KILBIRNIE Ladeside have all but ended the title challenge of Kilwinning Rangers with a hard-fought 2-2 draw at Abbey Park on Saturday.

Barring a very unlikely run of results, long-time Super Premier Division frontrunners Kilwinning are looking destined to finish third at best behind current leaders Beith and an Auchinleck Talbot side that could secure a fifth championship win in six years by taking full points from three home league matches in the coming week against Glenafton, Girvan and Pollok.

The Buffs went into their penultimate home league contest knowing nothing less than a victory would keep alive their title dreams and they came closest to an opening goal when the lively Carlo Monti fired a spectacular volley just over – and followed it up by pulling a shot wide of target.

Kilbirnie defender Gavin Mitchell’s mistake then let Monti through on goal only for the full back to redeem himself with a saving tackle and that was about it from an attacking sense for the home team as Kilbirnie swept into a 1-0 lead with arguably their first shot on target.

Little danger was apparent when Blasties hitman Jon Scullion latched onto a loose ball 20 yards out however he cleverly made space to unleash a powerful left-foot shot that took a telling deflection in leaving Buffs goalkeeper Michael Wardrope helpless.

Kilwinning’s increased tempo on the restart produced little in the way of scoring opportunities though a major talking point arrived when the penalty claims that greeted Monti going down inside the area under a sliding challenge by goalkeeper Kieron Hughes went unheeded.

His side’s inability to mount any concerted pressure brought Buffs boss Chris Strain to put all his eggs in one basket with a triple substitution after 54 minutes that saw attacking trio Ryan Nisbet, David Winters and Sam McLoskey enter the fray.

The changes almost produced an early dividend when Nisbet raced onto a through ball and rounded Hughes before sending a shot goalwards, but Corey Hughes got back to make a goal-line clearance.

The full-back was to blot his copybook just minutes later when his sliding tackle on Winters 10 yards from goal sent the striker crashing to the ground to earn a penalty kick that Tommy Maitland blasted home to level at 1-1.

Home supporters roared their approval but their team having the momentum going forward could not disguise their susceptibility to Kilbirnie’s swift counter attacks and one such foray upfield saw James Findlay well-placed to rifle the ball home after Wardrope could only touch away a net-bound Roberts shot.

Kilwinning almost equalised when Maitland’s point-blank header from a corner struck Hughes in the face and there were squeals of disbelief when Winters found the net only for his goal to be disallowed on the linesman’s say-so.

The pressure was relentless and parity was only delayed until the 85th minute when Nisbet’s shot was not held by the diving Hughes and midfielder Michael Wardrope bundled the ball home from close range.

Kilwinning went for broke in the time remaining but Kilbirnie closed ranks and defended resolutely to earn a share of the spoils.

Afterwards Strain admitted: “Yes I’m disappointed but this is the first time many of our players have been in the position to win the Super Premier championship and we haven’t been good enough when it mattered.

“A key decision has again gone against us because that’s the second week on the trot we have had a goal disallowed which footage has revealed should have stood.

“All things considered, we have improved a lot from our position at this stage last season and the challenge now is to show we can go away and improve again – starting with our Ayrshire Cup quarter-final against Irvine Meadow on Wednesday night.”

Kilbirnie's last-eight date in the same competition against Cumnock in midweek was on gaffer Budgie McGhie’s mind when giving his post-match summations.

He said: "Today was an entertaining game and a great advert for the Juniors but if truth be told I’m disappointed not to come away with all three points.

“We more than matched up with one of this season’s best Super Premier Division teams and in their own backyard boot and that’s highly encouraging given we are heading down to another Junior hotbed on Wednesday night.

“We’ll need a similar performance to today and it’s not beyond us as this is a group of players and they are better for the experience of playing at this level.”

Elsewhere, there was a major upset at Keanie Park where Euan East (2) and Ryan Fitzpatrick goals enabled Johnstone Burgh to hold Gartcairn to a 3-3 draw and prevent the Airdrie based outfit from taking the Central Second Division title honours.

Cambuslang Rangers boosted their hopes of promotion from the Super First Division after goals from Chris Duff, David Green and Mark Staunton clinched a 3-0 triumph away to Kello Rovers while Central First Division contenders Wishaw had their hopes dented by a 4-2 defeat from Neilston for whom Paul Stewart bagged a hat trick.

WEEKEND RESULTS: McBookie.com Super Premier Division. Kilwinning Rangers 2 Kilbirnie Ladeside 2.McBookie.com Super First Division. Kello Rovers 0 Cambuslang Rangers 3. McBookie.com Central First Division. Greenock 2 Forth Wanderers 1, Neilston 4 Wishaw 2, Benburb 13 Lesmahagow 0, Blantyre Vics 3 Yoker Athletic 1. McBookie.com Central Second Division. Johnstone Burgh 3 Gartcairn 3.,McBookie.com Ayrshire District League. Dalry Thistle 4 Annbank Utd 3, Irvine Vics 2 Lugar Boswell 1, Muirkirk 2 Maybole 2.New Coin Holdings West of Scotland Cup.3rd Round.Clydebank 0 Cumnock 2, Craigmark 0 Girvan 4, Irvine Meadow 0 Hurlford Utd 4, Troon 1 Auchinleck Talbot 3, 2nd Round.Maryhill 0 Rob Roy 6, Saltcoats Vics 0 Pollok 11, Shotts Bon Accord 5 Whitletts Vics 0. Ayrshire Cup.Quarter Final.Largs Thistle 4 Darvel 0. Central League Cup.3rd Round.Lanark Utd 0 Cumbernauld Utd 2, Glasgow Perthshire 1 East Kilbride Thistle 0, Rossvale 4 Larkhall Thistle 0,Thorniewood Utd 0 Shettleston 1, Vale of Clyde 0 Rutherglen Glencairn 4.

PLAYING TONIGHT(Kick Offs 7.15 PM): McBookie.com Super Premier Division. Arthurlie v Hurlford Utd , Auchinleck Talbot v Glenafton.McBookie.com Super First Division. . Cumbernauld Utd v Petershill, Irvine Meadow v Maryhill. .McBookie.com Central First Division.Lesmahagow v East Kilbride Thistle, Forth Wanderers v Yoker Athletic, St Rochs v Wishaw, Greenock v Thorniewood Utd , Shotts Bon Accord v Blantyre Vics.McBookie.com Central Second Division.Johnstone Burgh v St Anthonys .McBookie.com Ayrshire District League. Dalry Thistle v Whitletts Vics, Annbank Utd v Saltcoats Vics, Ardeer Thistle v Muirkirk.