Cup duo beat icy weather to reach the fourth round

Dec 4 2008 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

ONLY two county clubs overcame Friday’s frost and their opponents to progress into the Citylink Scottish Junior Cup fourth round on Saturday.

Shotts Bon Accord comfortably beat Aberdeenshire side Maud 3-1 while Larkhall were on top form to win 2-1 at Neilston.

But Bellshill Athletic, Lanark United, Thorniewood United and Carluke Rovers have it all still to do as their postponed ties are rescheduled for this Saturday.

Shotts’ tie was nearly called off twice as frosty mist hovered over Hannah Park.

Manager Duncan Sinclair said: “The warm-up was interesting – the referee kept coming over to the halfway line and he told us that if he couldn’t see both goals before kick-off he would call it off.

“We focused on the game being allowed to go ahead and the guys, in difficult conditions, played really well and created numerous chances. “I thought the 3-1 scoreline flattered Maud.”

After Kevin Barr and Chris Gardiner had squandered early chances, Barr atoned by crossing for Brian Jack to open the scoring after 30 minutes.

Barr then notched an opportunist’s second when he pulled down a ball in the box, got a touch away from a defender and drilled the shot l into the net.

Maud pulled one back with a back-post header from a long free-kick that looked to be going out of play.

But Barr added a third for Shotts when he touched the ball past a defender before firing home from 18 yards.

Sinclair added: “It was two good finishes from Kevin who actually scored from more difficult chances than the ones he missed.”

Larkhall boss Bobby Crilly was delighted to see his side sweep Super Premier League strugglers Neilston out of the cup.

He said: “It was an excellent result and thoroughly deserved – that was the most encouraging thing about it.

“I thought we had the better of the first half play and more than matched them. We were comfortable and looked the more likely side going in at the break.”

Neilston stepped up their play for the first 10 minutes of the second half, and centre-half Brian Wardle – their top scorer – headed in the opener.

But Brian Watret outjumped the defence to head a Craig Dewar free-kick across goal and Barry McDermott volleyed it home from 10 yards to equalise.

Andy Forrester had a shot parried and a rebound shot blocked before Andy Dorrans chipped the keeper only to see the ball cleared off the line.

But Thistle’s sting in attack paid off when Steve Marshall crossed for Forrester to slide home the winner.

Crilly added: “I think this is the first time since I was here the first time around that Thistle were still in the Scottish after Christmas.”

Bellshill Athletic face a tricky third-round hurdle at home to Whitburn, who are going well in the East Regional League and knocked out Linlithgow Rose in the previous round.

Super First Division promotion-chasing Lanark United hope to have Darren Jaffrey, Tom Hanlon and Kieron Downs fit and available for their tie at Blackburn United.

Central League First Division pace-setters Thorniewood will have Mark Daly and James Strain back in their squad for the trip to Broxburn Athletic.

Carluke Rovers head for the capital to face Edinburgh United, with the week’s delay giving defender Adam Moffat a “better than average” chance of making the squad after picking up a bad ankle injury two weeks ago.