Arthurlie rally but leave it too late
Ogilvie’s men show spirit but Ladeside take honours
David Campbell A spirited Arthurlie fightback came just too late for Billy Ogilvie’s men as they slumped to another Super Premier League defeat in North Ayrshire.
The Barrhead side found themselves trailing 3-0 to Kilbirnine Ladeside but to their credit, they weren’t for throwing in the towel, fighting back to make it 3-2 in the closing stages.
It was the Valefield Park outfit who dominated the opening exchanges, moving the ball around with relative ease.
And the pressure eventually told when the lively Curtis Roberts was released down the right hand side and curled an inviting cross to the near post which ‘Lie keeper Grant Hay punched clear.
However, the ball landed at the feet of the onrushing Jon Scullion who tapped home from eight yards out to give the North Ayrshire men the lead. But there was no stopping Ladeside as just a minute into the second period they doubled their lead.
Jon Scullion fizzed a fierce cross from the left hand side, which Arthurlie managed to partially clear, but the ball landed kindly for Reece Williamson on the right wing who crossed deep to the back post where Scullion evaded his man 10 yards out. He found Dom McLaren, with a neat pass, who fired the ball into the bottom right hand corner.
The afternoon went from bad to worse for Billy Ogilvie’s men as Ladeside made it 3-0.
Mark Burnbridge finished a fantastic move from six yards out after Scullion produced a moment of magic, back heeling for Davie Anderson, who squared for the waiting Burnbridge to tap home.
At that point many Ladeside fans would have been forgiven for thinking the job was done. But Arthurlie were not giving up quite so easily.
Immediately after the third went in, Arthurlie sent a long ball forward but McLaren misjudged his header back to goalie Kieran Hughes, who was caught in no-man’s-land, allowing hitman Marc Mackenzie to nick the ball and then proceed to beat the retreating O’Byrne on the line and make it 3-1.
With six minutes of normal time remaining, Arthurlie found themselves with a free kick on the right hand side of the penalty area, around 18 yards out.
Kieran McAleenan stood over the ball and fired a dipping shot over the wall and in off the left hand post to set up a grandstand finish.
However, Ladeside managed to hold off the fightback to take all three points.