Rutherglen 3 Largs Thistle 2 Largs showed plenty of battle, and pressing, in this encounter, but it was not enough as their survival hopes were dented by their third consecutive league defeat.

Mid-table Rutherglen secured a narrow victory over the basement boys in a dramatic Stagecoach Super 1st Division encounter including five goals, and two red cards.

Thistle had started brightly but it was Rutherglen who notched an early lead after a deep free kick from Welsh found Denis McLaughlin who glanced a looping header into the top right corner from ten yards. 1-0 after only three minutes on the clock.

Skipper Kevin Struthers fired wildly over while new signing Willie Kinniburgh in defence made a crucial interception to deny McNeil when through on goal.

And Rutherglen made it 2-0 on the 26th minute with a quality finish from McLaughlin with a half volley launched into the bottom right corner after a high ball into the box from the right.

Largs pulled a goal back on 32 minutes as a long throw from Iain Fisher into the penalty box was picked up by Graham Muir who showed determination to beat defenders through to fire past the Rutherglen keeper.

How the home side missed the opportunity to go 3-1 up we will never know as Ross McNeil zipped through on goal down the right after beating Lundy but contrived to miss with the goal gaping.

It was the let-off that Thistle were perhaps needing, but Rutherglen restored their two goal advantage early in the second half, and it was a disappointing goal for Largs to lose.

Euan Lindsay’s header from a corner was too close to the keeper, while Lundy made an important save after the ball came through a ruck of players, but Rutherglen went on to restore their two goal advantage.

Hutchinson and Esplin combined to set up O’Neill on the right wing and he cut across before firing in a 22 yard curling shot which appeared to catch Lundy unsighted as it crept into the bottom left hand corner on 54 minutes.

Largs reduced the deficit to 3-2 when they were awarded a spot-kick on the 63rd minute as Struthers scored from the spot, as Rutherglen’s Marc Russell took his protests too far and was ordered off by the referee.

Largs, tried as they might, to get into attacking positions, with aerial attacks including long throws deployed by Fisher, but couldn’t find a way back into this match.

Thistle were reduced to ten men after Muir saw red for a high challenge, although he appeared to move his foot away in the nick of time from the challenge.

Glencairn held off the Thistle challenge to collect full points, while Largs now have the proverbial mountain to climb in bottom spot with 12 points, and 10 games still to play, with four teams getting jettisoned to the district leagues at the end of the season.

Largs ultimately paid the price for conceding some soft goals, and should have at least got a draw out of this encounter.

It was encouraging to see Largs fighting all the way to the end - a skill which they are going to have to maximise on as Thistle have it all to do with ten league games remaining.

Largs: Lundy, Fisher, Murray, Kinniburgh, Little, Fleming, Frizzell, Keogh, Struthers, Lindsay, Muir, Subs: Pierce, Jamieson, Marks, Thomson, Gilbride.