it’s just not good enough

Jun 11 2009 by Jeff Holmes, Paisley Daily Express

Arthurlie 2 Irvine Meadow 5

FURIOUS Arthurlie boss Mark Cameron last night admitted he will “take stock” of the club’s situation during the summer after watching his players being humiliated by Irvine Meadow at Dunterlie for the second time this season.

And Branco insists he won’t shirk from making big decisions in the weeks ahead.

A Richie Barr hat-trick and goals from Emilio Jaconelli and David Hamilton were sufficient to KO Lie’s Evening Times Cup hopes at the quarter-final stage.

Stephen Anderson fired a late first half double but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Barrhead side crashing out.

The ’Lie’s chances weren’t helped by the dismissal of George Wallace for a challenge on former St Mirren ace Mark Crilly.

Cameron said: “You simply can’t gift a team of Irvine Meadow’s quality three goals and expect to get anything from the game.

“We managed to get back into it but conspired to shoot ourselves in the foot again.

“It’s so frustrating because we had chances.

“The sending-off obviously didn’t help but that’s been the story of our season.

“George gave the ref a decision to make and he did make that decision, rightly or wrongly.

“We managed to beat the likes of Cumnock, Whitburn and Lochee after getting men sent off but this proved too tall an order.

“The last time we met Meadow at Dunterlie, we shipped four goals.

“It’s unacceptable.

“I’ll take stock during the close season.

“There’s a lot of thinking to be done and I’ll look back at how we’ve performed throughout the season.

“We need to make it harder for the opposition.

“We’ve leaked goals at times and that’s not on.

“Tough decisions will be made and I won’t hesitate to make them.”

The ’Lie were under the cosh early on and Pedro Ardalany blocked former Killie striker Jaconelli’s effort.

The visitors forged ahead in 13 minutes though.

Former Renfrew ace Barr reacted quickest to fire home after ’Lie keeper Peter Shaw had cut out a Zander Ryan cross.

Referee Derek Nicholls had a big call to make in the 17th minute – and he may just have got it wrong.

Craig Malcolm wriggled his way into the box and the ball appeared to strike Chris McGowan on the hand but Nicholls waved away the busy forward’s protests.

Shaw brilliantly turned a Jaconelli drive round the post but could do nothing to prevent the second goal on the half hour mark.

Crilly’s free kick was met by ex-Pollok star Hamilton, who nodded home.

Meadow went three up in the 35th minute when a Ryan corner was directed into the box by Chris Strain and Jaconelli was on hand to steer the ball home from eight yards.

The big-spending Ayrshire outfit were a delight to watch but it was an absolute nightmare for Barrhead fans in the crowd of more than 300.

Anderson then took the game by the scruff of the neck and managed to double his tally for the season in the space of just 60 seconds.

Lee Sharp’s lofted free-kick was cleared to the edge of the area, where Anderson fired home through a ruck of players.

And, on 41 minutes, he ran on to a through ball from John McLay to calmly pick his spot from 14 yards.

The home side had a great chance to level on the stroke of half-time but Ardalany blazed over from 12 yards with the goal at his mercy.

Arthurlie were dealt a hammer blow just seconds after the restart when Wallace was harshly red-carded.

Barr then killed off hopes of a ’Lie comeback with a quickfire double in the 77th and 78th minutes.

The talented striker capitalised on sloppy defending to lash home from 18 yards, then completed his hat-trick with a stunning volley.