Cumnock Juniors 6 Kirkcaldy YMCA 2.
Emirates Scottish Junior Cup – round 3.
Saturday 3rd December 2011.
Three early goals in four minutes which included two goals from a hat-trick from young striker Aaron Connolly ensured Cumnock going to round 4. The Fife team never stopped working though, even when despondency might have taken over after they lost those early goals. Although Cumnock always kept well ahead, YM made the game more entertaining than the score might indicate.
With Manager Stevie Farrell working in Paris, former popular Cumnock player John McMillan was drafted in to help Coach Tom Currie – although nobody would keep Stevie away as he had his phone going.
The rain was pounding down when young mascot Ewan Lawrie from Sanquhar led the Cumnock team out. But it was Kirkcaldy who got the first chance when Tommy Carr sent a low shot from 14 yards which zipped past the right hand post.
The ball went from one half to the other until Cumnock scored in the 13th minute. Stevie Murray started the move and saw Ally Patrick along the left who found Aaron Connolly inside the box. His low shot was magnificently saved by keeper Jason Curran which he dived and got a hand to it. The ball bounced to Brian Miller who thumped it into the net.
With the ball back in play, Cumnock immediately got it and made a bee-line for the visitors goal. Keeper Curran stopped a tremendous save from Aaron Connolly but went back to the Cumnock no. 9 who made no mistake this time and Cumnock were now winning 2 – 0.
When the ball was again in play Aaron Connolly collected it near the centre spot. Seeing a gap in the YM defence he made for it. The speedy striker soon left everyone in his wake and motored thirty yards until he sent a rasping shot which gave keeper Curran no chance. What a good goal and within four minutes Cumnock had scored astonishingly three goals.
Lesser teams would have crumbled but Kirkcaldy were no quitters and sent about to get some goals themselves.
In 18 minutes YM’s Arran McDonald will not want to be reminded about an opportunity he had. He was in the right place at the far post when a corner kick came over from the right and landed at his feet. He only needed to tap it into the net but tried to kick too hard and mistimed it. The ball went straight up then drifted just over the other side of the
bar. He had another chance a couple of minutes later, though not as easy as his first. Again he got himself into a great position and ran forward into the Cumnock box while the home defence ran the other way looking for offside. He was on and flicked a neat header over keeper Stuart Watterson, It seemed inevitable it was a goal but went inches past the post.
YM kept on top at this point as Gavin Gray burst through with only the keeper to beat. His shot was on target but it was not as hard as it should be and Stuart Watterson easily saved.
Cumnock stopped working after the goals and had to start again soon. In the half-hour mark Gary McMenamin had a good effort after pouncing on the ball after George Wallace slipped in front of goal but his shot went wide. The Cumnock striker had another go when Aaron Connolly sent a dangerous cross but his header was just on the other side of the post.
Aaron Connolly caused havoc to the visitors most of the game and with the slippy conditions he made the most of it. Just past the half-hour mark he dribbled
through the Fife defence as they tried to keep their feet but he missed the target. In the 34th minute he grabbed his hat-trick. George Wallace started it on the left and passed to Aaron Connolly who sprinted for goal and made no mistake with his shot for the score to be 4 – 0.
Kirkcaldy kept trying and Cumnock kept them at bay resulting in the game deteriorating before half-time as the turf continued to get churned up which made passes going astray and players got tired with the heavy conditions. There was a series of yellow cards with late tackles and bad temper though there was nothing to indicate a red card and despite the heavy going the park was playable.
Before the interval Kirkcaldy had a chance as Kevin Masson sent a scorching shot which Stuart Watterson made a great save, punching it out. The Cumnock keeper had an excellent game.
Half-time Cumnock Juniors 4 Kirkcaldy YM 0.
Despite the score the game continued to be entertaining. Cumnock started the second half with George Wallace running through to finish with a solid strike which Jason Curran saved well.
But four goals or not, YM were not finished yet. Gavin Gray whacked a shot which thumped the Cumnock’s bar.
Cumnock might have thought they just had to stay on the park as they began to get completely pinned down. A series of lackadaisical passes by Cumnock helped the visitors and YM continually gained confidence. The conditions did not help both teams but Cumnock seemed to have more difficulty. Cumnock’s Stuart McDonald sent a long throw-in back to his keeper. The ball didn’t bounce and stayed stuck in the mud. Gavin Gray found himself with the ball in the Cumnock box with nobody near him. Cumnock can thank Stuart Watterson as he ran out made a tremendous save at point blank range.
Cumnock continually got caught and a good deal of this was their own making.
Kirkcaldy scored in the 62th minute. A good delivery from Gavin Gray found Ian Lally with only the Cumnock keeper to beat. As the keeper ran out the Fife man sent a neat lob which gave the keeper no chance to score for 4 – 1.
Five minute later some slack defending in the Cumnock side let in Kirkcaldy’s player who worked so hard for his team - Gavin Gray. He dispatched it to the visitor’s Captain, Tommy Carr who drilled the ball into the net and the score was now 4 – 2.
Cumnock had been the better team for most of the game but now they were beginning to get concerned because they were getting beaten. They must have been thinking that if they let a four goal advantage slip through their fingers – and at home against a team two leagues below them, there would be a public enquiry.
Tom Currie brought Gary Pettigrew on for George Wallace to try to make alterations.
The ball continued to bounce around the Cumnock goal and another bad pass from Cumnock let Tommy Carr in to send a rasping shot but was stopped with a magnificent save. Ally Patrick came to Cumnock’s aid in the 78th minute as nobody thought the visitors scoring three goals in just over ten minutes was a tall order. A corner-kick from Gary McMenamin on the right sent an accurate cross right in front the YM goal. Ally Patrick’s long leg got their first and with quick thinking he hit the ball with his knee into the net.
Cumnock settled again and in extra time Cumnock had most players in front of the YM goal for a corner kick. Stuart McDonald sent it over from the right and landed plum in the YM 6 yard line. In the the scrum the ball was bundled into the line. The Cumnock players indicated Brian Miller got the last touch for the final score Cumnock 6 Kirkcaldy 2.
Cumnock were the better team and deserved the win. They were rattled when their opponents got two quick goals even though they still had two goals of a cushion. Cumnock simply were taking things too easy at the time. Other than that they played well.
Cumnock – Watterson, McDonald, Stewart, Patrick, Murray, Howie, C. Connolly, Miller, A. Connolly, Wallace, McMenamin.
Subs – Pettigrew, McKnight.
Kirkcaldy – Curran, Burt, Giove McDonald, C. Ness, Carr, C. Smith, Lally, G. Gray, Masson, Westwater.
Subs- R. Smith, McNeil, S. Gray, Wilson, Smart, Orrock, R. Ness.
Referee: Stuart Hodge (Glasgow).
Scorers:
Cumnock - Brian Miller 13′, 91′, Aaron Connolly 15′, 17′, 34′ and Ally Patrick 78′.
Kirkcaldy - Ian Lally 62′ and Tommy Carr 67′.
