Five county clubs progress to West of Scotland Cup second round

Oct 21 2010 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

FOR THE second time in two weeks, Tom Hanlon hit the winner to inflicted more cup misery on his old side Lanark United.

Hanlon scored to clinch the Sectional League Cup for Shotts, and on Saturday rattled in the winner to send his side through to the New Coin Automatics West of Scotland Cup second round.

Shotts took the lead with barely two minutes on the clock when Hanlon’s free-kick was flicked on and Tony Fleming blasted the ball into the top corner from 10 yards.

Lanark’s attempts to get back into the game received a hammer blow when Hanlon latched on to a blocked header, cut in, and from six yards drilled low into the near corner of the net.

Lanark’s Alan McFadden slid an Alan McCrum cross just wide before Shotts’ John Boyack, Steve Barker, Paul McLaughlin and Fleming all went close.

A Barker drive was tipped on to the bar before new signing Bob Davidson cleverly lobbed the keeper from the edge of the box to pull a goal back for United.

Paul Burns drilled a low shot inches wide and a Stephen Baird long-ranger was tipped over by Brian Whelan as United searched for an equaliser.

Shotts manager Tony McInally said: “I anticipated a hard game, coming so soon after the cup final, but we edged it and I was really delighted with the goals we scored.

“Tony Fleming produced a great finish and then it was Tom Hanlon again who took his chance well.”

McInally revealed that a change of formation was partly tactical and also due to a virus that swept the dressing room, affecting McLaughlin, Neil Duffy, Kevin Barr and Gary McSeveney.

Lanark were missing strikers Stuart Tullis and Stefan McCluskey and midfielder Paul Woods, and boss Tam McDonald said: “It’s disappointing; we dominated for spells in the game but just didn’t have the cutting edge.

“In the first minute, our centre-half was pushed off the ball and Shotts scored – the next time they were in our box was in 27 minutes when they scored their second goal.

“We’ll brush ourselves down and get on with it. I’m pleased that we’ve managed to attract a player of quality in Bobby Davidson, who has played with Rangers and Dundee United and spent two years at Morton.

“This was his first game for a spell and it showed latterly.”

BLANTYRE VICS produced another Ayrshire shock when they followed up their Scottish Cup win over Irvine Vics by dumping Dalry Thistle 3-1 on their own patch.

The hosts snatched an early lead but Paul Mallon equalised on 20 minutes when he side-footed a Jason Lafferty flick-on into the net.

Andy Dorrans marked his return from injury by bagging the second, again from a Lafferty set-up, and in 83 minutes Mallon wrapped up the win by converting a David Campbell pass.

Manager Ian Rankin said: “It was a fantastic performance, with fit-again Dorrans and new signing Lee Graham – who left Dunfermline at the end of last season – outstanding in midfield.

“I was really pleased with the performance and well done to Colin McGraw, who pulled off two great second-half saves to keep us in the game.”

David McEwan was the LARKHALL THISTLE hero as he made three saves during the penalty shoot-out after the Jags held Renfrew to a 0-0 draw, despite Davie Menelaws being sent off after just 19 minutes.

Captain Paul McAnenay and Mark McKeever scored from the spot. John Bulloch missed, but after McEwan’s three saves it was left to Billy Brawley to complete the job.

Thistle boss Duncan Sinclair said: “The players deserved a lot of credit for a deserved win after playing for so long with only 10 men.

“I sat them down at half-time and outlined our game plan to get behind the ball and shut them down.

“I was very pleased with the way it worked out, and well done to Davie McEwan for producing three saves in the shoot-out.”

Stephen Ferguson was quick off the mark as he cracked a through ball from John Savage into the Lugar net to put CARLUKE ROVERS in front with just over a minute gone.

Lugar equalised 10 minutes from time to send the tie into a penalty shoot-out.

Andy Barr, Mark Weir, Stuart Arnott and John Savage were on target, while McLaughlin saved Lugar’s third, leaving it to young Jamie Dickson to clinch a 5-4 win.

Manager Whitey Moffat said: “We seemed to take our foot off the pedal after 15 minutes and didn’t pass the ball as well as we had been doing.

“Young keeper Gavin McLaughlin is coming on leaps and bounds under goalkeeper coach Peter Macfarlane, and pulled off three brilliant saves to keep us in the game.”

RESULTS: Saturday, October 16: New Coin Automatics West of Scotland Cup first round: Arthurlie 5, Stonehouse Violet 0; Carluke Rovers 1, Lugar Boswell Thistle 1 (Carluke won 5-4 on pens); Dalry Thistle 1, Blantyre Vics 3; Darvel 4, Thorniewood United 2; Larkhall Thistle 0, Renfrew 0 (Larkhall won 3-2 on pens); Maybole 1, Lesmahagow 1 (Maybole won 3-1 on pens); Newmains United 0, St Anthony’s 1; Shotts Bon Accord 2, Lanark United 1;

Wishaw 3, Ardeer Thistle 1.

Stagecoach Central League Second Division: Forth Wanderers 1, Royal Albert 1.