Inverurie and Cove are toast of the north

Published on Sunday 25 October 2009 22:24

THERE was always the likelihood of a shock in the Active Nation Scottish Cup second round when six Scottish Football League sides were all drawn away from home against opposition from the Highland and East of Scotland Leagues, as well as the Junior ranks.

Two of the so-called lesser sides triumphed, Cove Rangers and Inverurie Locos extending little in the way of northern hospitality to visitors Annan and Stranraer respectively.

Cove overcame the handicap of the loss of a goal and a man to come back and beat the side that pipped them to a place in the Scottish Football League. Annan defender Peter Watson scored in 28 minutes and it looked like game over when Cove player/manager Kevin Tindal was dismissed shortly afterwards.

However, second-half goals from Barrie Stephen and substitute Robbie Henderson saw the Aberdeen side through 2-1 with Tindal's co-manager Jerry O'Driscoll saying: "Our second half performance was fantastic. I told the players at half time that we could still go through."

It was a similar story at Inverurie, where Stranraer took a tenth-minute lead through Michael Moore, only for Richie Singer and Neil Gauld to swing the game the way of the hosts. The visiting Murray Henderson was red-carded for a last-man foul before the end.

A delighted Inverurie Locos manager Dave Comrie sad: "We created enough chances to deservedly win the game."

Stranraer's assistant manager Steve Aitken said simply: "The conditions were poor and so were we."

The Third Division's bottom club, Montrose, saw off the potential banana skin of Junior side Banks O'Dee 3-0 with second-half goals from Paul Watson, Aaron Sinclair and Alan Campbell.

Montrose manager Steven Tweed, whose side have yet to win a league game, enjoyed the respite of the cup, and said: "We limited them to a few chances and I was always confident we would win." A shock looked on the cards when Civil Service Strollers led Berwick Rangers at half time thanks to Gerry Burgess' goal, but a second-half double from substitute Fraser McLaren eased Jimmy Crease's side through 2-1.

Back in the Highlands, Albion Rovers saw off Lossiemouth 2-0, with Bobby Barr netting an early penalty and Pat Walker a late clincher.

Elgin defeated their near neighbours Nairn County 4-2 with Craig Frizzell grabbing a hat-trick to put the visitors three up in 51 minutes. Willie Barron and former Elgin player Craig Campbell reduced the deficit to one before Jason Crooks netted a penalty to calm City nerves.

In the all-SFL clashes, Forfar beat ten-man East Stirlingshire 4-2, with the handicap of losing Michael Bolochoweckjy to a red card after only 12 minutes too much for the Shire.

Bolochoweckjy was dismissed for handling a Ross Campbell shot, although the striker put the resultant spot kick over the bar. He atoned, though, by opening the scoring in 25 minutes and Andy Tod put Forfar two up before half time. Andy Rodgers reduced the deficit within seconds of the restart and David Dunn netted straight from a corner to level things, only for Campbell to score again and on-loan Brechin striker Ian Harty to net a last gasp penalty.

Forfar manager Dick Campbell said, "The object was to get to the next round which is what we did but full marks to the 'Shire."

Livingston manager Gary Bollan described his side's 3-1 win over Queen's Park at Hampden as an "excellent, professional performance."

Bollan's side took the lead when Robbie Winters picked out Raffaele de Vita with a cross in 32 minutes and the Italian smashed the ball home. The visitors were awarded a penalty when Ross Dunlop was adjudged to have handled the ball in 62 minutes, and Liam Fox ignored home protests to make it 2-0.

Substitute Tony Quinn gave Queen's Park hope when he headed home 15 minutes later, but De Vita swept home a Keaghan Jacobs cross eight minutes from time to seal the win.

Edinburgh City cruised to a 5-1 win over Burntisland Shipyard with Steven Clee netting twice. David Denholm, Ian MacFarland and Kenny Ross were City's other scorers. Greig O'Hanlon was on target from the penalty spot for Shipyard. Junior side Irvine Meadow shrugged off reports of financial problems at the club to progress 3-0 at Selkirk with Derek Wingate's first-half goal being added to by a double from Richie Barr.

Auchinleck Talbot almost joined their Ayrshire colleagues in the next round until they were denied right at the death by a Michelle Lombardi goal at Huntly in a 1-1 draw. Bryan Slavin had given Talbot the lead and they looked odds-on for a win when home striker Andrzej-Slawomir Kelczkowski was dismissed. However, they must now do it all again. Girvan crashed out 4-1 to the far-travelled Wick Academy despite taking an early lead through Michael Moffat. Sam Mackay levelled in the second half and the game turned when the home side's Tony Murphy was dismissed for handball with Richard MacAdie netting the penalty. Davey Allan and Craig Shearer completed the scoring.

Keith won 3-1 at Vale of Leithen with Wayne Mackay opening the scoring for the visitors before Aaron Somerville equalised. Mackay netted a free kick in 63 minutes to make it 2-1 and substitute Richard Craig clinched the win with a third goal before Vale captain John Hall was dismissed.

The remaining two ties were drawn, with nine-man Deveronvale striking back against a Buckie team which had raced into a two-goal lead after just 16 minutes through Graeme Stewart and Craig MacMillan. Mark Smith pulled one back for the Banff side before half time. Robbie Brown was first to be dismissed with 20 minutes to go. Smith headed home the equaliser in 82 minutes before Gary McGowan was red-carded in injury time. Whitehill Welfare also hit back late to deny Threave Rovers in a 1-1 draw. The replay will enable former Gretna and Morton manager David Irons the chance to add a further seven days to the record he created when he came off the bench and became the oldest player to play in the competition at 48. A headed goal from Threave's Darren Kerr was cancelled out by a goal from former Kevin Hayes with just over 15 minutes to go.