Bathgate are bundled out by Lochee

INJURY-RAVAGED Bathgate were sent crashing out of the Scottish Cup 3-1 by a second half charge from Lochee in a comeback which saw them overturn the visitors' lead and stake a place in the draw for the second round.

Bathgate were without several key players, and several walking wounded had to take their place in a disjointed starting eleven.

Afterwards, boss Willie Hill was a disappointed man.

He said: "We had players out who have played a huge part in the success we've enjoyed, but that's no excuse. We were holding them until the last 20 minutes when they started to get the breaks.

"We deserved our half-time lead because we were the better team in that half, but they had to come at us after the interval. We expected that.

"The two penalties were soft and the free kick for their second goal was a poor decision. Overall we're disappointed we couldn't make the next round."

In front of a big crowd Lochee started the game quicker to the ball and sharper in every tackle, while Bathgate struggled to find the pace of the game.

Gradually, Bathgate found their way back into it and got their reward in the 21st minute. The Lochee defence failed to clear, and as the ball bounced around it fell to Steve Menmuir, who Was sent crashing to the ground for a soft penalty award. Paul Harvey sent Iain Ross the wrong way from the spot to give Bathgate the lead.

Whatever Lochee manager Raymond McKinnon said to his player at half time, it worked. They stepped up the pace of the game from the kick-off and it was the Bathgate defence who were on the back foot.

Lochee had chances to draw level but their finishing was poor, yet all that changed in the 70th minute with another debatable penalty decision, this time against Bathgate as Craig Robertson was brought down. Phil Hagen stepped up and sent Andy Carlin the wrong way from the spot.

Lochee now stepped up the pressure again and the Bathgate defence lead a charmed life for a while. The pressure was bound to tell though, and it finally did in the 80th minute. A long ball was played to just outside the Bathgate box where Bathgate's Graeme Love and Lochee's Craig Robertson both fell. The referee blew for a free kick to Lochee – another soft decision – and it was to spell disaster for Bathgate. Craig Robertson took the kick, keeper Andy Carlin flew across his line and palmed the ball onto the bar, but unfortunately it bounced down, struck his back and rolled into the net to make it 2-1.

Two minutes later, Bathgate failed to clear their lines and the ball fell to Charlie Cargill. He smashed the ball past Carlin for their third, decisive goal.

In the end it was a worthy win for Lochee. They had most of the pressure and got their reward with a home tie in the next round against Buckie. Bathgate had problems long before the kick off with Stevie Docherty, Johnny Harvey and Greame McLaren all out injured, but the side that started – including Harvey, Love and Brian McPhee – came within 20 minutes of making the hat for the second round.

Lochee manager, the ex-Dundee United and Aberdeen player Raymond McKinnon, was delighted to have made history for the club.

He said: "We're very happy with the result. I felt we deserved to win it despite Bathgate taking the lead. I'm really pleased for the supporters and the committee who have done a great deal of work to get us this far.

"To play host for the second round draw and take our place in the draw was great for the club, but it was the players on the pitch who never gave up. They deserve all the credit. We got a great response from the players after the break and to get a home draw in the next round is a huge bonus."

Lochee United: Ross, Krobot, Kirk, Hay, McMillan, Dailly, Abbott, Cargill, Hagen, Blackwood, Robertson, Subs: Thomson, Leahy, Bannon, Bruce, Brown.

Bathgate Thistle: Carlin, Fallon, Neill, Love, Menmuir, Nicolson, Easton, McPhee, Harvey, McGrillen, McColligan, Subs: Blaney, McFadyen, Wilson, Longmuir.