McBookie Championship

DALRY THISTLE 5

GIRVAN 0

STRUGGLING Girvan's woes deepened as they crashed to a fifth defeat of out seven against last season's Ayrshire District League champions.

The home side began well and in 13 minutes a free-kick glanced narrowly wide of target.

Three minutes later a visiting trialist was through on goal, however his shot went into the side netting.

In 22 minutes the home side seized the lead when former Ayr United striker Ian Cashmore sent a shot across the face of goal and it was turned in at the back post by Kieran Oliver.

There was yet more agony five minutes later when this time Oliver turned provider and he set up Cashmore to drill the ball home from six yards.

It looked like game over in 29 minutes when Jordan Stuart sent a cross from the right into the box for Gardner to slot home.

Seven minutes after the break, Thistle scored again when they broke forward and Cashmore slotted home, with the goal being allowed to stand despite protests from the hosts for offside.

There was a rare chance for Girvan in 56 minutes when a Stuart Milligan shot following a corner-kick was saved by visiting goalie Marc Fisher.

Another opportunity came the way of Girvan eight minutes later when Milligan fired a free-kick through the wall but home goalie Marc Fisher saved well.

Then eight minutes later, Rory Tait had a shot from outside of box but it rebounded off Dalry’s cross bar.

Cashmore set up Stuart, who netted, despite looking offside to make it 5-0 in the final minute.

Girvan will have to re-group from this as they prepare to host another side on a bad run, Irvine Victoria on Saturday. They will have to tighten up at the back and there is much to ponder for new boss Ian Patterson.

DALRY THISTLE: Fisher; Simpson, K Lochhead, Kirkwood, McGowan, Hannah, Oliver, Gardner, Cashmore, Stevenson, Stuart. Subs: Archdeacon, Turner, Browning, Reece, B Lochhead.

GIRVAN: Johnson; Doolan, Brown, Mossie, O’Donnell, Milligan, Tait, Lamont, Mitchell, Harvey, Trialist. Subs: Sisi, Wilson, Cunningham, Hunter, Cameron