Super Premier outfit Renfrew juniors brought a large crowd to Ravenscraig to watch their side take all 3 points in this 2-0 league cup victory.

Things, however, could have been so different had the home side not gone down to 10 men after only 7mins then missed a penatly with only 20mins of the tie remaining with the score locked at 0-0.

The two-goal margin frankly flattered Renfrew who did not look like a side who had only narrowly missed out on the super premier title last season on goal difference. But this is not to detract from the new look Greenock side's performance. They worked tirelessly to a man as they fought for every ball and was generally the better side for large parts of this encounter.

The match started at a frantic pace and the intentions of both sides were made apparent by the nature of the fierce easrly tackling and challenges. After only 5 mins a bad tempered inicident involving Greenock's Sutherland and Frew's Haggerty led to the involvement of home defender Fraser Church who was duly booked by the ref for his entry into the fray.

Only 2 mins later the same player was adjudged to have gone in high with his tackle on McKenzie and was sent for an early bath by the ref.

This gave Stephen Mooney's side an uphill battle but battle they did for the remaining 40mins and actually created more chances than the visitors with Martin Dow and the winger Barnes causing all kinds of bother in the Frew's defence.

With only 5mins gone in the second period, Greenock goalkeeper Graham had a superb point blank save from Haggerty after Mooney had failed to cut out a dangerous pass across goal. Greenock were under the cosh for this period and defender Stinton made a great saving header from a Haggerty shot which looked goal bound.

In 70 mins 10-man Greenock got the break that their play merited, Defender Sutherland Went to header a Mooney Free-Kick got a nudge from McMillianas he rose to header the ball. The big man dusted himself off and promptly smashed the penatly off the outside of the post.

It seemed at this point that the writing was on the wall for Mooney's side and it wasn't going to be there day. This proved to be the case as the Ravenscraig men lost two late goals to give the Western Park side all three league cup points that they hardly deserved.

the first of these was particularly unlucky for keeper Graham who failed to hold onto a Barr drive and visiting midefielder McLay knocked in the rebound from two yards after 82mins. Substitute Barr added a second for the visitors with a diving header in 89 mins.

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