Saltcoats Vics 1–2 Ardeer Thistle — SJFA West Region Ayrshire District League, 22 Feb 2014

Report by keano

If ever there was a game that was won by referree's bad disisions this was it, but credit must go to Ardeer for fighting right up until the last whistle in order to pinch 3 points and leave the home team wondering what had happened.

The first half started with Saltcoats on the front foot and they really should have taken the lead in only 2mins, when Santos skinned the defence but fired his shot at McCann in the Ardeer goal, that was followed shortly after by Ardeer's first raid up field, and when Ried pulled the trigger he  unlucky to see his shot come back off the foot of the post. Saltcoats to thier credit kept Ardeer quiet for nearly the entire half and should have went in at the break goals up firstly Santos had an effort go close follwed by Hart who saw his shot saved by McCann and Stewart who's goal bound effort hit Hart and was deflected wide. At this stage Ardeer were leading a charmed life but Saltcoats to thier frustration could not break them down, and when the half time whistle went the relief on Manager Cook's face was clear, it gave him a chance to get his troops inside and get them wakened up and into the game.

The second half was only 1min old when Monan played the ball up to Santos and he stripped the defence and slotted the ball past McCann to give Saltcoats the lead. Once Saltcoats had taken the lead they seened to relax and play some football and Ardeer were finding it hard to get any flowing football going, and thier only real danger was the ever industrial attacker Lee Munro, but to thier credit Hercus, Dixon and Gregory were keeping him quiet between them, in the middle of the park Callum Davidson and Mark Ferris had the game under control, and on the hour mark Ferris sent Mick Hart clear of the defence with only the keeper to beat but the striker got a rush of blood and shot over, to keep Ardeer in it. As the game entered the later stages and Saltcoats well in control, you could really see no way back for Ardeer that was until about the last 8mins or so when they showed thier determination and grit by fighting for every scrap of balland they were rewarded for there efforts on 87mins when the ref adjudged Gregory to have fouled Munro inside the box and awarded a penalty to everyones surprise, Scott Reid stepped forward to take it, and when he placed his shot to the right Catterson got across well to save but to the goalies dissmay, Reid was first to react and smash the lose ball into the net and even things up. That goal really lifted Ardeer and they went at Saltcoats and in the final min they got the winner when Catterson was judged by the ref to have dropped the ball and pick it up,but everyone in the ground saw him try to bounce it and on the very heavy pitch the ball did not bounce on the surface and the ref awarded Ardeer an indirect free kick 12yds from goal. After a fasle start Munro tipped the ball right and Ried fired into the Saltcoats goal to give Ardeer victory, a very sore defeat for Saltcoats but well done to Ardeer they keep thier promotion bid on track.

mom  3 Davidson

        2 Stewart

        1 Ferris