A Kevin Barr double wasn’t enough to save Shotts from a 3-2 Emirates Scottish Cup defeat against Hill of Beath.

Mar 18 2010 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

A STIRRING second-half comeback wasn’t enough to stop Shotts Bon Accord from crashing out of the Emirates Scottish Cup against Hill of Beath Hawthorn.

The 3-2 second round defeat brought their 11-game unbeaten run to an end and, with Glencairn’s 2-0 defeat against Irvine Meadow wiped out Lanarkshire’s interest in the competition.

Manager Tony McInally said: “If we had played in the first half the way we did in the second period we would probably be sitting in the last 16 of the Scottish Cup.

“I’m absolutely gutted – I didn’t think they were the better side but you can’t afford to give an East Region Super Premier League side two goals of a start on their own pitch in a cup tie.

“We had words at half-time and it looked like a different team in the second period.

“ We rattled the bar, hit the post, had one cleared off the line, and their keeper produced two phenomenal saves.”

Tony added: “At 2-1 we were on top and it was wave after wave of attack.

“We were making a mockery of the 7-1 against odds, until they scored a flukey third goal when a long-range wind-assisted effort floated into the top corner.”

The hosts went 2-0 ahead early on but Kevin Barr, in his first start since October 3, pulled one back with a 66th-minute header as Shotts began to dominate.

A good move down the right then ended with Pat McLaughlin knocking the ball down for Barr to grab his and Shotts’ second of the game, but it wasn’t enough to save the county side.

McInally said: “Our last defeat was in the Sectional League Cup Final against Arthurlie way back in September so I’m expecting a positive reaction from the players in Saturday’s West of Scotland Cup tie against Dalry Thistle.”

Tony Fleming could come back into contention but there are doubts over Gary McStas fitness for the match.