SJFA	Scottish Junior Cup	Round 5
Tranent F.C.	4 (3)	Bauld, Hutchings (2) , Girdwood
Glenafton Athletic	3 (0)	Mullen, Erskine, Ross
Sat 18 JAN 2025	KO 2:30 pm	Foresters Park, Tranent

Glenafton made two changes to the eleven that started against Drumchapel United, some 4 weeks ago, in a league match at Loch Park with Ryan McCubbin (cup-tied) and Evan Maley (injured) making way for Ollie Rowe and midweek signing Jamie Taggart on loan from Partick Thistle.

Glenafton Athletic and Tranent Juniors have previously met four times in the Scottish Junior dating back to Season 1966/67. The 2^nd round tie ended in a 3-3 draw at Loch Park with McWatters bagging a brace for the Glens and Carmichael the other while the replay at Foresters Park finished goalless. Rutherglen Glencairn hosted the 2^nd replay where McWatters bagged another brace and Nodder Kirkpatrick the other in a 3-0 win.

In Season 1990/91 when Glens triumphed won 2-0 in the 3^rd round with goals from Malky Adams and a Malcolm O.G. It was a return to Foresters Park in Season 1994/95 in the 5^th Round where Glenafton manager Alan Rough faced a Tranent side managed by Roy Baines, both former keepers having each had spells at Celtic and Hibernian. The Glens looked to be heading out only for Stevie Farrell to score an 87^th minute equaliser. The replay at Loch Park proved to be more comfortable for the Glens, running out 3-0 winners with goals from Tom McKenzie, Stephen Quigg and Davie Walker, his son Ryan in the Glens squad today. The fourth meeting, in Season 2001/02 saw the Glens progress to the 3^rd round after 2-0 win at Loch Park.

As Tranent Juniors, the club were crowned East of Scotland Champions in Season 2022/23 and after defeating Dalbeattie Star and then Darvel in the play-offs they gained entry into the Scottish Lowland League, changing their name to Tranent F.C.

Prior to kick-off a minute’s silence was held in memory of Scott Robertson, Honorary Vice President of the SJFA, who recently passed away.

Glenafton kicked off and play quickly fell into a pattern of back and forth with few chances on show. On 10 minutes Tranent won a corner-kick on the left that Ben Miller curled into a packed box and keeper David Markey cleanly clutched the ball from under the bar.

At the other end Jamie Taggart gathered a pass from Chris Erskine before breaking down the left and whipping a ball into the box for the inrushing Ollie Rowe only for keeper Kelby Mason to intervene and gather the ball. Soon after Erskine weaved his way down the right and clipped the ball deep into box but again Mason mopped up as Taggart closed in.

Back came Tranent through Joe Viola to fire a shot from the 18-yard line that was deflected wide for a corner, although Glens hands were raised in unison for some offence, the kick went ahead. Miller again delivered it into the packed box and it was Euan Bauld that got the crucial touch to force the ball over the line. Tranent 1-0 up on 21 minutes.

Two minutes later the visitors came close to drawing level after Taggart burst down the left before whipping a ball between two defenders into the heart of the box where Michael Mullen got the jump on Jake Hutchings to send a looping header towards the back post, beyond the reach of the keeper scurrying along his line only for the ball to slip inches wide of the post.

Tranent then dominated the remainder of the half with some neat free flowing football. Although a corner kick from the right was just too high for the leaping Danny Handling at the near post it was met a few yards on by Hutchings only for his close-range header to be blocked by Lewis Currie, sending it clear of danger. Viola then gathered the ball at the right-hand corner of the box with Handling teeing up for the cross only for the ball to float high over the bar.

On the half-hour mark Harry Girdwood and Ben Stirling cleverly combined down the right with the latter driving to the bye-line before cutting the ball back to the former to push forward into the six-yard box and with Lyall Holding cloing in he picked out Viola to curl what appeared to be net bound shot only for Markey to dive at full stretch and push the ball wide of the post.

Stirling curled the corner in from the right and the ball skimmed over the head of the leaping Rowe and fell for Jake Hutchings to get between Craig Pettigrew and Currie to bullet a downward header into the net. Tranent 2-0 up on 31 minutes.

Glens responded with a break through the middle only for Mullen to be fouled 10 yards from the penalty box and although the striker curled the ball over the wall it fell kindly into the arms of keeper Mason.

On 34 minutes Glens made a change with Sam McKee making way for Shuggy Kerr who was quickly in the thick of the action breaking down the right and slipping the ball inside to Mullen on the 18-yard line from where he knocked it on to Erskine, to turn 3 defenders before being brought down in the ‘D’. Mullen’s free kick flew over the wall but high and wide of target.

Half-chances came and went at either end before Girdwood was impeded in the Glens box as he tried to force his way between Pettigrew and Ross Linsday.  On 45 minutes up stepped Dean Brett to drill the spot-kick only for Markey pull off a great save pushing the ball wide of the post.

The corner kick from the right was floated to the back post were Rowe won the aerial battle sending the ball behind for another corner which resulted in a goal mouth stramash with efforts from Hutchings and Handling cleared off the line. Viola chased after the ball as it rolled out towards the right-hand side of the box to quickly loft it back into the goalmouth where Kerr’s headed clearance was gathered by Miller at the edge of the box only for his shot to be blocked and the gathered on the left-hand side of the box by Handling who threaded it through to Jake Hutchings on the penalty spot from where he pushed right between two defenders before stopping abruptly to stab the ball into the net. Tranent 3-0 up on 46 minutes.

HT Tranent 3 Glens 0

A shell-shocked Glens had trundled off the park at the break while supporters were at the most hoping for damaged limitations in the second half . Instead, they witnessed one of the club’s finest fightbacks in living memory, albeit they had to endure watching a Tranent corner kick in the opening minute of the half – which was headed clear of the box by Lindsay and gathered by Taggart. The home side continued to press and Miller’s shot from the edge of the box sailed over the bar.

On 51 minutes Glenafton made a change with Jordan Allan replacing Lyall Holding. A minute later the Glens pushed down the right with Taggart who progressed to the 18-yard line before clipping the ball high into box with Kerr and Rowe as targets only for Hutchings to intervene and head the ball upfield where it was met by Michael Mullen to drill a low diagonal shot from 25 yards or more that beat the keeper at full stretch at his back post before bulging the net. Tranent 3 Glens 1 on 52 minutes.

The visitors continued to press as Taggart chased down a ball into the box and although he gave Bauld the slip the keeper was alert to rush from his line to clear. Soon after Taggart gathered a clearance on right and squared the ball inside to Rowe who burst into the box only to be forced wide on the right before drilling a low ball to the corner of the six-yard box for Jared Willet who held of a defender before slipping the ball to Kerr.  Although the striker’s close range shot at the near post was blocked, he quickly recovered the loose ball and holding off defenders he attempted to guide the ball in at the far post, only for it drift wide of the target.

Tranent then enjoyed a decent spell of pressure, particularly down the right with Stirling and Viola whipping balls into the box for Girdwood and Handling respectively only for Pettigrew to clear on both occasions. Another run by Viola saw him reach the bye-line and pick out Handling on this occasion but his header drifted wide of the target.

Glens countered through Mullen bursting down the left and from deep in the box squared the ball into the goalmouth for Erskine only for substitute No.19 to intercept and clear. Back came the visitors and Rowe’s high looping header landed on the roof of the net. Allan then floated a free-kick into the six-yard but beyond the reach of both Kerr and Rowe as it dipped over the bar.

On 71 minutes Tranent came close to regaining a three-goal cushion. Substitute Ross Gray gathered the ball wide on the right and fired a cross to the far post for the incoming Girdwood only for Pettigrew to intercept sending his header high into the air which fell kindly for Handling to meet it on the drop and thunder a left-footed shot that crashed off the crossbar before Girdwood pounced to volley a shot from six yards that Pettigrew cleared off the line only for the ball to rebound off the grounded Girdwood and roll into the hands of the welcoming by Markey.

On 73 minutes Glens brought on Cammy Ross for debutant Jamie Taggart and 30 seconds later the visitors scored another cracker. As Handling broke forward Lindsay robbed him of the ball just inside the Tranent half and drove forward before slipping it inside for Chris Erskine to gather and burst through the middle and after feigning right to go past two defenders, he instead cut inside to tee up a shot between both of them to blast the ball from 25 yards out and although keeper Mason was airborne and at full stretch the ball was already nestling in the bottom right hand corner of the net. Tranent 3 Glens 2 on 74 minutes.

The home side countered and won a corner on the right which was floated into a packed goalmouth where Rowe managed to stoop and get his head to the ball before Lindsay pounced and cleared it from the box. Soon after a corner kick from the left was headed off the line by Allan.

Back came Glens with Ross bursting down the right to whip a ball deep into the box with Rowe, Mullen and Kerr in attendance only for Hutchings to head it clear. Soon after Erskine stripped the ball from Miller and Hutchins at the centre circle before clipping the ball into box where Rowe won the aerial battle and Kerr pounced on the loose ball at the corner of the six-yard box with Hutchings tight on his back as both tumbled to the ground and the ball rolled out of play, while the loud Glens appeals for a penalty fell on deaf ears.

On 82 minutes Cammy Ross single-handedly set off on a lethal counter-attack from the centre-circle through the middle with substitute Connor Duthie on his heels, but unable to close the gap. Meanwhile, teammate Kerr was matching his run down the left, marked by Hutchings while Robert McIntyre peeled off to the right to chase down Ross forcing him to drift to the right edge of the ‘D’ before cracking an unstoppable shot from the 18-yard line beyond the reach of the keeper, rooted on the six-yard line, and into the net. Tranent 3 Glens 3 on 82 minutes.

Having drawn level, the Glens celebrations were understandably more animated, both on and off the pitch.

With their tails up the visitors went in search of a winner. Mullen broke down the left and from the bye-line clipped the ball back towards the 18-yard line where Erskine’s shot rebounded off a defender and was quickly mopped up. Allan then launched a long throw from the right to the near post, where defenders and attackers alike had congregated, where the ball was scrambled clear at the expense of a corner. Allan floated the ball into the six-yard box where Hutchings headed it towards the penalty spot from where Ross drilled a low shot that was deflected inches wide of the post.

Lindsay returned to corner-kick duties and floated the ball deep into the goal mouth where the keeper, surrounded with players from both sides and Kerr airborne at the back post, did well to claw the ball away before gathering and with a long throw launched a counter-attack up the left that fizzled out.

Back came the Glens with Erskine and Ross combining down the right to win a shy just short of the corner-flag which Allan propelled high into the box only and Rowe won the aerial battle at the expense of a clash of heads, only for the ball to loop high over the bar.

On 90 minutes it was Rowe from deep in the box that won another corner-kick on the right. After a game of head-tennis, which saw the ball go back and forth into the box, it was cleared with a long punt up the right and although Tranent regained possession to build another attack it was halted by Ross.

Both sides were now going in search of a late winner and it came on 93 minutes. Glens had repelled a Tranent attack forcing them to play the ball back to Dean Prett, wide on the right just inside the Glens half, from where he launched the ball high and deep into the left-hand side of the box where Bauld did well to swipe the ball across the face of goal for Guy McGarry only for Markey to block his shot on the line which fell kindly for Harry Girdwood to stroke into the gaping net. Tranent 4 Glens 3 on 94 minutes.

In the aftermath Jordan Allan was ordered off following an incident. 

Try as they might the Glens were unable to conjure up a late chance in the closing couple of minutes of added time. A real bitter-sweet feeling after such a determined fight back.

FT Tranent 4 Glenafton 3

Good luck to Tranent in the next round.

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC
1. David Markey 2. Lyall Holding (15. Jordan Allan) 5. Craig Pettigrew (Captain) 4. Lewis Currie 3. Jared Willet; 9. Jamie Taggart (16. Cammy Ross) 8. Ross Lindsay 6. Ollie Rowe 7. Sam McKee (Hugh Kerr) 11. Chris Erskine 10. Michael Mullen. Subs not used: Ryan Walker, Mason McDougall 21. Keon Thurston (gk)

TRANENT
1. Kelby Mason 3. Robbie McIntyre 4. Euan Bald 6. Jake Hutchings 9. Harry Gordon 10. Danny Handling 12. Harry Girdwood 15. Dean Brett 17. Joe Viola 24. Ben Stirling 25. Ben Miller Subs: Used 7. Guy McGarry 11. Conner Duthie 37. Ross Gray

Match Photos

Tranent v Glenafton Athletic