Rob Roy hit by late Kilbirnie landslide after red cards reduce them to nine

Chris Duff scores Rob Roys goal against Kilbirnie.

Despite taking the lead early in the second half Rabs ended up well beaten and finished the game with just nine men and two sendings off within a minute of each other.

Rob Roy started well and claimed in vain for a penalty in the fifth minute when Graeme Barbour appeared to be felled as he advanced into the box.

But minutes later at the other end only a timely tackle from Rabs’ skipper Jon Carter denied Martin Grehan.

Rabs continued to attack with Chris Duff sending a glancing header from a Gavin Mackie cross narrowly past the post.

In the 38th minute Duff’s searching cross found the head of Ladeside’s David Anderson who crashed the ball against his own upright before it was scrambled clear by ’keeper Keiran Hughes.

Steve Meechan had a couple of efforts from distance off target for the visitors but with neither ’keeper was unduly busy during the first 45 minutes.

Rabs began the second half brightly with Lee Gallacher sending his drive wide of the target when through on goal.

The home side then took the lead in the 48th minute when Ross Barbour crossed for Duff to bullet a header past Hughes.

However the lead lasted only five minutes as Kieran Brannan headed a loose ball past home ’keeper Jordan Brown.

Ladeside went in front on the hour mark when Adam Forde collected a through ball and ran into the home penalty box before sending a delicate lob over Brown.

The fluency of the match dropped due to substitutions and numerous cautions from a card-happy referee.

In the 80th minute substitute Steven Aitken should have put Rabs on level terms, but when through on goal with only Hughes to beat he hammered the ball well over.

Caolan McAleer forced a fine save from Brown before Rabs were reduced to nine men when defenders David Barr and Carter were sent off in the 83rd and 84th minutes for picking up second yellow card offences.

Kilbirnie made the numerical numbers count by adding a third when Forde slotted home in the 86th minute.

Then, with the Rabs defence appealing for offside, Forde added the fourth for his hat-trick in the final minute.