Pittman eyes league after Cup heartache

Culter 3

(Culter win 5-3 on penalties)

After going 2-0 up inside the opening 17 minutes, Steve Pittman's side then found themselves trailing 3-2 early in the second-half and also down to ten men following the dismissal of Steven Kiczynski for an alleged stamp.

They equalised with nine minutes to go before squandering a double chance to win it at the death only to lose 5-3 in a shootout after David Morrison's effort was saved by Culter's substitute keeper Murray Rattray.

Kiczynski opened the scoring in the 13th minute, the big defender getting on the end of a Craig Young corner to power a header into the net from close range. And, when Morrison swept the ball home from a Sean Martin cutback four minutes later, the Premier Division leaders looked certain to secure a trip to Ardrossan in the next round. But the flow of the game changed completely after Culter were thrown a lifeline when George McBain pulled one back after some slackness in the Broxburn defence just before the half-hour mark.

Both sides hit the woodwork before the break, Broxburn's Chris Geddes rattling the post with a sweetly-struck free-kick before Lewis McKimmie was also denied by an upright at the other end with the giant Gary Malley rooted to the spot.

But the visitors were back on level terms shortly after the restart, a left-wing cross from the dangerous Ryan Stott being turned home almost on the line by McKimmie, who hobbled off seconds later after being hurt in a collision with the Broxburn 'keeper.

Kiczynski saw straight red in the 60th minute, though it seemed a bit harsh on the big defender that his offence was intentional as he merely seemed to be trying to step free near the corner flag.

Even worse was to follow for Broxburn as Alan Youngson's inswinging free-kick was missed by everyone in the middle as it crept into the net at the back post. But an inspired substitution hauled the home side back into the tie, Stuart Ritchie's first touch, a downward header from a Young free-kick, being fired home by Jeffrey in the 81st minute. The same player could have won it in the dying seconds, bursting clear of the Culter defence into the box only to be denied by goalkeeper Andrew McIntosh and Morrison sending a shot over the bar as the ball ran loose. McIntosh was hurt making the initial save and was replaced by Rattray, who proved the hero for the visitors as he blocked Morrison's effort in the shoot-out.

"I said to the players at half-time that we needed to get back to playing how we had started the game," said Pittman. "But we then lost two soft goals to go behind and weren't helped either by the sending off.

"I didn't think it was intentional and the player himself said it wasn't. Big Stuart did really well after I put him on and fortunately it worked (as we equalised]. I was looking for JJ to finish at the end and then it has broken to Morrison only for him to put it over the bar.

"I thought Morrison was one of our better players and the boys are gutted for him for missing the penalty."

Broxburn are sitting two points clear at the top of the Premier Division, though nearest challengers St Andrews United and Glenrothes both have games in hand.

"We've got to take it on the chin and get on with it. Our main ambition this season is to try and win the Premier Division," added the manager.

Broxburn Athletic: Malley, Purves, Gibson, Kiczynski, Rycroft (Ritchie 80), Millar (Nixon 69), Martin, Morrison, Geddes (Pearson 69), Jeffrey, Young. Subs: Wilson, Heeps, Bruce.

Culter: McIntosh (Rattray 90), Kelly, Craik, Wilson, Sievwright, Donald, McBain, Youngson, Taylor, McKimmie (McWillians 52), Stott. Subs: Wyness, Pyper, Murray.