Largs Thistle lose out after two goal lead at St Cadoc's

LARGS found themselves on the wrong end of a dramatic turnaround on Saturday as Stuart Davidson’s side relinquished a two-goal lead to finish empty-handed against title-chasing St Cadoc’s.
Goals from Jamie Martin and Cory Hughes looked like putting Largs on the way to their fourth victory on the spin, but St Cadoc’s fought back and had the better of the second half to turn the game on its head for a win that takes them to third place in the table.
Thistle had won their previous two away games in the West of Scotland Premier Division by 3-2 margins, against Glenafton and Clydebank, and the visitors got off to a positive start at New Tinto Park, with a Will Sewell header flashing over the bar.
Martin has been on a real purple patch since holding down a place in the side, and scored his third goal in three games with another impressive effort from outside the box to put Largs ahead. 

Jamie Martin has scored three goals in three games (Image: Newsquest)

 And on 24 minutes, Largs were presented with a golden opportunity to double their advantage when effervescent midfielder Liam Lapsley was pulled down inside the box - but keeper Max Currie made a fine save to deny Sewell from the penalty spot.
On the half hour mark, St Cadoc’s squandered a great chance to net the equaliser when Neil McLaughlin headed over from a Danny McManus corner.
But Largs kept pushing, and on 31 minutes Davidson’s men doubled their advantage when Hughes’ header was adjudged to have crossed the line, despite bitter protests from the hosts.

St Cadoc’s, though, were in no mood to lie down, and last season’s First Division runners-up pulled a goal back just before the break, McTaggart heading home from a corner to give the home side renewed hope.
The hosts pushed for an equaliser at the start of the second half, and the leveller came on 67 minutes when Hughes broke through to score, weaving his way through before dispatching a piledriver into the bottom corner.
With time running out for both sides, St Cadoc’s notched a dramatic winner as McLaughlin broke clear of his Largs marker to drill the ball past Joe Wilton in the Largs goal and complete the home team’s dramatic fightback.
It was just a few weeks ago that Largs overturned a two goal deficit to beat Glenafton and such is the nature of this cut-throat league that this same fate has now befallen Thistle.
However, Largs need to quickly lick their wounds and aim to get back to winning ways for their third away trip in a row to Cumnock this weekend.

LARGS: Wilton, McLeod, McMaster, Cumming, Hughes, Faulds, Martin, Lapsley, Sewell, Adam, Ramsay. Subs: Duffy, Devine, McGrath, Davidson, Johnstone (GK)

ST CADOC'S: Currie, Taylor, McIlduff, McKillen, Lithgow, Breen, McManus, Brady, McTaggart, Hughes, McLaughlin. Subs: Slattery, Muir, Munro, Miller, McGuire, Malcolm, Truesdale.