Ardagh Group West of Scotland Cup Second Round

GIRVAN 2

NEWMAINS UNITED 1

MIDAS man Peter Leonard made it a perfect three wins out of three since his return as manager as Girvan edged out their lower league opponents.

The reward is a trip up the coast to face Premiership side Largs Thistle.

Leonard. who won the club successive promotions to the Super First and Premier Division has a spring in his step since his recent return as caretaker boss.

Girvan began well and scored either the first action of three game in four minutes when Kieran Balfour blasted low into the bottom corner from 16 yards.

Just a minute later, Jo Maxwell saw his effort from 12 yards deflected.

The hosts doubled their advantage with a great strike in 11 minutes as a quick throw-in from Adan Caldwell was laid on by Steven Currie to Craig “Hoots” Harvey who rolled it home from eight yards. It was all Girvan at this stage.

A strong shot from 16 yards from Currie was deflected wide by visiting goalie Cameron Farquhar in 16 minutes.

Home goalie Nathan Sloan saved confidently from a David Menelaw’s lob in 20 minutes. Newmains had another opportunity in 23 minutes when a free-kick from 25 yards by Lewis Noble produced a good stop from Nathan Sloan.

A strong tackle from Nicky Warren broke up a Newmains attack in 28 minutes.

Caldwell saw his effort at the near post deflected wide in 33 minutes.

A shot from 16 yards by Currie was well handled by Farquhar three minutes later.

Newmains pulled a goal back in 39 minutes when Dom Cherrie headed home after Sloan had misjudged a cross.

Farquhar made a good save from Harvey in 41 minutes as Girvan tried to kill off the game.

Two minutes after the break a Caldwell shot from six yards was cleared off the line by a defender. Then an effort from 12 yards by former Ayr United striker Andy Reid was easily saved by Farquhar. Caldwell shot across the face of goal from 12 yards in 54 minutes.

A free- kick from 22 yards by Lee McClymont was well saved by the Newmains goalie in 73 minutes.

A wind-assisted shot from 25 yards by Callum Davidson was well saved by Farquhar in 78 minutes.

Sloan made a confident save from a 25-yard free-kick a minute later.

The Newmains goalie made a great save to foil Currie from 10 yards in 83 minutes.

A red-kick from visiting substitute Cameron Browning glanced just over the bar in 89 minutes as a sustained spell of late pressure from Newman’s was well handled by the Girvan defence.

GIRVAN: Sloan; Caldwell, McClymont, Mossie, Warren, Maxwell, Balfour, Reid, Currie, Harvey, Davidson. Subs: Bell, Dempsie, Love, Marshall, Mitchell.