Pollok 1 Beith 4

BEITH JUNIORS 3 RANGERS X1 4

BEITH: ROSS, KERR, WILSON, McCULLOCH, SHERIDAN, G STEWART, CRAIG, STUART, CAVANAGH, MORT, McLEAN. SUBS: McKEOWN, McSHANE, SPENCE, McKENZIE, MURCH.

RANGERS: INGLIS, MCCABE, MILNE, DURIE, SCOTT, MILLER, WRIGHT, HUTTON, KISUKA, MEGREEM, NAISMITH.

Billy Kirkwood brought a young Rangers X1 to Beith to honour John Craig who has now entered his 10^th season with the Bellsdale club. The match provided fine entertainment for the good crowd and a competitive work out, particularly in the first half, although the sharper Rangers side gained the upper hand after the break as Beith fielded some ‘experienced’ guests.

Beith opened very brightly and took the lead after only 5 minutes when Graham Mort pick up possession and drove forward to find the bottom corner with a fine shot from 18 yards. Beith continued to dominate and Mort went close with a header that went inches over the bar. Kenny McLean was also giving the visitors plenty of problems and he turned smartly on a Craig pass only to see his shot clip the crossbar.

Rangers drew level in practically their first serious venture forward when Beith keeper Ross could only touch a dipping shot across goal into the air leaving Megreem the easy task of nodding the ball over the line.

The open match continued to swing from end to end Gary Stewart forced keeper Inglis into a good save to stop his shot following a surging run forward while Gers goal scorer Mergeem and strike partner Kisuka continued to look dangerous up front.

Kisuka was unlucky to see a cheeky back heel effort only just loop over the bar and minutes later he set up Wright for a shot that Ross did well to touch onto the bar.

Gary Stewart provided the last notable action of a competitive half when he again drove forward from midfield and shot inches over.

Former Beith boss Dennis Gray took charge after the interval and made the first of several changes to the line up throughout the second half. Understandably this handed an advantage to Rangers and they went ahead a few minutes after the restart when Naismith curled home a fine free kick from just inside the box after a mix up at the back led to veteran guest keeper Gary Mathews handling a pass back.

A slick passing move from Rangers in the 51^st minute sliced through a somewhat disorganised Beith back line and Wright was on hand close in to slide home a cut back from Kisuka on the bye line.

Beith regrouped after the shaky restart and former captain Kevin Deeney went close with a shot and man of the moment John Craig was very unlucky to see a fine curled shot cannon off the post with the keeper beaten. Beith continued to plug away, they brought the score back to 3-2 when coach Stevie Convery got on the end of a fine James Canning cross to plant a powerful header in the bottom corner.

Gary Mathews redeemed himself with a fine stop at the feet of Gers sub Merenghi before an even more mature keeper in the shape of Ian Wilson replaced him. The visitors continued to stick with their passing game with Hutton in particular looking very comfortable in midfield.

The goals were not finished as the match drew to a close and substitute McAusland restored Gers two-goal advantage when he easily knocked home close in after Wilson failed to cut out a cross.

Some action from the game

WEST OF SCOTLAND CUP Rd1