No silver lining for Irvine Vics

May 22 2009 by John Woods, Irvine Herald

One to four-get

THERE was no silver lining for Vics as Winton won the North Ayrshire Cup for the third time in a row on Thursday night.

Both teams struggled to adapt to the windy conditions at Victoria Park and the fans had to wait until the tenth minute for their first taste of goalmouth action when Winton’s Graham Hamilton tried to cash in on a slack Willie Bowler clearance but his effort was poor.

A good Brian Smith tackle denied Kier Milliken as Winton pressed then, as the home side showed their teeth, Gary McGrath pounced on a deft Rod Lennox lay-off but blasted his effort over from 25 yards.

Lennox came close when he pounced on a misplaced clearance but keeper Stevie O’Neill got down to save his angled drive, Hamilton headed over as play swung to the other end, then Vics came back with Scott Hayes setting up Lennox only for O’Neill to make a brave save at the striker’s feet.

But disaster struck Vics in 26 minutes when they handed Winton the opener with one of the daftest goals of the season.

Gareth Timoney started it all off when he over-cooked a passback to keeper Robert McGoogan who never really got the ball under control, lashed his attempted clearance off inrushing striker Niall Kennedy and the ball bounced into the net off the inside of the post.

Timoney helped atone for his error moments last when he headed a Kennedy effort off the line but Vics were desperately unlucky as the half drew to a close when firstly Lennox drilled a fierce effort inches wide then, after Scott Hayes saw a flying header clip the top of the bar, a thundering 25-yard McGrath effort suffered an identical fate.

Vics’ luck deserted them again at the start of the second half when Lennox was clearly tripped by Wilson as he burst past him in the box but referee Kevin Graham was having none of it, Gallagher wasted a great chance to double Winton’s advantage when he made a hash of converting a Kier Milliken cross then Lennox left Wilson for dead again but this time O’Neill was quickly off his line to close the little striker down.

But hopes of a Vics’ revival were effectively killed off in 61 minutes with a great goal, Gallagher brilliantly deceiving the home defence with a terrific turn before releasing Kennedy whose left wing cross was headed home by Graeme Muir.

McGrath had a decent penalty claim turned down when the grounded Billy Easton appeared to strike the ball with his arm as the Vics man went past him but the game was all over seconds later when a Mark Murray cross was knocked back by Gallagher for Kennedy to grab his second goal of the evening.

There was no way back for Vics now and Jamie Paton wrapped it up three minutes from time with a marvellous shot on the turn which gave McGoogan no chance.