McBookie Super First Division

ARDROSSAN WINTON ROVERS 0

LARGS THISTLE 3

by Calum Corral

LEAGUE leaders Largs outfought and outmanoeuvred Winton Rovers whose late flurry of pressure was all in vain.

Rovers will rue two close opportunities at the end, but in truth, never really looked at the races as Largs showed a greater desire to win.

Confident Thistle opened with strong possession play and were immediately putting the home side under pressure. They and had an early chance as James Marks wheeled away from a defender but shot wide in the early minutes

Marks then raced through on goal and claimed he was impeded but the referee waved away any penalty claims.

A classy angled strike from ex-Winton midfielder Graham Muir put Thistle ahead in 19 minutes. Muir took the initiative as he ran through after a quick interchange of passes and lashed the ball home from the tightest of angles at the right post.

Former Albion and Auchinleck winger Gary Phillips sent a curling free-kick from the left hand side into the box, and Nicky Jamieson got a clean header but the effort was easily saved by home goalie Dylan Caddis.

Former Thistle skipper Robbie Cochrane came off the bench for the hosts.

Largs continued pressing and Sean Pierce made it 2-0 as half-time approached thanks to a long range effort which caught Caddis off guard at his near post. It was a shot which should have been saved.

They made certain of maximum points with a wonderful third goal as Pierce again had space down the right hand side, and accelerated into the box before whipping a fast effort into the bottom left hand corner of the net in 53 minutes.

Muir had the ball in the back of the net again for Largs but the offside flag was raised, as Winton were struggling to cope with the Thistle pressure.

Largs looked comfortable but Winton had a late flurry and hit the woodwork with two late efforts, but it was too little too late for the Rovers as Thistle ran out convincing winners.

During the final ten minutes, Ben Carson slammed a shot off the crossbar, and Jared Willett fired the ball off the left post after a dangerous run from the left.

However, other than that, Largs were in control and merited their convincing win.

ARDROSSAN WR: D Caddis; Turner, Richardson, Reid, Marriott, Carson, Browning, Willett, R Caddis, Bradford, Colligan. Subs: Cochrane, Wardrope, Gemmel, Burnie, Hayes.

Largs: Lundy, Frizzell, Murray, Gilbride, Jamieson, Little, Muir, Fleming, Marks, Pierce, Phillips. Subs: Slavin, McClure, McMahon, Frizzell.