AYRSHIRE DISTRICT LEAGUE

CRAIGMARK BURNTONIANS 1 LUGAR BOSWELL THISTLE 5

AFTER scoring fifteen goals in their last three games it would seem harsh to criticise Lugar for not converting enough of the chances they create but the five goals scored on the sticky Station Park surface actually constituted a poor return on the number of openings they had.

Time and again in the first half hour Lugar tore through the Craigmark defence only to miss the target. Gordon Young failed to hit the Mark, so to speak, on three occasions, James Holland saw one effort cleared off the line then he shot tamely at 'keeper Alan Napier off Andy Johnstone's cross.

Napier also clawed away another shot from Young before Lugar eventually took the lead in the 28th minute. Steph Holland's back-pass to Napier was short and his Lugar namesake James Holland beat the 'keeper to the ball only for Napier to pull him down. The goalkeeper escaped with a yellow card but Holland slammed in the penalty to give the Jaggy Bunnets the advantage.

The goalscorer required attention for a head wound following an off the ball clash with Steph Holland which the referee, Tony Fullerton, missed then, after 35 minutes, the home side equalised in their first real attack. Paul McCambley went down under Grant Kirkwood's challenge on the left edge of the box and a penalty was given. Lyle Avci got a hand to Scott Dempster's spot-kick but couldn't prevent the equaliser.

Holland and Dougie McMaster passed up further opportunities for the visitors to retake the lead and Craigmark could have gone in ahead at the break after William Hall ran through but fired into the side net when a goal looked certain.

Lugar must have been ordered to shoot on sight after the interval and within two minutes of the restart they were in front again when Napier allowed a James Hilton drive to slip from his grasp and slither over the line.

In the 52nd minute McMaster rattled in the rebound after another shot from Hilton had been blocked. In between, Hilton had fashioned another opening for himself but took the ball too wide as he rounded the 'keeper and Napier was able to recover and save.

Greg Barr headed a Dylan Thirtle free kick over the top as 'Mark sought a way back into the game but on the hour Johnstone killed off their hopes of a revival when he gathered a loose ball on the edge of the box and drove in Lugar's fourth goal.

Lugar 'keeper Avci had a few saves to make in the latter stages including an unorthodox one from sub Craig Barrett off McCambley's lay-off but the game was already decided. Even a controversial second yellow card for Johnstone couldn't stop the ten men from adding a fifth goal in the 77th minute. Substitute Luke McCowan crossed from the left and fellow sub Davie Clapperton side-footed the ball in to round off Lugar's fine second half showing.

CRAIGMARK BURNTONIANS - Napier, Steele, Dawson, Holland, Barr, Hall, Reid, McCubbin, Dempster, Thirtle, McCambley.

Subs: Kay, Barrett, Hodge, McCrory, Uppal.

LUGAR BOSWELL THISTLE - Avci, Waite, Ballantyne, Muir, Kirkwood, Faulds, Johnstone, Young, McMaster, Holland, Hilton.

Subs: McCowan, McCreadie, Clapperton, Thomson.