IRVINE VICTORIA (Victoria Park)

AYRSHIRE CHALLENGE CUP SEMI-FINAL, IRVINE VICTORIA 1-5 AUCHINLECK TALBOT, ATTENDANCE: 310 (h/c)

My end of season trips North of the Border continued today with a journey to the Ayrshire coast. Irvine Victoria were hosting Auchinleck Talbot in an Ayrshire Cup semi-final clash, for the right to play Hurlford United in the final.

Formed in 1904, Irvine Victoria have been at their Cochrane Street home since 1937, the ground is now known as Victoria Park. They are most certainly the towns second team behind rivals Irvine Meadow.

The ground is basically two sided with a couple of bits of terracing behind one goal and a couple of bits of cover down one touchline. The other touchline is tight up against a railway embankment. The ground is quite ramshackle, I thought it looked absolutely fanstastic!

Irvine Victoria were Ayrshire District League Champions in 2014 but after just one season in the Super League First Division they have been relegated back to the District League. In contrast visitors Auchinleck have won the Super League Premier Division for the third year in a row and will also play Musselburgh Athletic in the Junior Cup Final next weekend.

On paper, this looked a formality for The Bots, especially after a midweek 7-0 win over Kilbirnie in the last round. So it proved.

Auchinleck were 2-0 up at the break, thanks to goals from Brian Young and Mark Shankland, and looked threatening everytime they went forward.

The Vics tried their hardest and did carve out a few half chances but further second half goals from Shankland, who completed a hat-trick, and Graham Wilson cemented the victory for Auchinleck. If it wasn't for the superb performance in goal of Victoria's player of the season Chris Lamb, the score may have been at least double what it was.

Irvine Victoria did get themselves on the scoresheet with virtually the last kick of the game when David Adams picked himself up to score from the penalty spot after he was brought down by Andrew Leishman, who was also sent off.