SUPER LEAGUE FIRST DIVISION

YOKER ATHLETIC 1 CUMNOCK 3

CUMNOCK moved up to third in the First Division, overtaking Kilwinning in the process, courtesy of a hard fought victory over Yoker Athletic.

Both teams started the game tentatively with the first chance not coming until the ninth minute. Cumnock’s corner was initially cleared by Yoker but Ray Montgomerie picked up the loose ball before playing it out wide to Josh Watt. Watt’s cross found an unmarked Aiden Malone and his header across the face of goal was stopped thanks to a smart save from Liam Campbell.

Cumnock broke the deadlock on 19 minutes when Keiren Wood took two attempts to get the ball past Campbell. Watt whipped in a dangerous free kick from the right hand side which found Wood at the back post. Wood’s close range header was blocked by the chest of Campbell but the ball landed back at the feet of the defender who made no mistake and blasted the ball into the back of the net.

A slip by Cumnock goalie Darren Johnstone almost provided Ally Graham with an opportunity to score an equaliser in the 24th minute. Paul Murphy managed to block a weak shot from Yoker but as Johnstone was coming out to collect the loose ball he slipped allowing Graham to get to the ball first but his shot was blocked by Johnstone as he recovered well.

Yoker needed some desperate defending to prevent Cumnock from scoring 3 minutes from half time. Ross McNeil managed to get to Wood’s knock down before Campbell but the ‘keeper narrowed the angle well in order to block McNeil’s shot. The rebound landed at the feet of Wood but his shot was blocked by a defender.

This miss almost proved costly as Graham equalised for Yoker just a minute later. Henry’s cross from the right hand side was met by Graham at the back post who headed the ball into the top right hand corner of the net from close range.

Yoker’s lead lasted just twelve minutes as Watt equalised on the hour mark. Montgomerie played a corner short to Watt whose initial cross was blocked. His second missed everyone and landed in the bottom left hand corner of the net. Malone may have gotten a touch before the ball hit the back of the net.

Del Esplin gave Cumnock some breathing space with his goal in the 68th minute. McNeil cut inside before firing a shot which was blocked. The ball rebounded towards Esplin who struck a first time shot into the bottom right hand corner of the net.

Murphy was sent off for Cumnock just two minutes from full time. A long ball caught Murphy off guard as Ramage managed to get in behind before being pulled down just outside the box leaving the referee with no choice but to send him off.

Cumnock - Johnstone, Wood, Crawford, Lundie, Murphy, Esplin, Montgomerie, Burns, Malone, McNeil, Watt.

Subs: Ronald, Quinn, Lyndsay, Scott, McMurdo.