SCOTTISH GAS	SCOTTISH CUP	Prelim Round 2
Glenafton Athletic	3 (3)	Mullen 2, Willet
Dalkeith Thistle	0 (0)
Sat 30 Aug 2025	KO 3:00 pm	Loch Park, New Cumnock

Glenafton Athletic made one change to the eleven that started against Beith last Saturday with keeper David Markey (unavailable) with new signing Jacob Pazikas took his place. Jacob played for Rangers Youth and was capped 8 times for Scotland U17 while on progressing to Rangers U18 then Rangers B he had loan spells with Civil Service Strollers, Stranraer and Gala Fairydean Rovers.

Dalkeith Thistle currently sit in 5^th position in the East of Scotland 2^nd Division and like the Glens they received a bye into the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Preliminary Round 2.

Prior to kick-off a minute’s silence was held in memory of Freddie Farrow who passed away recently. Freddie followed the Glens for many years during which time he also served on the committee. He will be sadly missed at Loch Park and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this sad time.

Dalkeith kicked off against a strong gusting wind and almost suffered an early setback in the opening minute. Defender Ross Aitchison chased down a long ball heading for the Dalkeith box with Michael Mullen hot on his heels, meanwhile keeper Jordan Moffat raced from his goal-line to the outskirts of the ‘D’ edge and although he failed to clear the ball Aitchison, from the 18-yard line, kept his cool to hook it clear as Mullen closed in.

Glens continued to press and Cammy Ross burst down the right to earn a corner kick which Ross Lindsay curled high into the box and as the ball dropped beyond the reach of the leaping keeper it whizzed round the back post as Shuggy Kerr threatened.

Soon after, keeper Jacob Pazikas launched a goal kick to just inside the Dalkeith half where Kerr outleapt Michael Lennie to head the ball into box for Mullen to chase only for the alert Moffat to win the race and clutch it cleanly. The one-way wind assisted attacks continued while the visitors struggled to make any headway into the Glens box.

On 20 minutes the home side broke the deadlock. Ross gathered the ball on the right and with Matthew Brown in close contact he pushed forward just beyond the corner of the 18 yard box and as Ronan Clelland joined his colleague, Ross whipped a cross into the six-yard box beyond Kerr and three defenders for the inrushing Michael Mullen to thump the ball with the inside of his left foot into the roof of net, despite the keeper’s brave effort to block it. Glens 1 Dalkeith 0, 20 minutes.

Back came the home side with Jared Willet breaking into the left-hand side of the box but with defenders congregating he rolled a diagonal ball back to Mullen to blast a low ball from 18 yards which took a deflection off Darren McTernan before Elliot Grieve on the six-yard line launched it high into the air leading to another Glens corner, that was cleared.

Midway through the half Thistle strung a series of passes together up the right for Lewis Russell to gather the ball on the outskirts of the box only to be closed down by Ollie Rowe forcing him to try and pick out Chris Jack but David Craig and Lee Duncanson combined to snuff out the danger. Nevertheless, the visitors began to enjoy some decent possession in the Glens half, still against the wind with the drizzle now promising heavier rain.

Back came the Glens and doubled their lead on 32 minutes with Ross the instigator again. Breaking down the right he jumped a sliding tackle from Scott Moffat, just inside the Dalkeith half, he continued his run with Clelland for company and from the edge of the box clipped the ball towards a busy penalty spot which was intercepted by Lennie clearing it out for a shy, some six yards from the corner-flag. Ross cleverly aimed the throw-in to bounce towards the bye-line for Ross Lindsay to get the jump on a clutch of defenders and drill the ball across the face of goal and although the keeper got down low to save, it bounced over his arm and continued along the goal-mouth where Jared Willet, loitering at the back post, gave his marker Clelland the slip and at the second attempt stroked the ball into the gaping net from two yards out. Glens 2 Dalkeith 0, 31 minutes.

Although there was another brief spell of Dalkeith possession in the Glens half the defensive line of Rowe, Duncanson and Blair Anderson snuffed out any threat of goal action.

Meanwhile David Craig took a sore one, just inside the Glens half on the left. Anderson launched the free kick to the far corner of the penalty box where Kerr won the aerial battle with Lennie sending the ball high into the box over a couple of defenders falling for Michael Muller close to the penalty spot where he let it bounce before slotting the ball home from six yards out past the advancing Moffat. Glens 3 Dalkeith 0, 39 minutes.

Soon after Willet controlled a loose ball before laying off to Callum Wilson to drill a low shot from 24 yards that keeper Moffat got down low to hold in worsening conditions as the rain persisted.

Credit to Dalkeith they pushed forward and won a free-kick well inside the Glens half that was launched high into a packed box only for Pazikas to rush to corner of his six-yard box to gather the loose ball.

At the other end Glens won a shy on the right about 12 yards from the bye-line, Anderson picked out Ross at the edge of the box and with his back to goal hooked a high overhead kick which Moffat leapt to pluck the ball out the air before landing safely.

Thistle mounted a sustained attack just before the break and although it was repelled a couple of times Liam Cairns trapped the ball to the left of the ‘D’ and from 20 yards out he drilled a low diagonal shot through a space in a line of defenders and beyond the reach of keeper Pazikas diving at full stretch only to whiz inches wide of the post.

HT Glens 3 Dalkeith 0

An early chance for Dalkeith after Ross gathered a ball on the right close to the half-way line but was forced to retreat, under pressure from substitute Keiran Richard, however his underhit passback to the keeper trundled into the box with Scot Moffat chasing it down only for Rowe to rush back and with a perfectly timed sliding tackle knocked the ball off Moffat’s shins and out for a goal kick.

Lindsay gathered the ball just inside the Glens half and clipped it upfield for Kerr on the move, only for Lennie to intervene with a header which fell into path of Wilson to control the ball before driving forward and cracking a vicious shot that keeper Moffat got down low to push round the post. Lindsay whipped the corner from the right and Scott Moffatt got a touch in the six-yard box before Richard hooked the ball upfield. Soon after Kerr won a corner on the left but this too was cleared.

Glens continued to press and Lindsay threaded a ball into the box for Craig to chase down and although he beat the advancing keeper to the ball, he was forced to go wide and from the bye-line clipped the ball into the goal mouth where McTernan swiped it clear as Kerr threatened.

Willet picked out Craig on the 18-yard line with a peach of pass who in turn laid the ball off to Mullen, only for his shot to be comfortably saved by keeper Moffat.

On 54 minutes Glens made a change with Mullen making way for Chris Erskine as the rain continued to soak the players while the visitors made a double substitution soon after.

Glens won a shy down the right just outside the home dug-out and Lindsay was booked, apparently for time-wasting, as he searched for a team-mate. Meanwhile, Dalkeith assumed that the throw-in should change side only for the referee to intervene and Anderson took the shy for the Glens – time wasting indeed!

In any case Ross gathered the throw in and played a neat one-two with Anderson only for cross into the box to be deflected wide for a corner which was headed clear of the box from where Richard launched the ball up the park for substitute Cammy Leslie to chase with Willet on his heels, only for his attempted cross to drift over the bye-line.

At the other end Wilson chased a ball down the right albeit Lennie had a head start and was shielding the ball as it entered the Thistle box while keeper Moffat rushed from his line and dived to hold with strong hands sending Wilson tumbling to the ground – a brave save.  

Back came Dalkeith, through Clelland launching a high ball into the box only for Duncanson to win the aerial battle sending a header well clear of the box which Clelland chased down before firing the ball over the head of Rowe and onwards over the bar. Soon after Richard, from the left, fired a high cross into the left-hand side of box forcing Pazikas to race from his line and leap to collect ball.

On 69 minutes Glens made a double substitution with Ross Lindsay and Hugh Kerr making way for Evan Maley and Robbie McDougall.

Anderson, from wide on the right, curled a ball into the goalmouth which saw keeper Moffat punch it away with both hands only as far as Erskine on the edge of box to chest it down before drilling a low shot which was drifting wide of the right hand post before McDougall interveneed to try and guide the ball into the far corner only for the ball to bounce wide of the other post.

The rain may have relented but the Glens continued to peg Dalkeith into their own box.

Another run down the right from Ross saw him lash a vicious cross into the box that crashed of the crossbar. Soon after Maley cracked a shot that dipped wide of the right post, as the keeper looked on.

The home side continued to press with Ross breaking down the right and playing a slick one-two with Craig to gather the ball deep in the box only for his shot to deflect off a defender, sending it high towards goal forcing the keeper to tip the ball wide of the post. Wilson’s corner was headed clear.

Some respite for the visitors on winning a corner on the right which was floated to the back post for Grieve where Craig and Anderson combined to clear the danger.

On 80 minutes Glens made another double substitution with Kelvin Daniel and Callum McFadyen replacing Blair Anderson and David Craig.

At the other end Wilson gathered a shy from Ross on the right and weaved his way between two defenders before drilling a low shot from 18 yards that deflected off the shins of Lennie inches wide of the post and out for a corner-kick which was eventually cleared.

Although the home side continued to rack up the corner count while the visitors worked hard to salvage a consolation the second half ended goalless.

FT Glens 3 Dalkeith 0

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC
1. Jacob Pazikas 2. Lee Duncanson 3. Jared Willet 4. Blair Anderson (15. Kelvin Daniel) 5. Ollie Rowe (captain) 6. Ross Lindsay (14. Evan Maley) 7. Cammy Ross 8. David Craig (12. Callum McFadyen) 9. Hugh Kerr (16. Robbie McDougall) 10. Michael Mullen (17. Chris Erskine) 11. Callum Wilson. Subs Not Used: James Hart (gk).

DALKEITH THISTLE
24. Jordan Moffat 5. Michael Lennie (captain) 23. Elliot Grieve 3. Ronan Clelland 2. Ross Aitchison 11. Darren McTernan 17. Chris Jack 7. Matthew Brown 16. Liam Cairns 10. Lewis Russell 21. Scott Moffat. Subs: 1. Caleb Mellors 9. Jamie Kerr 12. Aaron Faulds 14. Daniel Collin 15. Cammy Leslie 18. Keiran Richard 19. Andy McNeil 20. Matty Meechan 22. Craig Malcolm

Match Photos

Glenafton Athletic vs. Dalkeith Thistle