MATCH REPORT: KIRKINTILLOCH ROB ROY 1-3 ARTHURLIE

Scorers

Arthurlie: Carroll (51), Leyden (58), Healy (80)

Rob Roy: Hughes (81)

Red Cards: Rob Roy – Young (90), McNab (90)

By Ross Lafferty

IT was a rematch of last season’s Scottish Junior Cup Quarter-Final for Arthurlie on Saturday as they faced Kirkintilloch Rob Roy in the third round of this season’s competition looking to avenge that 4-1 defeat in March.

That game took place at Kilsyth’s Duncancsfield Park after Guy’s Meadow was rained off, but despite the recent wet weather, it was back to their regular ground for the home side and a trip to Cumbernauld for the visitors.

Despite that constant rain throughout the action, both teams played their part in serving up an entertaining game, despite the league placings – third against third bottom – making the home side favourites to make it through to the next round once again.

Yet it was the Barrhead side who were out the blocks quickest, Aaron Healy, giving a sign of what was to come over the remainder of the game, proving a menace on the Arthurlie left and and crossing to Gary Carroll to head wide on 9 minutes.

Arthurlie were doing most of the attacking for the first half hour and Healy was a constant threat, setting up another chance on 27 minutes, this time for Dale Simeon who saw his shot cleared for a corner.

Simeon also had a shot pushed over the bar by Kevin McAllister in the home goal after being set up by Carroll.

As the first half developed Rob Roy started to come into the game more, winning a succession of corners near half-time, as they sought to make their home advantage count.

Arthurlie, however, closed the half out as they had started it and Carroll came close with another header from a Healy cross before Jordan Leyden forced McAllister into action with a shot from 25-yards that was well held.

The second half continued in much the same vein, and it was on 51 minutes that the visitors took the lead, Simeon linking up well with Lance Pearce and Lee Roulston before sending a cross into the box for Carroll to convert with a spectacular diving header.

Seven minutes later that lead was doubled, Healy being brought down in the box and Leyden knocking in the rebound after his penalty-kick had been saved.

The home side were running out of time and experienced their best spell of the game in the aftermath of that second goal, piling pressure on the ‘Lie goal and winning a string of corners once again.

But with Rob Roy pushing numbers forward, they were to be left open to Arthurlie’s pace on the counter, and on 80 minutes Healy was played in to slow away a third and virtually seal his side’s place in the fourth round.

But the game still wasn’t finished, and some slack play at the back led to Connor Hughes pulling one back for Rob Roy just a minute later.

As Arthurlie sought to play out the game in the closing stages, the home side’s desperation to stay in the competition became clear in injury time as both Robbie Young and Derek McNab were red-carded for dangerous challenges on Simeon.

For ‘Lie the victory means a trip to last season’s Conference title rivals Shotts Bon Accord in the next round, but that’s not before another visit to Guy’s Meadow next week, this time with the teams back in WoSFL Premier Division action.

Arthurlie team: Scott, Pearce, Shields (Dunsmore 85), MacNeil, Magee, McLaughlin (Smith 68), Roulston, Leyden, Healy, Carroll (c) (McGaughey 78), Simeon

Subs not used: Nolan, Ramsay, Black (GK)

Rob Roy team: McAllister, D.Young, Gilday, Henry, Bell (McCormick 66), Cairns, Duncan, Granger (McNab 59), R.Young, Hughes, Woodhouse (Barclay 59)

Subs not used: O’Halloran, Walker, MacNair, Gordon