Last updated : 22 December 2004 By Rave On Line Editor
KaisAyr 6-2 Athletic Bilbino Match Report
KaisAyr 6-2 Athletic Bilbino - Match Report by Robin Bairner
S. Johnstone
Smith
McGregor
Gardiner
Bairner
Kuhlwilm
Payne
Murie
Spowatt
McPake
Cremin
Substitutes: Craig, McLean
Bilbino travelled to Ayr on Saturday looking to defend an unbeaten away record but preparations were hampered by the late swtich of the match from grass to old style astroturf after the pitch was deemed too wet to play on. Scott Johnstone started in goal as usual and was protected by a back four of James Smith, Roger Gardiner, Mick McGregor and Robin Bairner, who had been switched to left back after Craig Johnstone had to pull out due to work commitments. In midfield Mark Spowatt took Bairner's usual position on the left with Alan Murie and Chris Payne playing in the centre flanked by David Kuhlwilm to the right. The front two were Blair Cremin and top scorer Michael McPake.
Things seemed to start brightly for the visitors as a neat passing move cut through the home defence immediately but, as happened so many times, the final ball was too stong through and ran through to a goalkeeper who was quick off his line. Ayr began to justify their position as British Champions and threatened on a couple of occassions before some slack marking at the back post allowed a forward to steam in and blast the ball high into the net. The lead was doubled soon after with a good volley from 20 yards out which Johnstone lost in the low December sun and flew over his head to give the hosts a great start. Ayr were by far dominant side but the guys from Stirling became more resiliant and managed to hold out. Despite this the only time the Ayr keeper was tested was from a low Bairner drive from the corner of the box which was forced wide of the post.
KaisAyr were quickly out of the blocks in the second half, scoring with a nice move coming down the right hand side leaving an easy finish for the striker. Despite the three goal margine Bilbino showed good character to push forward more and force their first real spell of pressure. A goal finally came after a corner wasn't properly cleared and substitute John Craig's shot cannoned off a player to McGregor who finished well from eight yards out. Back in the game hopes were raised amongst the Bilbino side but these were quickly dashed as lapses in concentration allowed KaisAyr to fire in three quick goals which killed the game. Some heads seemed to drop after the fourth hit the net as luck went against the visitors as a clear offside decision was missed by the referee allowing the Ayr left winger to get to the bye line to cross to an unmarked player as the defence was disappointingly outnumbered by Ayr forwards. The fifth followed shortly after a corner was only partially cleared with the ball being clipped back in as the defence tried to clear the box finding a forward in an onside position who turned and finished high into the net. The sixth was also a simple affair with the Ayr midfield getting the better of things and breaking away, once more outnumbering the Stirling defence, and one good through ball found the right winger who clipped the ball past Johnstone. It could've been 7 if Johnstone hadn't turned a drive onto the cross bar as the defence fell asleep from a corner.
Despite all this the side from Stirling had their chances but either couldn't find the finish or the killer ball as time and time again the final pass skimmed away from Cremin and McPake upfront. Spowatt and Murie both saw shots go well over the bar and Cremin was unlucky with a strike that went just past the post and McPake was a threat whenever the ball fell to him. And it was Bilbino's top scorer who poached their second when the ball broke to him at a corner, prodding the ball home from close range. Stirling pressed heavily towards the end but another goal looked unlikely and even if it had it would've been too little too late.
