Blantyre move into next round in style

Apr 23 2009 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

BLANTYRE Vics joined Shotts Bon Accord and Forth Wanderers in the Central League Cup third round following Saturday’s deserved 3-1 win at Yoker.

But Larkhall Thistle and Lesmahagow were knocked out of the second round.

Blantyre boss Willie Harvey was delighted and said:” We were outstanding.”

James Cochrane broke the deadlock, netting from the spot after he had been pulled down.

Yoker pulled one back early in the second half but Vics started to dominate the game again and Kerr Gray headed them into a 2-1 lead after 60 minutes.

Kevin Reilly hobbled off injured, but substitute Ross Fletcher stepped up to score the clinching third

Larkhall crashed 4-2 to Cumbernauld in controversial circumstances.

Brian McAndie netted for the visitors but Brian Watret equalised and when Joe Shields rifled in a second within a minute of the second half it looked comfortable for the Jags.

But Graham McClymont equalised in 57 minutes and then referee Martin McGuinness took centre stage.

Derek Paterson was pulled up for a midfield foul and as the referee spoke to him the Cumbernauld player kept niggling and Paterson pushed him away, which earned him a red. The Cumbernauld player, however, wasn’t punished.

Four minutes later substitute Joe Coyle made what looked like a well-timed tackle but the forward went down, a penalty awarded and Coyle was sent off. McClymont scored.

Bemused Thistle boss Bobby Crilly said: “The refereeing decisions were beyond belief. We will be appealing Coyle’s red card.”

Crilly added: “We didn’t play particularly well but I would rather lose to them in this cup tie than a league game.”

Lesmahagow were dumped 2-1 by Super Premier League strugglers Neilston.

Striker Jim Moore opened the scoring with his fourth goal in five games although he didn’t know too much about it.

Assistant manager Robert Irving explained: “A cross from John Logan was met on the volley by the Neilston left-back, hit Jim on the side of the head and went in!”

Less than a minute into the second half, however, ’Gow were reduced to 10 men when Stewart Livingstone was shown a second yellow card for dissent.

Irving blasted: “Stewart let us down big time. I couldn’t fault the players who stayed on the park for effort.”

Newmains United will play their second-round tie with Kirkintilloch Rob Roy at Victoria Park on Monday night.