Rose barely get a sniff

Scottish Junior Cup holders Linlithgow Rose crashed out of the Scottish Cup at the first hurdle when West Super League champions Beith beat them with a goal either side of half-time.

Rose were hard hit by injuries to key players such as Scott Wilson, Mark Bradley and Gordon Herd, with Junior Cup hero Kevin Donnelly and John Adam not available

Boss Dave Baikie admitted: "We had six big players for us all out but these are factors you have to put up with and just get on with it. We were never going to win this competition so we have to move on now."

When they saw the 4-5-1 formation with Tommy Coyne alone up front, the large Linlithgow travelling support believed their team had come looking for a draw.

However, they were heartened with the opening 30 minutes as Linlithgow took the game to Beith. They had several chances to take the lead but failed to make the breakthrough.

And on 28 minutes, the Rose defence failed to clear a corner allowing Martin McGarvey to cross to the back post where Mark McShane was allowed to power a header into the net.

Linlithgow responded as the half-time whistle approached with Coyne, McArthur and Manson all coming close. Beith opened the second half kicking down the mighty slope looking to put the game to bed.

Only three minutes into the second half and they had a great chance to double their lead but striker Kenny McLean slid his effort just wide of the far post.

As Linlithgow showed in the first half, it looked difficult to score kicking down the slope. This gave the Rose heart and they gradually ground their way back into the game.

Substitute striker Chris King gave them hope with a screaming shot just wide of the mark.

Then, with ten minutes to go and Linlithgow looking like grabbing the leveller, Beith scored a second to finish the game.

Sub Joe Bradley and Kenny McLean sliced their way through a static Linlithgow defence to let Bradley in with a clear chance at goal. He didn't hesitate and slammed the ball past keeper Steven Pinkowski.

Still Linlithgow refused to lie down as sub Roddy McLennan beat the outrushing keeper with a cute lob to the back post. But with the travelling support raising their arms in celebration, Beith's John Sheridan hooked the ball off the line with a dramatic overhead clearance. They pushed forward again and again but couldn't find a way through. They could have played all night without success and it was a relief when the referee blew for full time.

Linlithgow were always up against it. Youngster David Brown was thrown in to bolster a weakened defence with Adam Nelson and Chris King clearly not fully fit for the game. And so the adventure fizzled out as early as the first round.For many of the fans who remembered the dazzling run three years ago, when the team reached the heady heights of the fourth round only to go out the eventual runners-up Queen of the South, it is a huge disappointment. Rose manager Baikie added: "On the day we had the bulk of the first half while they had the second.

"We didn't score with our chances and let them into the game when we didn't clear a set piece.

"We must move on now and concentrate on winning the cups we can win. It's not a distraction now. I know the fans will be disappointed so it's up to us now to give them something to shout about on the home front again.

"We wish Beith all the best in the next round."

Beith: Robertson, McShane, Brittain, McCulloch, Sheridan, Craig (Fraser), McKeown, McGarvey, Reid (Bradley), O Keane, McLean. Subs: Staunton, Keegan, O Neill.

Linlithgow: Pinkowski, Kelly, Virgili, Ward, Brown, Tyrrell, Livingstone (McLennan), Nelson, Manson (King), Coyne, McArthur. Subs: Strickland, Reilly, McPherson.

Beith 2

Linlithgow Rose 0