Irvine Meadow 3 Rutherglen Glencairn 0 as Graham Boyd steals show in first league start since 2018

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Graham Boyd turned in a man-of-the-match performance in his first league start for more than three years as Irvine Meadow mowed down 10-man Glens.The frontman, who has toiled with injury since September 2018, found the net alongside Sam McCloy and Mark McLennan to help the Ayrshire side get 2022 off to a winning start.Glencairn midfielder Thomas Lone's dismissal late in the first half for an apparent remark heard by referee David Ingram certainly made Meadow's task easier.But it couldn't detract from an all-round assured and confident team display - with Boyd the standout player.Medda co-boss Colin Spence insisted that the 29-year-old had the Glens defence "on toast" as he waxed lyrical about his contribution.But modest Boyd insisted he was just happy to repay the faith shown in him after working hard on his fitness over the festive season.He said: "It was more about the win for the team but obviously, personally, when the ball hit the net I couldn't hide the joy - I just started screaming!"It was my first league start and league goal for three years so it was a great feeling."The Christmas break probably came at a good time for me.

It gave me a couple of weeks to get fit and show the gaffers I was ready to go again."They had the confidence in me to give me the number nine jersey so it was good to get a performance in and the goal as well."Meadow got off to a dream start when McCloy fired them in front with just four minutes on the clock.The striker was in the right place at the right time to force the ball home from close range after a corner kick delivery caused chaos in the Glens box.The visitors responded well to going behind, with only a trio of fine saves from goalkeeper Marc Waters denying them a first half