St Patrick's put on amazing cup comeback

Nov 21 2008 by Marc McLean, Lennox Herald (main ed)

ST PAT’S came back from a goal behind to knock their Edinburgh opponents out of the cup.

Keenly contested from the start, Spartans had the extra advantage of a strong wind and the low sun at their back that made any excursion forward look dangerous for the Dumbarton lads but they coped in an exciting first period.

The Saints got forward, driven by the impressive Martin Currie, but they never managed to get a clear opener against a well-marshalled defence.

The home side took the lead on 39 minutes when ex-Hearts player Garry Bannon fired a low shot that went in at the keeper’s right-hand post.

After the break St Pat’s upped their game, hemming their opponents deep in their own area, and it took the goalkeeper’s outstretched leg to deny Mark MacLeod the equaliser.

This was followed by another save by the impressive Paterek from a Darren MacKinnon snapshot, but the visitors got back into the game after an hour.

Alan Galloway lobbed the ball into the 18-yard box where MacLeod cleverly drew a defender to make space for MacKinnon, who took a couple of touches before blasting a drive that gave Paterek no chance.

Ten minutes later MacKinnon scored his second of the day when he found the space in the crowded area to smash the ball wide of the big Polish keeper’s grasp.

The home side could not claw their way back and had their impressive keeper to thank again in the closing minutes when he pushed a John Deeley free-kick out for a corner.

Next week St Pat’s travel to East Kilbride to take on Centre AFC in the third round of the West Cup.

Club draw lucky numbers: 2, 7, 16, 18.

St Pat’s: K Connor, A Galloway, J Deeley, B Deeley, J Graham, D MacKinnon, M King, D Ruane, M MacLeod, D D’annunzio, M Currie. Subs: M Bissett, M Sullivan, K Smith.