ARTHURLIE LEFT IT OH SO LATE

NOBODY CARES IF JORDAN DELIVERED BY ACCIDENT

Sheer mayhem and nothing short of absolute delirium erupted at Tinto Park on Saturday following the most outlandish and unexpected conclusions to the Scottish Junior Cup last 16 match-up between top flight rivals Benburb and Arthurlie.

When the dust settled, the visitors from Barrhead had completed a quite stunning comeback to run out 3-2 winners thanks to a bizarre free kick goal by midfielder Jordan Leyden, from five yards inside his own half no less, and so late in the day that there was only time for the ball to be re-centred before Referee Robert Thomson’s whistle brought a scarcely credible end to an afternoon of twists and turns.

Had such an incredible finale looked on the cards ? Well not if you picture the scene with just under ten regulation minutes left to play and the home team coming under pressure but standing firm in the face of everything being thrown at them (it wasn’t a lot if truth be told!) in staunchly protecting the 2-0 lead that had prevailed in their favour at the halfway stage.

Colin Reilly’s men were seemingly dead and buried particularly after goalkeeper Graham Black had to be removed from the fray looking dazed and concussed as a result of an aerial clash with Benburb’s Lewis Lovering but shortly afterwards a glimmer of light appeared when winger substitute Connor Bolger (introduced by Reilly at half time) worked his way down the right flank to send over a driven cross that carried beyond the back post to overlapping full back Max Kerr whose well-struck shot found the far corner of Callum Law’s net and halved his team’s deficit.

Caution was then thrown to the winds as Reilly went for broke in replacing defensive mainstay Bryan Wharton with veteran front man Scott Anson and the team boss must have thought his gamble had paid off in spades when another right wing cross found the big striker four yards out at the very most and bang in front of goal only for his first time effort to sail high over the crossbar when it looked infinitely easier to score.

That glaring miss saw several of his team mates sink to their knees no doubt thinking that was that for their Cup hopes however Anson is nothing if not made of sterner stuff and with 93 minutes on the clock he put his body into the competing mix for yet another cross from wide right and was able to rise highest and glance the ball beyond Law for 2-2.

Supporters of both combatants understandably began thronging around Tinto Park’s dressing rooms end goal in anticipation of a penalty kicks shoot out and few if any among their numbers would have thought there was even more drama yet to be played out.

But with fully 97 minutes played, Arthurlie won a free kick inside their own half to be taken by midfield playmaker Leyden and a day that will live long in the minds of their supporting band was duly rounded off by a horrific blunder on the part of Bens goalkeeper Law who appeared to lose the flight of the ` Hail Mary`launch in mid-air and did nothing more than thrust a futile arm upward as the ball sailed over him and into the net .

And it didn’t matter a jot to jubilant matchwinner Leyden that this crazy ending was something of a fluke.

The 27 year old held up his hand in admitting afterwards , “‘I’d like to say it was meant but somehow I don’t think I’ll get away with it ?

He went on,“The gaffer wanted me to take it when the free kick was awarded so I shouted on big Anson to go back post and I put my foot through the ball with the thought of him maybe getting on the end of it and directing a header across goal.

“The Benburb keeper had obviously read my intentions and had taken a couple of steps to his right but I then mistakenly sliced across the ball causing it to arc more to the left and nobody was more shocked than me when he couldn’t get back across to position himself in order to prevent it hitting his net.”

Not for the first time this season Arthurlie needed a rousing finish to make up for an indifferent opening 45 minutes yet it would probably be true to say they were far from second best in the opening exchanges of this competitive Cup encounter.

Indeed their falling 1-0 behind with only 8 minutes on the clock was arguably against the run of play albeit their defence was posted missing as Benburb’s twin spearhead of Aaron Black and Declan McDonald combined to great effect for a Black pass across the penalty box to pick out his totally unmarked striking partner for a close range finish.

The visiting hopes of getting back on level terms were being easily repulsed by uncompromising Bens stopper pair Euan Clark and Jordan Bow so it was no real surprise when approaching half time a cacophony of protests then greeted whistler Thomson failing to spot a blatant handball by Arthurlie winger Mo Sugafara that enabled him to come within inches of an equalizer when his rasping drive beat Bens keeper Calum Law all ends up only to slip wide of the upright. .

Clearly stung by this near thing, Benburb pressed forward again and Black firstly came close to doubling their lead when a mazy dribble led to him unleashing a drive that carried just over the crossbar prior to their forward going efforts deriving the ultimate reward when McDonald netted his and their second goal by directing a low and searing 25 yard free kick blast into the far corner of the net .

SCOTT CAME OFF THE BENCH TO DO WHAT SCOTT DOES BETTER THAN MOST

To just over an hour later finding themselves out of the Cup from such a hitherto winning position helped to some extent explain the crestfallen demeanour posed by Bens gaffer Paul Lovering as he trudged inside at the final whistle with the look of someone who couldn’t quite believe what he had just witnessed .

Nevertheless he did not shy away from stoically giving his summations in the immediate aftermath.

He said , “ We were comfortably in control at 2-0 but committed the cardinal error of backing away from the Arthurlie players once they pulled a goal back and sitting far too deep in and around our penalty box

“Look, losing in such circumstances is always going to be painful and so hard to take but there’s nothing for it other than to roll up the sleeves and come back better and wiser for the experience!”

His team’s triumph made for a very satisfying Saturday all round for beaming Lie gaffer Reilly even though he bemoaned their reliance on having to yet again pull a rabbit from the hat over the closing stages.

“ Today’s win has to be the story of our season up to now because yet again avoidable mistakes had us looking hell-bent on being the architects of our own downfall .” he reasoned before adding ”To start away so sluggishly and out of sorts was more or less handing the game to Benburb on a plate until half time when we tweaked our shape and also managed to get a few home truths into the ears of the guys.

“It’s to the players’ credit that the change from that point on was remarkable even though they did leave it later than late to make our dominance tell and get over the line.

“ I love Cup games and it’s a wonderful feeling to know a place in the last eight is ours but chances are we as a team won’t be going any further unless we cut out this habit of needing 45 minutes to get ourselves focused .”

Next up for Arthurlie is an away date against Bellshill Athletic in the Quarter-Finals after a brace of goals from leading marksman Jack Currie along with Callum Cowie and Keiran Markey goals enabled the Third Division kingpins to run out 4-1 victors up at Rothie Rovers whose front man Lewis Hendry netted what amounted to nothing more than a consolation score.

Another trio of Premier Division sides are among the other last eight qualifiers , most notably record 14 times Cup winners Auchinleck Talbot for whom Jamie Glasgow, Bryan Boylan, Kyle McAvoy and Nathan Lennox were on the mark in a 4-1 defeat of Vale of Leven while Darvel also made it through on the back of captain Davie Syme(2), Craig Moore and Graham Wilson netting in a one-sided 4-0 rout of Larkhall Thistle .

Matters were nowhere near as straightforward at nearby Blair Park where the big guns of Hurlford United looked down and out when trailing 2-0 to John Kelly and Connor McAteer scores for Caledonian Locomotives heading into added on injury time.

But wide midfielder Jack Whittaker found the net in 91 minutes to throw Darren Henderson’s side a lifeline which they duly made the most of by bagging further counters from Ben Hughes(93 minutes) and Paul `Taz` McKenzie (97) to cap the mother of all comebacks (Arthurlie excepted).

WHO WILL GET THEIR HANDS ON THIS GLITTERING PRIZE ?

IThe Quarter Final draw as it now stands with ties to be played on Saturday10th February is

Auchinleck Talbot v Hurlford Utd

Bellshill Athletic v Arthurlie

Darvel v Lochee Utd

Johnstone Burgh /Dundee Downfield v St Cadocs

WEEKEND RESULTS: CLYDEBUILT HOME IMPROVEMENTS Scottish Junior Cup.Fourth Round.Benburb 2 Arthurlie 3, Rothie Rovers 1 Bellshill Athletic 4, Darvel 4 Larkhall Thistle 0,Vale of Leven 1 Auchinleck Talbot 4, Hurlford Utd 3 Caledonian Locomotive 2. INDIGO COMMS West of Scotland Cup.Third Round.Forth Wanderers 2 Kilsyth Athletic 4.P.D.M HUWS GRAY Premier Division. Largs Thistle 3 Troon 4, Cumnock 0 St Cadocs 2, Glenafton 2 Clydebank 3, Irvine Meadow 0 Beith 5, Rob Roy 1 Pollok 2. P.D.M HUWS GRAYFirst Division. Kilwinning Rangers 1 Renfrew 1, Rutherglen Glencairn 1 Drumchapel Utd 1, Kilbirnie Ladeside 3 Blantyre Vics 3, Neilston 1 Shotts Bon Accord 2,Johnstone Burgh 5 Whitletts Vics 1, St Rochs 3 Cambuslang Rangers 2, Ashfield v Petershill.PDM HUWS GRAY Second Division. Bonnyton Thistle 1 Kilsyth Rangers 4, Wishaw 2 St Anthonys 2, Glasgow University 0 Cumbernauld Utd 4,Muirkirk 1 Maryhill 0, Glasgow Perthshire 3 Ardrossan Winton Rovers 7, Yoker Athletic 1 Vale of Clyde 2.PDM HUWS GRAYThird Division. Kello Rovers 0 West Park Utd 3, Glasgow Utd 3 Port Glasgow 1, Ardeer Thistle 1 Threave Rovers 2, Dalry Thistle 4 Lesmahagow 4, Girvan 1 Lanark Utd 2, Irvine Vics 1 Greenock 3. PDM HUWS GRAYFourth Division. East Kilbride Thistle 1 BSC Glasgow1, St Peters 1 Easterhouse F.A. 1, Rossvale 3 Royal Albert 1, Lugar Boswell 0 Thorn Athletic 2, Glenvale 4 Eglinton 0, Giffnock SC 4 Saltcoats Vics 2,Carluke Rovers 2 Knightswood 2.

Regards

Jim O’Donnell