Cup fits nicely for Irvine Meadow boss

Jun 12 2009 by John Woods, Irvine Herald

THE cups just keep on coming for Irvine Meadow and their manager Chris Strain.

With the Ardagh Glass Cup already on the sideboard Chris added another couple of pieces of silverware to his collection when his side was presented with the Stagecoach Premier League Trophy minutes before Saturday’s Ayrshire Cup win over Auchinleck Talbot.

And now the Meadow manager is just three games away from collecting trophy number four – a feat which would round off a truly remarkable season.

Meadow were due to visit Arthurlie in the Evening Times Cup Winners’ Cup quarter-final as we went to press on Tuesday and, with the players in the mood for adding to their medal collection, it will be a major surprise if they don’t book a place in the last four.

That would leave Meadow facing a semi-final trip to Blantyre Vics on Saturday before a possible place in the final at a venue – whish has to be arranged – on Thursday, June 18.

“I honestly feel if we get past Arthurlie then we’ll have an outstanding chance of winning the trophy again.” said Chris whose side became the first Ayrshire team to win the trophy in 2006.

“We’ve never lost to them in my time here as manager and we beat them home and away in the league this season. But they’re a really good side and their players will be desperate to put one over on us.”

“However we’ll be all the better for that game against over Talbot on Saturday.

“We were a wee but rusty after a two-week lay-off and it showed at times, but we came through in the end and it was a great result against a very good team.

“Out first goal would have graced any competition and the second was a typical penalty box strike from Jaco.

“The wind made it difficult for us to get out near the end of the game, but it was a terrific performance.”

Chris reckons his team have come good at exactly the right time – and proved a few of the knockers wrong in the process.

“I feel we’ve taken an awful lot of unfair criticism over the past few months, but nobody can argue with our achievements now,” he added.