GREENOCK meet Ardeer Thistle tomorrow for the second time this season, but manager Martin Campbell doesn’t want a repeat of the scenes which marred the previous encounter.

A stormy clash in the Ayrshire village of Stevenston in November saw five players red-carded, with Greenock ending the game with just eight men.

Four of the dismissals came after a mass brawl early in the second half, with Allan Docherty and Barri Stanton sent off along with two Ardeer players.

And when David McGarrigle, pictured, was also red-carded moments later, it looked bleak for Greenock, who were 3-2 down at that point.

But an amazing response saw Thomas Docherty score two late goals, with Craig Brown also netting to see Greenock run out 5-3 winners.

Ardeer were lucky to not also have been reduced to eight men, after an off-the-ball punch on Stanton during the fracas went unpunished.

And the Ayrshire club’s boss, Derek Gemmell, was also fortunate that his touchline antics didn’t attract the attention of the match officials, although ironically he was subsequently given a six-match ban for misdemeanours in later games and won’t be in the away dug-out tomorrow.

But Greenock boss Campbell hopes there will be no vendettas on Saturday.

He said: “We spoke about that at training this week, and I have told the players not to get embroiled in anything from the last time.

“They must stay positive and focus on the football, otherwise the good run we are on could come crashing to an end.’’ The squad have been training all over the area in the past week, as a result of the school holiday break and last Saturday’s game being postponed. That led to a late booking of the 3G pitch at Parklea in Port Glasgow for a weekend training session, with those on Monday and Wednesday evenings this week being held at Greenock Sports Centre and on the astroturf at St Patrick’s Primary.

Campbell reports a clean bill of health for most, although Martin Dow remains suspended, and recent signing David Barron is not yet up to match fitness.

Meanwhile, the club has released striker Martin McGowan.

There are reports the player was unhappy at not being automatically reinstated to the starting line-up after he returned from a recent holiday, and he has moved on after a chat with the manager.

In a thinly-veiled warning to the rest of his squad, Campbell said: ‘’I want there to be competition for every place, so that no-one should think they are guaranteed a strip.

“And I want players who are willing to show commitment, and who will fight hard for their place in the team.’’ Kick-off for Greenock v Ardeer at Ravenscraig is at 2pm.

Greenock Juniors are sponsored by SAVEHEAT, and the Lighthouse Bar. Tomorrow’s match is sponsored by Garden Care Dunoon.