Ross is the hero for Neilston
A great second-half strike from Ross MacKinnon gave Neilston their first league win of the season after narrowly beating Whitletts Victoria at Brig O’Lea.
The Farmer’s Boys had to play a large part of the second half with ten men after Ross Hocknall was sent off for picking up two bookings just minutes apart.
Vics tested home goalkeeper Kyle Pirie inside the opening minute with a Stewart Davidson drive from just outside the box.
At the other end, Dan McColgan did well to get down to hold onto a MacKinnon drive at his near post.
The first half was a fairly scrappy affair with neither side threatening the opposing goal too much despite some good build-up play.
In the dying minutes, Paul Stewart’s effort came close but his shot was deflected over the bar, while on the stroke of half time, Vic’s Davidson tried his luck but found the side netting.
The second half was a different affair altogether with Vics going close to opening the scoring in the opening minutes when David Cunningham’s shot was blocked and Louis Kerr’s follow up was saved by the feet of Pirie.
But on the hour mark, Neilston were reduced to 10 men when Hocknall launched into a late challenge on Davidson for which both players were cautioned and Hocknall was sent for an early bath by the referee having picked up his first yellow just minutes prior.
From the resulting play however, Neilston scored the only goal of the game as MacKinnon stepped forward to fire a unstoppable free-kick from 25 yards over the head of the Vics keeper, McColgan for his first goal since signing from Linlithgow Rose.
Neilston brought on Daryl Convery for Cammy Haddow and changed the formation as they tried to see the game out.
In the 73rd minute, Neilston were luckly not to concede a penalty when Pirie was unaware of the presence of Patterson as he dropped the ball to kick it up the park.
He was robbed of possession by the Vics striker, who stepped just inside the penalty area and was brought down by Paul Doyle.
But the referee amazingly only awarded a corner kick despite the protests.
The visitors continued to press forward for the equaliser with Patterson’s shot deflected over and Pirie spilled a Louis Kerr shot but found no takers.
In the closing stages Patterson again had an opportunity when he turned a defender inside the box but his angled drive slipped narrowly past.
Neilston: Pirie, Halliday, MacKinnon (Fletcher), Gordon, Doyle, Hockhull, Haddow (Convery), Stirling, Diack, Stewart, Cumming
Sub not used: Carson, Cameron, Mitchell.