Blantyre Vics push Irvine Meadow all the way

Jun 19 2009 by John Woods, Irvine Herald

MEADOW booked their place in the Evening Times Cup Final but they were made to work for their win on Monday by a Blantyre Vics side which, while it more than matched their opponents visitors in the physical aspects of the game, just lacked the finesse and composure they required to produce a shock.

Davie Hamilton had the ball in the net for Meadow in an early attack but the "goal" was disallowed for climbing on a opponent – much to the relief of the Vics defence – then the big midfielder sent over an inch-perfect left wing cross but Chris Strain, running in at the far post, headed wide with the goal at his mercy.

Barr then stole in behind the home defence just before the break but sent his glancing header wide then Meadow were given a real scare on the hour mark when Gary Espener burst through and trailed the ball round keeper Michael Wardrope but, just when it looked as if he must score, he delayed and delayed and a posse of defenders got back to clear the danger.

Blantyre paid for the miss three minutes later when Chris McGowan, up with his attack, fired in a shot which took a cruel deflection off a Steve McGurgan’s leg and looped over keeper Alan Colquhoun’s head and into the net to put the visitors ahead.

Barr had a terrible miss in 78 minutes when, with the home defence all covering the near post, he was left with an open goal at the other side but had a fresh air swipe and made a complete hash of it then, in the dying seconds, Vics came within a whisker of taking the tie to penalties when James Cochrane’s 20-yard effort beat Wardrope but grazed the post.