Published: Wednesday, 14th October, 2009 3:44pm

MEADOW CUT BY SHARP LIE

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Arthurlie: 2 Irvine Meadow: 1

ARTHURLIE went joint top of the league on Saturday after a hard-fought victory over Irvine Meadow.

Captain Craig Higgins missed out through injury, while Lee Sharp has gone on loan to Stranraer until January.

Added to the squad was ex-Pollok midfielder Sean Bonar, who was signed during the week.

Derek Wingate had the game's first effort but his 30-yard shot was easily tipped to safety by Neil Parry.

From the resulting corner the ball

was only partially cleared by the home defence before being played back in for David Hamilton, but his toe-poked effort went inches wide.

Arthurlie took the lead on 26 minutes

when Callan Adam gathered the ball inside the Meadow half and skipped past a

couple of players before drilling a left-footed daisy cutter across the helpless Michael Wardrope.

It was Adam again three minutes later who was next to try his luck, but his left-footed free-kick went wide of the target.

Parry had to be on his toes to touch a David Lowering free-kick past his post on 37 minutes, but from the resulting corner the game was level.

Zander Ryan's ball was met unchallenged by the towering Chris Robertson, who bulleted his header home.

Just on half time John McLay had a chance to put Arthurlie back in front but his tame effort went wide.

Hamilton saw a goal-bound effort deflected for a corner off Adam 11 minutes into the second half as the Ayrshire side looked to up the pace.

Richie Barr was through on goal just five minutes later and only a fantastic Parry save thwarted him but two minutes later the Barrhead side regained the lead.

Sean Winter was hauled down inside the area and Graham Dale was a picture of composure and he stepped up and rolled the ball home, sending Wardrope the wrong way.

Arthurlie almost went further ahead 60 seconds later when Wardrope was forced into a double save.

Firstly from Frank McKeown's free-kick before Adam's effort from the rebound.

Irvine went all out now in search of the equaliser and only a fantastic block from Stephen Gallacher stopped Brian McGinty from pulling the trigger as he bore down on goal.

And it was the same two players and the same outcome in the last minute of the game when once again Gallacher showed his

defensive qualities in blocking McGinty's

effort and securing the points for the Barrhead side.

Arthurlie have a break from league duty on Saturday when they travel to Keanie Park to face Johnstone Burgh in the West of Scotland Cup, kick off 2pm.

Meanwhile the 'Lie have been drawn away to Newburgh in the second round of the Emirates Scottish Junior Cup.

The tie will be played on October 31 at 2pm.

ARTHURLIE: Parry, Gallacher, Dale, Lundie, McKeown, McLay, Winter, Johnston, Anderson, Malcolm, Adam.

SUBS: Andrew, Bradford, Murdoch, Bonar, Duncan, Ardallany, Cannon.