Scottish Junior Cup 1st Round

Saturday28th September, Loch  Park, New Cumnock

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 9 (2)

INVERNESS CITY 1 (1)

Striker Alan Kinney marked his Glenafton debut with four second half goals that finally put a gallant Inverness City side to the sword and the home team into the second round of the Scottish Junior Cup.

Glenafton started as brightly as the strong September sun that bathed Loch Park and had carved out a number of decent chances before Cameron Marlow instigated the opener after 11 minutes. His determined run down the left flank saw him shrug off Steven MacGregor before progressing into the box and square the ball for Aaron Connolly waiting to pounce in the six yard, only for the unfortunate Christopher Moir’s interception to divert the ball into his own net.

Cameron Marlow’s cross diverted into the net

Two minutes later Findlay Frye released Alan Cairns down the left and his run into the box was brought to an abrupt end when the clear pair of heels he had shown Alan Kerr where whipped from him by the chasing defender.  Jamie McKernon powered home the penalty kick to double the hosts’ advantage.

Jamie McKernon scores from the spot

Credit to City they didn’t crumble, far from it, as the back-line regrouped and pushed forward, while the Glens struggled to beat the offside trap time and again. The visitors also began to show their mettle up front and forged a few chances with some fine passing play. Midway through the half striker Steven Sanderson gathered a quick throw-in and lashed a shot from 18 yards that whizzed just wide of the far post. Ten minutes later Michael Corbett’s run down the right and cut-back was met at the near post by Kerr, but his header was just off target.

Glens responded through Marlow releasing Connolly in the box with the striker’s effort going wide of keeper Iain Young’s post.  With 10 minutes of the half remaining Gary Anderson’s perseverance saw the visitors push upfield and the ball gathered by Gary Miller on the left and in flash it was whipped into the near post for Steve Sanderson to give keeper Brian McGarrity no chance with a close range header.

Steve Sanderson celebrates

Two minutes later a fantastic solo run by Findlay Frye ended deep in the box with a well time tackled by the alert Young and a minute later Kerr matched the feat to dispossess Connolly as he prepared to shoot for goal.

HT Glenafton 2 Inverness 1

Glenafton began the second half in a similar vein to the first with two quick goals. On 51 minutes a lung bursting run down the left by captain Craig Menzies took him far into the box and his cut-back was met first time by Aaron Connolly who crashed the ball home from 8 yards out.

Aaron Connolly makes it 3-1

Three minutes later Alan Kinney burst into the box and with the fast advancing Young to beat, he deftly rolled the ball into the path of the incoming Jamie McKernon who gratefully stroked the ball into inviting net.

Jamie jabs home the fourth

In no mood to take their foot of the gas the Glens continued to press and on the hour mark Young was happy to see a cute lob from Kinney curl wide of the post. Two minutes later Connolly set up McKernon but his hat-trick celebrations were quickly curtailed with the flash of a flag for offside.  Connolly then collected a knock-down by Kinney and left the City defence for dead but Young did enough to force the striker to drill his shot wide.

Respite for the visitors in the form of McGarrity clutching the ball from Sanderson’s head, came and went in a flash, as the keeper’s throw out picked out John Craig on the right.  The ball then despatched to McKernon who single-mindedly drove for the box and drew Young far from his line before chipping the ball to the back post for Alain Kinney to head home from a yard out and give the Glens a 5-1 lead with 67 minutes gone.

Alain celebrates his first Glens goal

Kinney bagged his brace with 15 minutes remaining after Connolly left three defenders in his wake before squaring the ball for his striking partner to pick his spot.

Alain bags his brace

A minute later, the seventh goal was fashioned in the image of the sixth, only Kinney in the role of the provider and Connolly the goal scorer.

Aaron makes it 7-1

The beleaguered City did venture forth on the odd occasion but McGarrity’s safe handling ensured there were to be no crumbs of comfort and instead Glens’ goal feast continued.  On 84 minutes, in a crowded penalty area the home side had two or three bites at the cherry before Kinney, ten yards out, thumped a low angled shot beyond Young to complete his hat-trick.

Alain hits his hat-trick

With two minutes to go Frye foraged his way into the City box and although his run was ended by Kelvin MacKenzie the midfielder regained the ball and fed it back to Craig who in turn set up Kinney to fire home his fourth from 12 yards and complete the scoring.

Alain makes it 9-1

During final whistle handshakes Glenafton’s Craig McEwan was shown a straight red card, apparently for violent conduct.

FT Glenafton 9 Inverness 1

Glenafton Athletic:  Brian McGarrity; Jamie McGeoghan, Ryan McChesney, Craig Menzies, Alan Cairns (Craig McEwan); Stevie Miller (John Craig), Findlay Frye, Jamie McKernon, Cameron Marlow. Subs Bruno Maltoni

Inverness City:  Iain Young, Steven MacGregor, Gary Anderson, Alan Kerr, Paul MacDonald, Andrew Devlin, Christopher Moir, Michael Corbett, Steven Sanderson, Kelvin MacKenie, Gary Miller. Subs David Harrison, Calum Neil, Gary Reid, Finlay Macleod

more photos here