Largs Colts 2002 0 Tass Thistle 1 Largs can take great heart from their performance after pushing unbeaten Tass Thistle all the way on Saturday.

Tass’s league form was twelve wins and a draw, with Largs the only team to stop the 100% record earlier in the season.

The boys played into the strong wind in the first half and were under pressure in the early stages. Smith and Wilson both stopped dangerous runs from the Tass strikers in the first few minutes before a through ball caught Largs for pace and the Tass striker finished well for the visitors to take the lead.

Largs battled their way into the game and on ten minutes a flowing move found Brown in space on the left, cutting inside Brown’s shot struck the post and went agonisingly wide.

And Tass, using the wind to their advantage struck a free-kick from distance just over the bar on 13 minutes. Keeper Irwin was busy and on 17 minutes he made a strong double save to keep the scoreline at 0-1. Largs were playing the ball on the deck and had another excellent move which fell to J.Coupar for the strike from distance which was well taken by the Tass keeper.

Largs would be playing with the strong wind in the second half and started positively.

Colts put the ball into the danger area and it appeared to cross the line with the Largs players celebrating though the referee did not see it that way and waved play-on. Colts were piling on the pressure and also hit the post for a second time in the game. When Weir was then fouled about 25 yards from goal, McTaggart, the skilful top scorer, stepped up and hit the ball with power though it went just wide of the left upright. Colts kept up the pressure through to the final whistle though just couldn’t quite find a goal.

This was an excellent performance by the Largs team and on another day they would have taken three points, never mind the draw.

The back five, including keeper Irwin were strong and composed. Weir, up top, was tireless and worked the Tass defence well. In midfield all five were fantastic with Dalglish man marking again to great effect. McTaggart and R.Coupar worked well in the middle and out wide Brown and J.Coupar played some excellent football. Man of the Match was awarded to J.Coupar with some excellent wing play, cutting through the defence and setting up chances for others.

Colts have one more game to play before the winter break at home to Galston who are on a very good run of form at the moment. Colts will be looking to finish the first half on a high after recent defeats as they seek to challenge for third place in the league.

A special thanks to our Match Sponsors for this game, Steven Henry, Joinery, West Kilbride.

Largs: Irwin (GK), Wilson, Loudon, Smith, Dalglish, Barbour, J.Coupar, R.Coupar (C), Weir, Brown, McTaggart. Subs:, Florence, MacNeil.