Brian McGinty (31)
Gareth Turner (59)

Derek Wingate (3)

Pollok’s hopes of retaining their Stagecoach Super Premier League title suffered a blow as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat away from home against Irvine Meadow XI.

Jim Sinnet was able to recall Stevie Aitchison and Stevie Miller to his side after periods of injury, and his team made the perfect start when they took the lead with just four minutes on the clock. DEREK WINGATE charged down the left, playing a one-two with Davie Turnbull before cutting inside his man and firing past Michael Wardrope. Andy Essler then had a corner kick clawed away from underneath the crossbar, with Calum Hardie’s follow-up effort saved by Wardrope. Bryan Dingwall was booked for a high challenge on Chris McGowan after 21 minutes before Brian McGinty sent a glancing header off target for the hosts. Pollok almost scored a second when Wingate’s deep free-kick was cushioned by Essler into the path of David McGeown, but Wardrope did well to keep out the midfielder’s volley.

Meadow drew level after 31 minutes with a classic counter-attacking goal. They broke down the left from a Pollok corner, with a fortuitous break of the ball helping Chris Strain to beat Joe Carruth before Strain picked out BRIAN McGINTY in acres of space 18 yards from goal. The striker had time to bring the ball under control before lashing beyond Kris Robertson off the inside of the post. Things went from bad to worse for Pollok four minutes later when they were reduced to ten men after Dingwall picked up his second yellow card of the game. Essler sent a fierce drive just wide from a tight angle after 38 minutes, while the half finished with Wardrope clutched a Turnbull header underneath the crossbar after the striker had flicked on a Carruth throw-in.

Meadow nearly took the lead only two minutes after the restart after good build-up work created space for Richie Barr to have a strike at goal, but he sliced his shot wide from 25 yards out. Former Pollok player Zander Ryan was next to try his luck, sending a free-kick narrowly wide from all of 35 yards out. His side hit the front after 59 minutes when Wingate dithered and failed to clear his lines, allowing Barr to prod the ball across to GARETH TURNER for the easiest of tap-ins. The remainder of the game was punctuated by bookings and substitutions, with Barr, Stevie Docherty and McGowan all seeing yellow for the hosts, while Wingate and Robertson were booked for ‘Lok. Chris Cruickshank, Simone Sorrentino and Alan Waddell were all introduced to the action as Pollok chased an equaliser, but they failed to display enough creativity to cause the home rearguard any problems. Meadow meanwhile were happy to protect their lead and hit on the break, without ever forcing a save from Robertson. In the end the game fizzled out, with the hosts holding on to their lead without any real dramas as they dislodged Beith at the top of the standings.

Pollok will now have to bounce back with a two-legged Citylink Scottish Junior Cup semi-final against Clydebank as the fight to claim major silverware in their Centenary season continues.