Same old story for Irvine Vics

Sep 19 2008 Irvine Herald

IT was Groundhog Day on Saturday as Vics fought out yet another 2-2 draw in a game they should have won.

Jim McNally and Jordan White came close for the Irvine outfit before they took a 15th minute lead, when skipper Gareth Timoney rose to head home a Grant Collins’ corner.

But, in a repeat of the previous week, a long ball over the top caused problems in the Vics’ area, Brian Smith lost a challenge in the box, and Scott Caldwell gave the keeper no chance.

Craigmark then went ahead in 46 minutes when a Brian Smith passback was only partially cleared by keeper Chris McCue, and Blair Gilmour’s header broke to Scott Dempster whose cross-cum-shot bounced off the far post and into the net.

Vics made a spirited response and the equaliser arrived when Craigmark failed to clear a corner and and Grant Collins squared for Jordan White to slot the ball home.

White had the goal at his mercy when sub Gary Madden played him in but the big striker somehow managed to put the ball past from four yards then the referee made a very contentious decision when Craig Kippen was controversially adjudged to be offside when he had the goal at his mercy.

Vics were raging again when a net-bound Collins’ appeared to be blocked by a the hand of a defender but the ref waved away their penalty claims but Craigmark almost stole it in the dying seconds when Caldwell found himself clean through but shot straight at McCue.