Saltcoats Vics 1–5 Lugar Bothwell Thistle — SJFA West Region Ayrshire District League, 8 Nov 2014

Report by Keano

 Thomas Mclelland returned as a trialist to come on and score his 50th goal in Saltcoats colors, but went down 5-1 to Lugar thanks mainly to Kyle Russell's sending off in only 7mins.

  Saltcoats were reduced to ten in only the 7th min when Kyle Russell was correctly dismissed for a bad tackle all be it his first of the game, but for the remainder of the half you would have thought it was Lugar that were the short side as Saltcoats went on to dominate the play without breaking the deadlock, Chris Black was first to go close with a header in the 13min, followed shortly afterwards by a shot from James Moan after he linked up well with James Davidson but the shot was well dealt with by Ryan Kelly in the Lugar goal. On the half hour Sean Quinn had a cross well blocked by Darren Biggart as Davidson had lost his marker and was free at the back post, but he did get his chance shortly afterwards when James Moan played a deft ball through the defence for him to run on to and fire a shot into the side netting. It took Lugar all of 38 mins to have any real effort on the Saltcoats Goal and it came from mid-fielder Marti Watt who from the edge of the box turned the defender and shot toward goal but the shot was well held by Catterson. Saltcoats were forced to make a change just before the break when the ever impressive Owen McNullty picked up an injury and had to be replaced, on came Thomas McLelland.  

The second half started and Lugar came out the traps on fire and took the lead inside a minute when Jordan Mullen headed home a Shankland cross, but Saltcoats were back level only a minute later when McLelland fired home from close range for his 50th goal in Saltcoats colours to make it 1-1, and the same player almost put Saltcoats in front when Kelly parried a Black shot and McLelland was only millimeters away from heading home. Lugar then went up field and when referree Kirkland judged Catterson brought Wark down inside the box he pointed to the spot, and up stepped Alan Orr to make no mistake 2-1 Lugar. Lugar made it 3-1 with their next attack when Allan Patterson beat Hood and fired his shot high into Cattersons net and kill off Saltcoats. Saltcoats to their credit did not buckle at this stage but kept to the task of getting back into this game and when Black broke clear of the defense he should have shot but opted to take a touch and the chance was gone, next to have a go was the energetic Gibson who had run all day but his shot went the wrong side of the post. On Lugar's next attack they did kill off Saltcoats as they made it 4-1 when Graeme Whittaker beat Quinn to fire home past Catterson, and Alan Orr completed the scoring 5mins from time when he scored his own second and number 5 for Lugar, Saltcoats can take credit from this game as for large parts of it they were in control even though they were a man down, and on there day had their finishing been better could have been so differenet.