Saturday 11 Feb 2022 KO 2:00pm	Rockburn Park, Bellshill
Clydebuilt Home Improvements Scottish Junior Cup	Quarter-fnal
Bellshill Athletic 0 (0)
Glenafton Athletic 4 (2)	McLean, McKee, O’Kane (2)

Glenafton made two changes to the eleven that started against Drumchapel United with Craig Pettigrew and Michael Moffat replacing Jamie McKernon and Hugh Kerr.in the Bellshill dug-out was co-manager Neil Rowatt, who played for the Glens under Alan Rough & Andy Dunlop in the 1990s.

The two sides had previously met each other four times in the Scottish Junior Cup with the outcome all square at 2-2.  Glenafton’s last trip to Bellshill, back in Season 2007/08, ended in a 3-1 victory for the New Cumnock side, with 19 year-old strike David Gormley bagging a brace.  A local lad, David turned up to watch the game today and had a few words with Glens’ manager Ryan Stevenson, former team-mates at Ayr United, before kick-off.

Over 700 supporters packed into Rockburn Park to witness the Scottish Juniot Cup Quarter-Final.

Although Bellshill kicked-off it was Glenafton that were quickly on the front foot through Michael Moffat’s flick-on being gathered by Sean McKenzie to drive deep into the right-hand side of the box only for his cut-back for Sam McKee to be intercepted at the expense of a corner kick which was eventually scrambled clear.

The visitors continued to press and took the lead on 4 minutes. Calvin Kemp flicked the ball to Scott McLean who instantly returned it with a cushioned header and Kemp flicked it back to McLean sending two Bellshill players back and forth chasing shadows. McLean then pushed forward and tried to pick out McKenzie in the box only for the ball to rebound off the heel of a defender and fall back into his path before he took a touch and then lashed a low left-footed drive from 20 yards that flew into the bottom corner of the net, beyond keeper Hutchison rooted to the goal-line.

Soon after Leon Murphy from wide on the left whipped a great ball into the box over the head of the leaping defender at the near post to fall for McKenzie but his mis-timed leap sent the ball high into the air before falling safely into the hands of the welcoming keeper.

On 9 minutes Glenafton doubled their lead. Paul Paton from the half-way line slipped the ball up the left wing for Moffat to gather and hold off a defender before rolling the ball into the path of Sam McKee who struck it first time ,whizzing along the ground, past 3 or 4 defenders and beating the wrong-footed keeper at the near post.

Credit to the home side as they began to enjoy more possession. A long ball upfield had keeper David Markey rushing out his box to head it clear and soon after a long throw into the box was headed on and gathered by Kieron Markey to force his way between Craig Pettigrew & Paton only to lose control of the ball, appealing loudly to the referee that his run had been impeded, but to no avail.

At the other end the Glens pushed forward in numbers although one attack was stifled the ball fell to McLean on the right who clipped a cross into the 6 yard box where it was headed clear to the edge of the box to be met first time by the lively Kemp only for his shot to fly over the bar.

Play was now raging back and forth peppered with free kicks to both sides and the occasional corner.

On 27 minutes Luke Currie did well to set up a shot from 20 yards but it trundled along the ground and was easily held by Markey. Soon after, a free-kick floated high and deep into the box saw the Glens keeper leap between to Bellshill players to get a vital touch on the ball with McKee on hand to clear it upfield. A throw in from the left was hooked cleared from a busy Glens box by Moffat and fell for D. Wilson who curled a shot from 25 yards out, but it drifted high and wide of target.

Glens then pegged the home side back in their own half for a period. Moffat won a corner kick down the left which was headed clear. Moffat then clipped a great ball from the centre circle up to the outskirts of the box for McKenzie to chase down, with Brady Craig close on his heels and although the Glens man won the race it was the centre-back that made a timely tackle from behind to knock the ball out for a corner, which was met and blasted wide by Paton. 

On 39 minutes, Kemp gathered a short throw-in deep on the left and skipped his way past defenders to the bye-line before progressing to the edge of the box only to be fouled as he got his cross away. Paton floated the free-kick into the six-yard box where McKenzie outleapt Wilson only for his powerful header to crash off the top of bar and out for a goal kick.

The visitors later won another corner which Murphy played to the back post where the incoming Pettigrew’s cushioned shot to drift wide of the other post.

In the closing minutes of the half Currie fashioned a good run and after weaving past a number of Glens players fired a shot from 22 yards that sailed over the bar.

HT Bellshill 0 Glenafton

The half-time talk in the travelling support was a reminder that Bellshill had gone in at the break 2-0 down at home to Kilbirnie in the previous round, only to go on and beat the Ayrshire side on penalties!

The visitors however were quick off the block as Paton clipped a ball into the right-hand side of the box where McKenzie killed it on his chest before rolling it wide to Kemp who quickly whipped the ball to the near post where Hutchison took no chances and pushed it wide for a corner, which was headed clear.

Bellshill countered with a long throw into the box which although Ollie Rowe won the aerial battle and the ball recovered by Bellshill and a shot from the edge of the box blocked and the rebound floated high towards the back post where Markey leapt to clutch the ball cleanly.

The high tempo continued and a Bellshill clearance was returned upfield with a powerful header from Pettigrew that McKenzie chased down into the box and touched it back to Kemp to drill a low shot from 20 yards which looked to be drifting wide only for it to strike the instep off a defender to divert the ball toward the other post forcing Hutchison to dive and prevent the corner.

Back came Bellshill and Rowe and Mick McMullin combined well to break down a Bellshill attack deep in their box.

On 53 minutes Glens came close to adding a third. Moffat was tripped in the centre-circle and Paton floated the free-kick into the box where McKenzie’s header picked out Moffat who killed the ball before firing a shot forcing Hutchison to pull off a point blank save. The visitors continued to press and Murphy’s cut-back across the face of goal was missed by both the keeper and McKenzie and Craig did enough to prevent the incoming McLean from burying the loose ball.

At the other end keeper Markey had to rush from his line and leap to beat Mark Kyle to the ball and soon after Kieron Markey leapt head shoulders above everyone in the box but his header from a corner-kick flew wide of target and was booted clear. The keeper then cleanly clutched Robert Thomson’s cross to the near post as Kyle Caig threatened.

On 66 minutes Glenafton made a double substitution with front two Michael Moffat and Sean McKenzie making way for Hugh Kerr and Dylan O’Kane and both were soon in the thick of the action.

Three minutes later McLean launched a long ball upfield for Kerr only for Craig to intercept but his header sent the ball back towards goal allowing O’Kane to chase down with a free run into the box only to clip the ball well over the head of the advancing keeper and the bar … the head may have went down by Kerr was quick to applaud the effort of the young striker.

Two minutes later O’Kane picked up a pass from McKee and  knocked the ball along the 18 yard line as he burst past Calvin Cowie and with Wilson on his heels he pushed forward before curling a rasper of a shot between Wilson and Craig high into the net beyond the reach of the keeper. Glens 3-0 up on 71 minutes. The celebration that followed and the outpouring of joy as Dylan ran towards the Glens dug-out (with an entourage of team-mates in pursuit) to leap into the arms of coach Alan Kerr was a very special moment in the club’s Scottish Junior Cup escapades.

Bellshill now with a mountain to climb responded with a triple substitution and to their credit continued to create chances. Markey had to dive at his near to post to stop a low angled shot from inside the box. Soon after Caig curled a free kick from 28 yards over the Glens’ wall but again Markey gathered cleanly as his name-sake Kieron Markey looked to prosper from any spillages.

The Glens were in no mood to sit back and McLean played a one-two with Kemp before unleashing a  ferocious angled shot from 25 yards that beat the keeper at full stretch only to dip inches over the bar.

On 81 minutes the visitors extended their lead after Dylan O’Kane bagged his brace. It began with Paton from just inside in his own half clipping a high ball down the right from Kerr to kill on his chest before squaring it inside to O’Kane on the outskirts of the box to burst past Wilson before drilling a low shot beyond the reach of Hutchinson at his near post with the ball nestling in the far corner.  The celebrations were more subdued.

Bellshill pushed for a consolation as the large home support continued to get behind their team. A corner was whipped in from the right and headed out the box by Paton only for it to be lobbed back into the busy box and then headed out by Pettigrew before it came back again before McMullin booted it clear.

Handshakes followed soon after.

FT Bellshill 0 Glenafton 4

Glenafton Athletic
1. David Markey 3. Scott McLean 22. Ollie Rowe 4. Craig Pettigrew (captain) 35. Mick McMullin; 11. Leon Murphy 10. Calvin Kemp 8. Paul Paton 7. Sam McKee; 15. Michael Moffat (9. Hugh Kerr) 16. Sean McKenzie (18. Dylan O’Kane) Subs: 2. Adam Caldwell 14. Ryan Nisbet 19. Cameron McKenzie 20. Dean Currie

Bellshill Athletic
Bellshill: 1. JC Hutchison 2. Ross Girdwood 3. Robert Thomson (Lee Dixon) 4. D. Wilson 5. Brady Craig (Ben Elliot) 6. Owen Lee 7. Mark Kyle (Brandon Mann) 8. Calvin Cowie 9. Kieron Markey (Kyle Lauchlan) 10. Kyle Caig 11. Luke Currie

More Match Photos

Bellshill Athletic v Glenafton Athletic