Renfrew boss Jimmy Quigley paid tribute to his players for bouncing back from adversity on their seemingly relentless march towards the WoSFL Division Two title.
The New Western Park club travelled to Ayrshire to face one of the only remaining serious contenders for top spot.
Knowing a win would send them 13 points clear of rivals Maybole, the Renfrewshire side were well below par in the first half and went behind early in the second half.
Far from capitulating, the opener seemed to shock ‘Frew into life. Ciaran Diver smashed home a brilliant leveller from 25 yards to even things up, before Dominic Lavelle produced an equally impressive strike from distance to put the visitors ahead.
Diver rounded off the scoring to secure three points that have Renfrew on the cusp of adding the Division Two title to their Demolition Cup success from earlier in the season.
Delighted Quigley told Renfrewshire Live Sport: “Maybole is a very hard place to go. The surface isn’t the best and they’re a good, experienced side with a lot of older heads in the squad that have had them on such a good run.
“For the first hour they were the better team, there’s no doubt about that. Danny McLeay has made three or four great saves to keep us in it.
“We weren’t as fluid in our passing as we normally are and there was a wee bit of nervousness about the team.
“The opening goal knocked the stuffing out of us, to be honest. They had the hunger and aggression we were missing.
“We made a few changes and I have to credit the boys because they just keep responding to setbacks so well.
“Once we’d got the first goal back it was just a case then of how many we’d go on to score.
“We missed a couple of great chances at the end to make the scoreline even more healthy and the boys kept working hard right to full-time. That’s always the sign of a good team.
“We need one more win to guarantee promotion and three to guarantee the title. We’ve put ourselves in a brilliant spot.”
With the league title almost secured, Renfrew turn their attentions to another exciting prospect this weekend.
Having won the Demolition Cup in January, Quigley’s men enter into this year’s Cup Winners’ Shield – a three-team round robin competition with a serious prize on offer.
If Renfrew can get the better of Luncarty and Abbey Vale, they will qualify for the senior Scottish Cup next season.
Kicking off with a trip to Perth this Saturday to take on Luncarty, Quigley joked he’d be about ready to retire and kick back with a beer (or two) if he can secure a historic treble with Renfrew.
He said: “For us as staff and as players, you don’t get many chances to qualify for the Scottish Cup.
“It would be a hugely historic moment for Renfrew and we’ll do everything we can to try and make that happen.
“We’ve played against Luncarty before so we know what’s in store. We need to play with freedom and if we turn up at our best, I’m confident we can get the job done.
“Winning breeds confidence at the end of the day. We’ve won the Demolition Cup already and the players took a lot of confidence from that.
“If we manage to win the league and the Cup Winners’ Shield as well, I think I’d be about ready to retire on that!”
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