- ETHX Scottish Junior Cup
- 5th Round
- New Countess Park, Dunbar
- Saturday 18th February 2017
- DUNBAR UNITED 0 (0)
- GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 3 (1)
- David Gray, Darren McGill, Chris Dallas
GLENS SEE OFF SEASIDERS AND SET SAIL FOR THE QUARTERS
Glenafton travelled to face Dunbar United in the 5th round of the Scottish Junior Cup in the third meeting between the two sides in the competition. They first met in 1961 at the Quarter-Final stage when a then record crowd of 4,200 at Loch Park witnessed a 1-1 draw. The replay at Countess Park ended in the scoreline before Dunbar triumphed 1-0 in second replay at Hannah Park, Shotts. Dunbar went on to win the Scottish Junior Cup that year and it was good to meet up with some Dunbar supporters who took time out to share their memories and stories of that Glens visit. One of the travelling supporters from New Cumnock that day was Mary Dornan who was snapped by the Cumnock Chronicle (bottom left) celebrating John McNaught’s goal. Mary couldn’t make the return trip this year but hopefully she will have a chance to see the Glens in the Scottish at Loch Park this season as she did at the semi-final stage against Camelon three seasons ago.
The second meeting between Glens and Dunbar was in the 3rd round of 1988/89 at Loch Park with the Seasiders coming out on top again with a a 2-1 win.
With Kyle McAusland on holiday and Ally Park down with the flu the Glens made a number changes to the side that defeated East Kilbride Thistle in the 4th round. Dan Orsi came in for McAusland at right back while David Gray and Conor Lynnas replaced Park and Darren McGill. Up front Mick McCann came in for Chris Dallas to partner Joe Andrew.
Glenafton kicked off and before any real chance had been created Dunbar were reduced to 10 men on 3 minutes after Darren Gillion received his marching orders for a raising a knee into the face of Ryan Borris. Five minutes later the visitors came close to taking the lead after Conor Lynnas weaved his way into the box before drilling a low shot that only just sneaked past the far post. On 15 minutes Glens won a free kick so far from goal that Dunbar opted not to set up a defensive wall. With a clear line of sight David Gray could hardly avoid the temptation to blast the ball on its way like a low flying goal-seeking missile to explode into the back of the net beyond the valiant effort of the keeper to disarm it.
David Gray’s net-bound free-kick
Three minutes later the New Cumnock side almost doubled their lead when Ryan McChesney’s downward header from a corner-kick was gathered deep inside the six yard box by Borris and with his back to goal his back-heeler hit the base of the post.
Ryan Borris (No. 7) goes close
Midway through the half the referee pulled up with an injury and after a 12 minute delay he was replaced by one of the assistant referee’s running the line who in turn was replaced by a member of Dunbar’s committee.
Glenafton earned a couple of corner kicks which were duly cleared and Borris’s shot from a distance whizzed past the post. Gradually however the 10 men began to assert themselves and looked lively down both flanks with Dean Ballantyne’s play catching the eye. A lung bursting down the left ended with a low angled shot that was held well by keeper Brain McGarrity at his near post on the half hour mark. Two minutes later another break through the middle by Ballantyne ended with him opting to pick out Sam Young’s run into the box with a glorious pass and although he initially gave Alan Cairns the slip the defender recovered to get a great block on the striker’s shot which sent the ball sailing over the bar.
Alan Cairns blocks Sam Young’s shot
The Seasiders continued to push and after the resultant corner kick was only partially cleared the ball was whipped back into the box from wide on the right where it fell for Darren Handling only for his shot from 18 yards to be tipped away by McGarrity . Although the loose ball was fired home by Ballantyne the stand-in referee deemed it was from an offside position. On 37 minutes Glenafton suffered a set-back when centre-back Ryan McChesney suffered a hamstring injury and brought on striker Chris Dallas with fellow striker Mick McCann now partnering Craig Menzies in the centre of defence. In the closing minutes of the half keeper John Johnstone did well to get down low to hold on to angled shot from Dallas. H/T Dunbar 0 Glens 1
The half began with play running from end to end and half chances coming and going. Young’s wicked cross from tight on the right had McGarrity leaping to finger-tip over the bar at the back post. His counterpart Johnstone then safely held Cameron Marlow’s shot from 20 yards out, as Dallas waited to pounce on any rebound. Dunbar then enjoyed a sustained period of possession without however engineering a clear shot at goal and Menzies and McCann were winning the aerial battles in the Glens box.
Brian McGarrity takes no chances
On 65 minutes Young finally managed to shake off the visitors’ defence only to sky his shot at goal well over the bar and to rub sea-salt in their wounds the next Glens attack ended with Scott Gibson bringing Joe Andrew down in the box and the referee pointing to the spot. Up stepped substitute Darren McGill to blast the ball into the roof of the net and double Glenafton’s lead on 67 minutes.
Darren McGill fires the spot-kick into the roof of the net
The Seasiders rallied briefly before the wind was taken from their sails on 76 minutes as Glens added a third. MGill picked out Cairns on the overlap down the left who in turn threaded a superb ball into the box for substitute John Carter to hold off a defender before feeding Marlow to clip the ball to the far corner of the six-yard box where Chris Dallas leapt to loop a perfectly measured header over the keeper and into the net.
Chris Dallas heads home for 3-0
Glens controlled the closing passages of play to see the game out against the 10 men had given their all. F/T Dunbar 0 Glens 3
Glenafton Athletic. 1. Brian McGarrity 2. Dan Orsi 3. Alan Cairns 4. Craig Menzies 5. Ryan McChesney (12. Chris Dallas) 6. Cameron Marlow 7. Ryan Borris (15. Darren McGill) 8. David Gray 9. Mick McCann 10. Joe Andrew (14. John Carter) 11. Conor Lynass . Sub not used 16. Craig Potter
Dunbar United: 1. John Johnstone 2.Keith Tait 3. Steven Tait 4. Chris Gordon 5. Scott Gibson 6. Chris Moffqt 7. Darren Gillon 8. Chris King 9. Sam Young 10.Dean Ballantye 11. Darren Handling. Subs used: 12. Scott Devlin 14. Chris Grant 16. Steven Kean Not used 15. Kevin Smith 17.Liam McCathie
Glenafton Athletic 