Cumbernauld Colts see off Dalbeattie Star with first half treble

First-half goals from Ritchie Kirwan, Scott Davidson and Ross Kavanagh were enough to secure maximum points for the Cumbernauld men as they bounced back from their 7-0 loss at East Kilbride.

The home side made the perfect start with only two minutes on the clock when a corner whipped in from the right by Max Ashmore fell kindly for Kirwan to drill ball low past Star keeper Vinnie Parker from close range.

Colts continued to dominate and doubled their lead in 11 minutes. Another corner, delivered from the left by Stephen O’Neill, caused all sorts of chaos in the Star defence before Davidson forced the ball home.

The visitors tried to force their way back into the game and went close on a couple of occasions, but Colts keeper Jonathan Grier was equal to anything thrown at him to keep the Dalbeattie strikers at bay.

But the hosts looked dangerous with every attack and in 29 minutes Kirwan advanced on the right before firing a deep angled cross into the penalty area which Parker failed to collect, and the alert Kavanagh was on hand to sweep the ball into the empty net.

The Cumbernauld men started the second period brightly and had chances to extend their lead but poor finishing from Fraser Team and Marty Wright prevented them adding to their goals tally.

Dalbeattie struggled to find any way back into the game but on the hour mark Calvin Cowie went close when he cut inside Greg Pascazio and shot from 20 yards, but his deflected strike went narrowly of Grier’s left-hand post.

But Colts were in total command and had no need to charge forward and take the game to their opponents, but they did continue to look dangerous every time they broke forward.

And in 67 minutes Wright really should have made it four for Colts but he headed over the bar with the goal at his mercy and with Star keeper Parker rooted to the spot.

They had an even better chance on 79 minutes from the penalty spot after Team was pulled down by Liam Park but Stephen O’Neil’s spot kick was saved by Parker.

Dalbeattie were reduced to 10 men in the closing stages when Dean Brotherston was shown a second yellow.