Amateur football: Lomond Rock bow out of Scottish Cup

Feb 5 2010 by Andy Galloway, Lennox Herald (main ed)

LOMOND Rock’s marvellous run in the national competition came to an end on Saturday.

They suffered late agony against Redhall Star to bow out of the Scottish Amateur Cup in their fifth round replay after a tie which, over the piece, either side could have won.

Despite leading at half time on Saturday through a Gavin O’Malley goal, the Dumbarton side lost the winner with just eight minutes remaining.

The result leaves St Patrick’s FP and Dumbarton Academy FP to fly the flag for the area in the national competition.

Rock headed into the game on the back of a 12-game unbeaten run stretching back to Saturday, August 29.

The match survived a late pitch inspection after overnight frost, with the hard surface making controlling and passing the ball difficult.

But the home side could have raced clear inside 15 minutes, as Craig Graham, Scott Smallwood and Martin King all went close to finding the net.

After a close call from the visitors, O’Malley opened the scoring on 28 minutes, being on the spot to net the rebound after Graham’s shot was blocked.

Redhall came storming back, with Mark Hennebry pulling off an outstanding save to somehow touch a deflected shot high around his left hand post.

The visitors continued to dominate in the second half, enjoying plenty of possession.

Rock struggled to create anything of note and lost Martin King to a hamstring injury. He was replaced by debutant Mario Peprucci.

O’Malley could have made it two goals for himself and Rock on the hour mark, but his 20-yard volley was saved.

Ten minutes later, the Edinburgh side equalised from the penalty spot after Stephen Marsland pulled back a striker as he was just about to pull the trigger. White made no mistake with the kick.

That goal lifted Redhall and knocked Rock for six, and they struggled to contain another attack moments later, but survived.

Mistakes were now coming thick and fast from the home side, with Hennebry saving at the feet of Fisher before the winner came eight minutes from the end.

White lost his marker and headed home from 10 yards following a Redhall corner to get the goal that would put his side through.

Rock threw everything forward in search of extra time, but couldn’t find the equaliser and exited the Scottish Cup for another year.

There wasn’t much between the sides, but too many Rock players were below par on the day.

Credit to Redhall for grinding out the result, and Rock must cast their minds back to Edinburgh and rue the number of missed chances they had to finish the tie at the first time of asking.

Rock face Viewfield Rovers at home in a much-delayed West of Scotland Cup tie this Saturday.

Lomond Rock: Hennebry; B Quinn, Hainey, Houston, McEwan, Marsland, O’Malley, Smallwood, King, Graham, G Quinn. Subs: Graham, Peprucci, Marment, Beaumont.