yards out, but his volley was blasted wide.
Kilwinning Rangers made two changes at half-time, with the cautioned McLevy replaced by Lewis Morrison and Mikey McWilliams making way for Adam Hodge. The visitors came flying out of the traps once more after the break, looking to put distance between themselves and the home side. Morrison’s first action was a shot from range which was blocked, while the Buffs continued to threaten down the left channel. A cross into the box was eventually gathered by Tamosevicius.
The visitors’ substitutes linked up well soon after. A dangerous ball from Hodge was destined for Morrison, but Chris Neeson turned it behind for a corner as Kilwinning continued to apply pressure.
Good pressing and link-up play between Monti and Lockhart created the chance that put the visitors two goals ahead. Monti won the ball back before laying it off for Lockhart, whose cross into the box found Wilson after the striker appeared to shove Innes Clark.
Wilson did magnificently to create space for himself and get a driven effort away, with the ball creeping under the unlucky Tamosevicius and into the bottom-left corner.
Saunders turned to his bench in an attempt to get back into the game, with Adam McMillan replacing Darboe. The Buffs continued to play on the front foot, creating a couple of half-chances as they looked to make it three.
Albion Rovers had a decent opportunity to create something in the 61st minute. Duncan drove forward from deep inside his own box to just beyond the halfway line before playing in McCaw, whose attempted cross was cleared away for a throw-in.
The Wee Rovers earned a corner shortly afterwards. A ball from McLaughlin was played into the box and knocked on towards the onrushing Rock Moses and McMillan at the back post, but the assistant referee’s flag was raised.
The hosts looked much better in possession, but it seemed to be the same story as the last time these sides clashed a few weeks ago. Kilwinning Rangers looked comfortable yet dangerous on the counter, testing young Tamosevicius a couple of times as Albion Rovers searched for a way back into the game.
Minutes later, the Buffs delivered the final blow. A long ball was contested by Moses and Wilson, with the Kilwinning attacker winning the challenge and heading it back towards Monti. His ball over the top found Wilson, who appeared to be in an offside position after laying the ball back.
The attacker continued his run and drove at the Rovers defence before cutting the ball back to Morrison inside the edge of the area. The substitute’s strike found the back of the net after deflecting off young defender Innes Clark.
Saunders freshened things up, with Leo Clark and Che Campbell replaced by Nathan Brown and Dan Hunter. The remainder of the second half played out with Rovers maintaining much of the possession and creating some half-chances, while Kilwinning continued to look comfortable defending and threatening on the break.
Fatigue and frustration began to set in for both sides, with the number of yellow cards mounting up as the final 15 minutes approached. More half-chances came for the hosts to get on the scoreboard, but the visitors held firm.
The Buffs looked the more likely side to score as full-time crept closer. Morrison had another gilt-edged chance saved by the legs of Tamosevicius, with the rebound blocked by Clark.
Wallace blew the whistle for full-time, confirming another difficult evening for Albion Rovers as they slipped to their fifth defeat of the campaign. Rovers were unable to match an experienced and physical Kilwinning side.
Attention now turns to Saturday, when Albion Rovers face local rivals Cumbernauld Colts at the Reigart Stadium as they look to turn their fortunes around.
ALBION ROVERS: Tamosevicius, Neeson, Moses, I. Clark, Dolan, Duncan (C) (Ronald, 77), McLaughlin, L. Clark (N. Brown, 70), Campbell (Hunter, 70), McCaw, Darboe (McMillan, 55).
Subs: Pollock, McColl, Rhappozzoh.
Kilwinning Rangers: Brown, McLevy (Morrison, 46), O’Neill (C), McLean, MacKintosh, McWilliams (Hodge, 46), Lockhart, Scullion, Wilson (Rodden, 87), Frize (Lewis, 78), Monti (Trialist 19, 68).
Subs: Coutts, Love.
