Beith 7 Rob Roy 2: Miserable day for depleted Rob Roy

Rob Roy were still well in the game at 2-1 but fell away badly after the break, raising questions on the ability of many players to perform at this level, writes Neil Anderson.

The squad will welcome a speedy return of the many injured, experienced team members.

Roy went behind in the fourth minute when Thomas Collins pounced on a loose ball in the box after Rabs’ keeper John Hutchison had blocked three attempts at goal.

Lee Gallacher had the ball in the net a minute later for the visitors but it was disallowed for offside.

However the Roy managed to equalise in the ninth minute when Martin McBride’s low free kick beat Stephen Grindlay at his right hand post.

Two minutes later Grindlay saved well from Gallacher before Kevin Green saw his effort fly over the bar for the home side.

McBride then saw his free kick from 25 yards go narrowly past but it was The Mighty who took the lead again in the 24th minute.

Collins was alert to Keir Milliken’s cross from the left and managed to get in front of Michael Morris to touch the ball home.

Five minutes later Collins fired over from a Steven Noble cross before the Roy responded with another McBride free kick that went over the bar.

Hutchison saved well from Green after he won a Milliken cross and then on the stroke of half-time Gallacher’s free kick went across the face of the Beith goal with no takers.

Three minute in the second half Morris saw his shot go wide following a goalmouth scramble as the visitors tried to level the scoreline.

Hutchison was called in to action in the 54th minute to save well from John Sheridan before both sides made substitutions on the hour mark.

Willie Sawyers was the first to make an impact when his shot was blocked by Sheridan but it was Beith’s substitute Joe Bradley who extended the lead in the 63rd minute when he took advantage of a spill from Hutchison to prod the ball home.

This then heralded a period of collapse from the visitors.

Collins made it 4-1 when ran through the centre of the Roy defence to slot past Hutchison.

Although Connor Hughes hit the bar for the Rabs in the 75th minute it was Sheridan who made it 5-1 in the 77th minute after the linesman had adjudged his header to have crossed the line.

Substitute Peter Haggarty then scored from another breakaway in the 83rd minute beating Morris in a one on one situation.

And the a minute later Andy Reid made it 7-1 for The Mighty when a cross from the right found him with a free header in the box.

In the final minute the Roy managed a consolation goal when Sam Mackenzie broke down the left and squared the ball for Sawyers to shoot past Grindlay but when the final whistle sounded shortly after it came as a relief to the good travelling support.

There was no nomination for Man of the Match.