Match Report : Benburb v Whitletts
BENBURB 2 WHITLETTS VICTORIA 3
A goal from in form striker Tony Balfour with virtually the last kick of the match saw Whitletts Victoria progress into the last 16 of the Scottish Junior Cup in a dramatic cup tie at Tinto Park.
With the tie seemingly heading towards a replay, skipper Graham Longair played a superb through ball to Michael O’Connor and as the Vics striker raced clear, Bens keeper Robert Tiropolous raced from his goal to narrow the angle but O’Connor’s awareness saw him play in Balfour who had the simplest of tasks to roll the ball into the empty net.
It was a cruel blow for the home side in what was the last ever Scottish Cup tie at the famous old Glasgow ground before the club move to groundshare in a few weeks time with Renfrew before returning to a new purpose built stadium in Govan.
Frank Lovering’s side had fought back bravely from two goals down early in the second half to level the tie and had Vics on the backfoot but it will be the Ayr sides name that will go into the hat next week for 5th Round draw.
The park was very heavy and bumpy and the conditions made it difficult for both sides to play and it is to their credit that they managed to serve up a cracking tie.
Both sides went into this match in a rich vein of form, with Bens unbeaten in eight matches and Vics without a reverse scoreline in their last eleven games. And it was the Glasgow side who made a strong start to the match, with a lot of activity in and around the Whitletts penalty area. But it was the visitors who carved open the first real chance when Balfour ran onto a through pass but the ball didn’t run smoothly in the conditions and his 20 yard shot went wide.
Whitletts keeper Jordan Callaghan was called into action moments later when he saved a Shane Jackson header at full stretch.
It was an open match with chances being created at both ends. Derek McCulloch fired just over from the edge of the box while Bens Jackson saw his shot on the turn from close range blocked by Callaghan. From a Balfour corner, the Benburb defence scrambled the ball to safety following a stramash inside the six yard box before Tiropolous did well to come off his line to block an O’Connor shot.
Former Ayr United star, Paul Lovering, then set up a chance for Benburb with a free kick deep into the Vics penalty area from which Andy Wright headed just over, while striker Gary McKenna went close with a similar close range header moments later.
On the half hour, Lee Holland was denied when his header from an O’Connor corner was cleared off the line by Mark Davis and when the ball was returned to the danger zone, Balfour found himself in the clear but he couldn’t find a way past the big keeper in the Bens goal.
It was obvious to all that there was going to be goals in this match and the opener came in the 35th minute. From O’Connor’s corner kick, Shaun Allan rose above the home defence to power a header in off the post.
Vics were having the better of the play at this stage and Bryan Patterson went close to increasing the visitors advantage but his header from Balfour’s cross slipped wide.
Whitletts were worthy of their interval lead and within two minutes of the restart they looked to be well on their way into the next round when a poor defensive pass caught out two Benburb defenders and Tony Balfour took full advantage to take the ball round the keeper before rolling it into the net.
All it needed now was for Whitletts to see out the tie but Benburb had other ideas . When Jackson got on the end of a McKenna cross, Callaghan had to be alert to save and when Chris McQuade went down in the box from a Holland challenge, the referee booked the Bens player for simulation. Moments later Benburb manager Frank Lovering was sent off by the referee on the advice of his assistant.
It was all Benburb at this stage as they pressed Vics back in a desperate attempt to get back into the tie and in the 62nd minute their pressure paid off. Full back Wright latched onto McKenna’s pass inside the area and his low angled drive ended up in the back off the net via the post.
Now it was game on and only alert goalkeeping from Callaghan denied the home side an equaliser moments later after substitute Scott Hendry had robbed Holland just outside the area.
Then a neat flick from a corner kick by Jackson was blocked at the near post by the Vics keeper and a McKenna header from a Wright cross flew inches over as the Bens searched for the equaliser.
Callaghan was again the Vics hero when he saved an angled drive from McKenna but he was finally beaten again in the 78th minute. A free kick into the box wasn’t cleared properly by the visitors defence and from Davis’ cross, it was the veteran Paul Lovering who was left unmarked to sweep the ball home from 6 yards.
Whitletts involvement in the Scottish Cup was now hanging by a thread with the home side flinging everything forward in search of the winner but a smart tactical substitution by Vics boss Steph McMillan saw the emphasis swing back Vics way when he brought on big defender Raymond Buchanan and played him in a striking role! Almost immediately the big defender brought out a save from Tiropolous at full stretch when he got his head onto a Martin Lawrie free kick. His presence gave the Benburb defence something extra to worry about, creating a bit extra space for Balfour and O’Connor.
Whitletts were finishing the stronger side and they looked to have won the match in the 89th minute when Balfour beat three defenders inside the box only to see his shot deflected and come crashing back off the crossbar.
But that only succeeded in setting up that grandstand finish and that winning goal from Balfour, his eighth in Whitletts Scottish Cup run this season.
A thrilling cup tie to bring down the curtain at a famous junior football ground and while all connected with Benburb will be disappointed not at least to be preparing to a replay this week, it is Whitletts who will be looking forward to next Sunday’s draw.
BENBURB
1. Tiropolous 2. McInnes 3. Wright 4. C.Jackson 5. P.Lovering 6. Barr 7. Davis 8. R. Lovering (Hendry 50) 9. McKenna 10. S.Jackson 11. McQuade (McGurgan 88)
Subs (not used) 14. Smith 16. Metcalfe GK. Graham
WHITLETTS VICTORIA
1. Callaghan 2. Longair 3. Lawrie 4. McCulloch 5. Holland 6. Cameron 7. Duffy (Boyle 63) 8. Allan (Buchanan 81) 9. O’Connor 10. Balfour 11. Patterson
Subs (not used) 12. Davidson 16. Kerr 17. Barr
REFEREE: Derek Crothers
A goal from in form striker Tony Balfour with virtually the last kick of the match saw Whitletts Victoria progress into the last 16 of the Scottish Junior Cup in a dramatic cup tie at Tinto Park.
With the tie seemingly heading towards a replay, skipper Graham Longair played a superb through ball to Michael O’Connor and as the Vics striker raced clear, Bens keeper Robert Tiropolous raced from his goal to narrow the angle but O’Connor’s awareness saw him play in Balfour who had the simplest of tasks to roll the ball into the empty net.
It was a cruel blow for the home side in what was the last ever Scottish Cup tie at the famous old Glasgow ground before the club move to groundshare in a few weeks time with Renfrew before returning to a new purpose built stadium in Govan.
Frank Lovering’s side had fought back bravely from two goals down early in the second half to level the tie and had Vics on the backfoot but it will be the Ayr sides name that will go into the hat next week for 5th Round draw.
The park was very heavy and bumpy and the conditions made it difficult for both sides to play and it is to their credit that they managed to serve up a cracking tie.
Both sides went into this match in a rich vein of form, with Bens unbeaten in eight matches and Vics without a reverse scoreline in their last eleven games. And it was the Glasgow side who made a strong start to the match, with a lot of activity in and around the Whitletts penalty area. But it was the visitors who carved open the first real chance when Balfour ran onto a through pass but the ball didn’t run smoothly in the conditions and his 20 yard shot went wide.
Whitletts keeper Jordan Callaghan was called into action moments later when he saved a Shane Jackson header at full stretch.
It was an open match with chances being created at both ends. Derek McCulloch fired just over from the edge of the box while Bens Jackson saw his shot on the turn from close range blocked by Callaghan. From a Balfour corner, the Benburb defence scrambled the ball to safety following a stramash inside the six yard box before Tiropolous did well to come off his line to block an O’Connor shot.
Former Ayr United star, Paul Lovering, then set up a chance for Benburb with a free kick deep into the Vics penalty area from which Andy Wright headed just over, while striker Gary McKenna went close with a similar close range header moments later.
On the half hour, Lee Holland was denied when his header from an O’Connor corner was cleared off the line by Mark Davis and when the ball was returned to the danger zone, Balfour found himself in the clear but he couldn’t find a way past the big keeper in the Bens goal.
It was obvious to all that there was going to be goals in this match and the opener came in the 35th minute. From O’Connor’s corner kick, Shaun Allan rose above the home defence to power a header in off the post.
Vics were having the better of the play at this stage and Bryan Patterson went close to increasing the visitors advantage but his header from Balfour’s cross slipped wide.
Whitletts were worthy of their interval lead and within two minutes of the restart they looked to be well on their way into the next round when a poor defensive pass caught out two Benburb defenders and Tony Balfour took full advantage to take the ball round the keeper before rolling it into the net.
All it needed now was for Whitletts to see out the tie but Benburb had other ideas . When Jackson got on the end of a McKenna cross, Callaghan had to be alert to save and when Chris McQuade went down in the box from a Holland challenge, the referee booked the Bens player for simulation. Moments later Benburb manager Frank Lovering was sent off by the referee on the advice of his assistant.
It was all Benburb at this stage as they pressed Vics back in a desperate attempt to get back into the tie and in the 62nd minute their pressure paid off. Full back Wright latched onto McKenna’s pass inside the area and his low angled drive ended up in the back off the net via the post.
Now it was game on and only alert goalkeeping from Callaghan denied the home side an equaliser moments later after substitute Scott Hendry had robbed Holland just outside the area.
Then a neat flick from a corner kick by Jackson was blocked at the near post by the Vics keeper and a McKenna header from a Wright cross flew inches over as the Bens searched for the equaliser.
Callaghan was again the Vics hero when he saved an angled drive from McKenna but he was finally beaten again in the 78th minute. A free kick into the box wasn’t cleared properly by the visitors defence and from Davis’ cross, it was the veteran Paul Lovering who was left unmarked to sweep the ball home from 6 yards.
Whitletts involvement in the Scottish Cup was now hanging by a thread with the home side flinging everything forward in search of the winner but a smart tactical substitution by Vics boss Steph McMillan saw the emphasis swing back Vics way when he brought on big defender Raymond Buchanan and played him in a striking role! Almost immediately the big defender brought out a save from Tiropolous at full stretch when he got his head onto a Martin Lawrie free kick. His presence gave the Benburb defence something extra to worry about, creating a bit extra space for Balfour and O’Connor.
Whitletts were finishing the stronger side and they looked to have won the match in the 89th minute when Balfour beat three defenders inside the box only to see his shot deflected and come crashing back off the crossbar.
But that only succeeded in setting up that grandstand finish and that winning goal from Balfour, his eighth in Whitletts Scottish Cup run this season.
A thrilling cup tie to bring down the curtain at a famous junior football ground and while all connected with Benburb will be disappointed not at least to be preparing to a replay this week, it is Whitletts who will be looking forward to next Sunday’s draw.
BENBURB
1. Tiropolous 2. McInnes 3. Wright 4. C.Jackson 5. P.Lovering 6. Barr 7. Davis 8. R. Lovering (Hendry 50) 9. McKenna 10. S.Jackson 11. McQuade (McGurgan 88)
Subs (not used) 14. Smith 16. Metcalfe GK. Graham
WHITLETTS VICTORIA
1. Callaghan 2. Longair 3. Lawrie 4. McCulloch 5. Holland 6. Cameron 7. Duffy (Boyle 63) 8. Allan (Buchanan 81) 9. O’Connor 10. Balfour 11. Patterson
Subs (not used) 12. Davidson 16. Kerr 17. Barr
REFEREE: Derek Crothers