Colts through in extra-time

Cumbernauld Colts needed some extra help to knock out Leith Athletic in their South of Scotland Cup tie at Broadwood on Friday night.
Action from Cumbernauld Colts' win over Leith AthleticAction from Cumbernauld Colts' win over Leith Athletic
Action from Cumbernauld Colts' win over Leith Athletic

The visitors arrived on the back of a run of 10 games in 11 games, including a 4-1 demolition of Lothian Thistle HV who recently dumped Montrose out of the Senior Scottish Cup.

Although Colts themselves went into the game unbeaten in seven matches, started the better of the two sides.

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In the howling wind and rain the game they pressed their hosts well and forced constant possession turnover from a lethargic looking Cumbernauld side.

Ross Doohan in the home goal had to be sharp to make two fine saves in quick succession, a sign of things to come as an inspired display from the young ’keeper kept his side in the tie.

At the other end Alex Tilley was the first to test the visiting keeper with a curled effort from 25 yards, the stopper gathering comfortably, before Blair Munn and Jamie Barclay efforts ended in similar fashion.

The first half ended goalless with only Leith’s lack of a cutting edge preventing them leading.

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Although Colts were more dangerous after the break, Doohan was still the pick of their players and made three outstanding saves to keep the score at 0-0 in regular time.

The first was a point blank one v one when it looked certain the attacker would score. Then the young keeper flung himself full stretch to his right to tip a wonderful top corner bound free kick around the post, before completing the set with an equally as impressive save to his left, tipping over for a corner a curled effort from 20 yards.

For Colts Broadfoot stung the palms of the away ’keeper with a fine drive before Tilley passed up the opportunity to win the game in normal time, the ball squared to him from the right for a tap in eight yards out. Unfortunately he got the connection wrong and the ball squirmed wide.

The introduction of 16-year-old debutant Jordan Pirrie proved key to Colts winning the tie.

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The substitute slotted impressively into the centre of midfield with Broadfoot moving to offer a real threat from the left.

And the breakthrough came when Broadfoot stole the ball from a Leith defender and fired powerfully on the bounce into the top corner from 16 yards, leaving the ’keeper helpless.

The lead was doubled when Richard Kirwan got away on the right and squared the ball for Broadfoot to dink over the diving ’keeper.

There was a bizarre incident in the second half of extra-time when Barclay fired home from 30 yards despite the assistant flagging for a foul. The referee overruled the assistant to award the goal, did so again after consultation with his assistant following despite vociferous Leith protests - and then changed his mind following a further consultation.

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Barclay was then red carded for his protests and Leith, with their tails up having escaped a 3-0 deficit, grabbed a goal back from a corner with 10 minutes remaining.

Doohan made his first mistake of the night to concede possession but made amends with a wonderful save to book Colts’ place in the next round and stretch their unbeaten run ahead of next weekend’s Lowland League encounter at home to Gala Fairydean Rovers.

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