Kirkintilloch Rob Roy beaten again by relegation rivals Benburb

Two second half goals saw the visitors complete a league double over Stewart Maxwell’s side and leave the Kirkintilloch side 11 points adrifty of safety at the foot of the Premiership table.

Rob Roy started on the attack and Gary Carroll’s snap shot was well saved by keeper Ross Connelly.

A free-kick from Tommy Martin was then cleared out to David Green whose shot on target brought out another fine save from Connelly.

A fine move down the right between Alex Cassells and Green saw his cross saved by Connelly before Carroll’s follow up shot was blocked, and the keeper was again equal to another Carroll effort after punching clear Martin McBride’s free kick.

Benburb’s Greg Maitland headed over when free in the box as the visitors tried to get back into the game, but Connelly was soon called back into action to save a Cassells header from a Currie-McLean cross.

On the half hour mark Roy’s keeper John Hutchison saved a Ciaran Mulcahy shot with his feet, James Marks blasting over from the rebound, before Grant Brennan’s cross into the Rabs box failed to find any takers.

As half-time approached Bens had two loud handball penalty claims ignored and suffered further frustration when Marks headed home a Willie McLaren cross but was correctly flagged offside.

But four minutes into the second half Benburb stunned the home support by taking the lead when a cross from the left found Mulcahy free in the box and he wasted no time in blasting the ball beyond Hutchison.

Rabs responded and Green’s shot brought out a fine save from Connelly before McLaren wasted a free kick at the other end by firing wide.

Rob Roy thought they had equalised in the 56th minute when Green converted a cross from the right but the ‘goal’ was chalked off for a foul on Kieran O’Hear in the build up.

This seemed to inspire Benburb. Marks missed the target when free in front of goal, Hutchison did well to clear a Kieran McAllister effort with his feet and a Currie-McLean miskick ended up with Maitland hitting the post.

Cassells went close with a header before in the 70th minute he lost possession and allowed McLaren to break down the right, cut inside O’Halloran and thumped the ball past Hutchison to extend the lead.

Five minutes later Cassells shot wide before the Roy forced three corners in a row, which ended with Green’s effort going over the bar.

However, the Bens were always dangerous on the break and Hutchison did well to tip over a Gary Fisher screamer.

In the closing minute the Rabs’ afternoon was summed up when, from a Michael Tuohy corner, Forrester completely miskicked when free in front of goal and the ball bounced wide.

Rob Roy’s inability to score goals again proved a major handicap and Benburb will feel confident when the two teams meet again in the West of Scotland Cup early in the new year.