Shotts Bon Accord's win at Maybole vital, says boss ahead of break from league action

Shotts boss John McKeown says their comeback victory at Maybole was a vital one ahead of a break from action in the West of Scotland First Division.

The Bonny are right in the promotion mix in sixth place and have seven games in hand over leaders Petershill, but after a battling 3-2 win with 10 men in Ayrshire they are stunned to find they now have a free weekend ahead of next week’s West of Scotland Cup fourth round clash at Lanark United.

It means there will be no more league matches until next month, so McKeown is delighted to take three huge three points from their trip to Maybole.

Danny Burns opened the scoring for Shotts but Maybole turned the game on its head with two quick-fire goals to leave the visitors trailing at the break.

Robbie Torrance levelled things up at 2-2 after 65 minutes and it looked like it wouldn’t be their day when Adam Hunter saw red midway through the second half.

However, Harry Kent popped up 10 minutes from time to net a vital victory.

McKeown said: “It was a good three points. We spoke to the boys at the break and said they had a real test of character coming up if they want promotion this season.

“They were told they had to find a way to get back into the game, but the red card left us up against it.

“We made some changes and gambled after that and the boys were excellent and I felt we deserved the win.

“It became even more of a test of character when we went down to 10 men, but the boys answered the questions put to them.

“Incredibly, we have been given a free weekend this week and then we’ve got Lanark in the West of Scotland Cup the following week so we will be into March by the time we play another league game. That is why it was so important to get the three points to keep us in the