Michelle goes treble tops

Sep 19 2007 Ayrshire Post

AYR ladies 1st XI got their season off to a flying start when they beat Boroughmuir 5-2 at home.

Michelle Kennedy grabbed a hat-trick while Megan Clark and Christy MacKinnon added one each. Ayr hope to build on this good start when they travel to play Inverleith on Saturday.

Ayr gents 2nd X1 lost 7-2 to Western 4s at Milngavie. However, Ayr, fielding only two players from the week before, punched above their weight with several youngsters promoted from the lower teams.

Thirteen-year-old George Adams played with assurance alongside Murray McBride in defence. Craig Milby moved from centre forward into goal where he had several fine saves while Cameron Thorne had a good game in midfield with Adam Hunter and Fraser Ross.

Ayr started well, taking the lead through a Duncan Rout rebound from a penalty corner. Western began to find their rythym and before half time had a goal scoring spree to lead by 4-1 with excellent running off the ball getting behind the Ayr defence.

In the second half, Ayr continued to compete, Rout scoring a second from a penalty flick but the home side were too strong and finished comfortable winners with another three goals.

Ayr men’s 3rd X1 beat a good Giffnock 4th side 5-0 at Cambusdoon but were unlucky not to take the lead with Cliff Martin and Johnny Sutcliffe going close on a few occasions.

They led at half-time when a great pass by Simon Downes allowed Cliff Martin in to score a super goal.

After the break, Ayr dominated the midfield with Wully Dunlop and Alistair Shankland putting in some great work.

Sutcliffe ran on to a Danny McCallum pass to score the second and with Giffnock starting to tire, Ayr scored three in the last 15 minutes with Sutcliffe hitting two for his hat-trick and one from and Martin. Also playing well were Neil Riddle, David Boyle and Tom Sparks.

A young Ayr gents 1Vs beat Giffnock 2-1 at home. The visitors took the lead early on when, for the second week in a row, an Ayr defender tucked the ball behind his own keeper.

Ayr equalised when Ruairidh McCurdy picked up a long through ball at the near post and with a deft reverse stick touch beat the keeper.

The visitors could not penetrate a well organised Ayr defence with Ralph Riddiough and man of the match Alistair Laing in excellent form.

Ayr continued to probe for the winner and after excellent linking play between Ross Wallace and Thomas Sparks on the right wing found striker William Boyle in the attacking circle.

After rounding the sweeper, Boyle calmly beat the keeper at his near post to clinch the points.

Ayr ladies 2nd X1 lost 2–1 away to Uddingston in their opening game of the season.

Ayr, comprising a number of new players, took time to settle into their game and find some structure. Joan Purdie equalised in the first half, when she converted a loose ball. The seconds entertain Cumbernauld on September 29.