BEITH 3 LARGS THISTLE 0
Report by Drew Cochrane


We could have packed our tents and departed at half-time as a result of a controversial sending off and penalty just before the interval.
With the young Largs team battling to hold the bigger, more experienced Beith side referee Connor Ashwood decided to issue a second yellow card to Thistle captain Scott Adam and to point to the spot.
Adam, the only experienced Junior in an Under 23 Largs outfit, had been shown yellow early in the match for a soft tackle, the referee having already booked a Beith player and wanting to even things up.
So, when Adam challenged Beith defender Docherty in the box from a corner kick in the 44th minute ref Ashwood blew for an infringement. 
Largs were down to ten men and Beith's McGlinchey blasted the ball into the net for a 1-0 lead.
To be brutally honest, there had been little else to write about in a first half played in stormy conditions. Thistle had Ben Black, Paul Harkins and Craig Forbes injured and shuffled the pack with George Sewell returning from suspension at right back and Morton loan signing Darren Hynes retaining the central defensive slot alongside 18 year old Ross Love. Ben Eardley moved forward into a youthful midfield with Faulds, McBride and MacIntyre.
It was noticeable that Beith, who are still in the Scottish Cup, had a shoot on sight policy with Paul Frize firing three shots at the Largs goal; two saved by keeper Jamie McGowan and one cleared by Hynes.
The unfamiliar Thistle formation was giving the ball away too easily upfront and in midfield allowing the home team to drive forward at every opportunity.
Laurie McMaster headed off the line after a corner evaded keeper McGowan who is good on the ground but Dracula like in the air...he hates crosses.
It took until the 39th minute for Thistle's loan signing from Auchinleck, Hamish McKinlay, to have the first scoring effort which was easily held by Grindlay.
The prelude to the controversial penalty in 44 minutes was a cross-come-shot which bounced off McGowan for the corner.
McKinlay was the lone forward in the second half and his enthusiasm led to a booking for his tackles on Beith defenders. 
Largs depended on the break and they almost equalised on the hour mark when a MacIntyre freekick was met by Love whose header forced Grindlay into a great save.
Eardley also had an energetic run and shot which sneaked past the post.
For the most part Beith's numerical strength saw them pepper shots at McGowan who responded with a series of fine saves. If only he could deal with high balls.
In fact, he was beaten in the air for the second goal after 72 minutes when diminutive forward Kenny McLean was able to head home from a cross ball.
Substitute Kane O'Neill was denied a great goal for Largs near the end when his volley flew past the keeper but rebounded from the underside of the bar.
As it was, Beith substitute McKenzie finished the scoring when an exhausted Largs defence failed to clear their lines in the final minute.
Thistle's young brigade never gave up and it is a result for the dustbin of statistics.
Beith: Grindlay, McGlinchey, Noble, Docherty, Green, Wilson, Christie, Frize, McLean, Milliken, McMahon. subs Ramsay, McIlroy, McKenzie, Young, Maliska.
Largs: McGowan, Hynes, McMaster, Love, Sewell, Faulds, Eardley, McBryde, Adam, MacIntyre, McKinlay. subs - Forbes, Brophy, O'Neill, George, Lundy.
Photos: John Keachie
Next Game: 15 February, McBookie.com Premier Division, Kirkintilloch Rob Roy v Largs Thistle, 2pm kick-off, Guys Meadow, Cumbernauld.