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Scottish Cup first round replay for Formartine after draw


By Kyle Ritchie

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Formartine United 2 Cumnock Juniors 2

Despite their respective long and distinguished histories, it was the first time these clubs had met in any competition.

Their 2-2 draw in the first round of Scottish Cup ensures that it will not be the last – they have to do it all over again at Townhead Park on Saturday.

It was a hard fought draw at North Lodge Park where Formartine battled back from a slow start, a deficit at the interval before levelling, then getting their noses in front during an exciting first half of the second period only to be reeled in again in the final 15 minutes.

Cumnock were clearly well up for the game and showed plenty of spark from the start when a pair of McAusland tackles on Greig, then Lisle indicated a preference for physicality over finesse.

The visitors had forced their first corner within the second minute and sustained enough pressure on the home goalmouth to prevent United clearing the 18-yard area for a couple of minutes thereafter.

Johnny Crawford defends the ball against Cumnock Juniors. Picture: Phil Harman
Johnny Crawford defends the ball against Cumnock Juniors. Picture: Phil Harman

Shots from Osadolor, McGill and Frye among others were insufficient to penetrate the defence, but the combination kept Formartine on the back foot until a neat tackle by Paterson followed by a drive forward brought in the pacy Lisle who fired down the flank.

His cross to the back post area just eluded the arrival of Cole Anderson through the inside left route.

The early pace was unsustainably fierce but the overall momentum was definitely with the visitors.

The home defence with Paterson reading the game like a veteran was under quite sustained pressure but held out to the extent that 20 minutes in United were beginning to increase their midfield pressure.

The opening goal, almost bang on the half hour, was greeted with huge jubilation by the Ayrshire side and came at a bad point for United who were just showing signs of gaining a little traction.

Following the harsh award of a free-kick against Lawrence for a tackle, the ball was put into the goalmouth from just outside the right of the box. Shots from Osadolor and others rebounded to safety until just as it seemed the danger was passing, Martin picked up a half clearance on the left and knocked the ball in towards the near post area where Frye managed to force it past Demus from a couple of yards out.

It remained a tightly contested and mostly midfield affair until the interval. Thereafter, Formartine found another gear and went hard, fast and direct at the visitors.

It took them two minutes after the break to level. A flat out run from inside to outside right by Lisle took him past Ferry and almost to the corner where his cross was blocked at the cost of a corner.

Mykyta struck this slightly inswinging and Lisle and Anderson combined to work the ball into the path of Stuart Smith who thundered the ball in from the left to fire the equaliser home.

United began to show their strengths and started to call the shots. Captain Rodger and young Mykyta were stamping their authority on central midfield and the whole United machine began to click.

Cumnock battled hard and remained a significant threat but that was reduced in the 70th minute when a Johnny Smith free-kick from 25 or more yards out took a possibly deflected route to the net.

It was a hard, low shot that keeper Hughes went down to take but the ball seemed to bounce over him and go into the net.

Formartine had a goal disallowed when a 30-yard shot from Norris hit the back of the net but was flagged offside.

Cumnock battled back and in the 83rd minute following a period of pressure on the home back line, a ball in from the right by Bakar, via a deflection or two, was knocked home by Veitch to ensure the replay.


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