Ladeside sweep into last 16 with fine display

KILBIRNIE LADESIDE 3

TAYPORT 0

LADESIDE advanced to the last 16 after a comfortable win against the East Premier League visitors.

Stephen Swift's side dominated most of the first half but only managed a few clearcut attempts at goal, with the visitors breaking up the play with a succession of fouls.

The first chance fell to Darren Miller in nine minutes when Kyle Rafferty was fouled 30 yards from goal. Miller fired the free-kick over the defensive wall but Cargill collected the ball at the second attempt. A couple of minutes later Ladeside had two claims for a penalty when firstly Kevin Turner was impeded in the box and then Ian Gold went down under a challenge from Ogg but the referee waved the appeals away. In 16 minutes Tayport had their first chance when a long ball up field found Tulleth on the left and he played the ball in to Sutherland who turned and crossed into the six-yard box but Staunton cleared the danger.

Kilbirnie broke the deadlock in 20 minutes. Gold picked up the ball midway inside the Tayport half and he played a great pass into Adam Forde who slipped away from his marker and he calmly slotted the ball left-footed into the corner of the net.

Mick O’Byrne then set up an attack with a powerful forward header which Forde ran onto but his effort was blocked. Darren Miller swung in the resultant corner-kick from the left and with the keeper beaten the ball came off the top of the crossbar.

Tayport hit on the break in 37 minutes when from a Ladeside corner, Ogg picked the ball up 25 yards from goal and fired in a swerving shot which Kieran Hughes saved with a strong right hand. Tayport forced a succession of corners in the last few minutes of the half but Ladeside's defence held firm.

Tayport almost caught Ladeside cold at the start of the second half when Adam burst into the box from the right but fired his effort against the post and Hughes grabbed the ball as it rebounded.

Sutherland then had another effort for Tayport when a ball into the box fell to him 15 yards out and he turned and fired a shot low which Hughes saved easily at his near post.

In 62 minutes Ladeside made a change, bringing on Caolan McAleer for Ian Gold and the substitute almost made an instant impact. Miller played a free -kick through to McAleer, who was in on goal but Cargill touched the ball wide. Ten minutes later Mark Staunton picked the ball up in his own half and drove forward towards goal but he was cynically brought down by Scott Finlay, which earned him a yellow card.

A minute later Tayport were awarded a penalty when Finlay was adjudged to have been fouled inside the box. The same player took the spot kick but Hughes dived full length to make a vital save.

Tayport were reduced to 10 men when Robertson picked up a yellow card for pulling back Miller and with the full-back having been booked for a foul on Kyle Rafferty in the first half, the referee then showed him a red. Kilbirnie took advantage of the extra man and in 85 minutes Stevie Meechan picked the ball up in midfield. He played it wide to Miller, who although he was in a good position inside the box squared it back to Meechan who fired the ball past Cargill and into the net.

With time almost up Kilbirnie increased their lead with a break from their own box. Stephen McKeown found Stevie Meechan in midfield and he played a ball over the Tayport defence to Forde on the left wing, and he cut inside the box before squared the ball to the back post where the onrushing Kyle Rafferty tapped the ball home from close range.

KILBIRNIE LADESIDE: Hughes; Haxton, McKeown, Staunton, O’Byrne, Anderson, Miller, Rafferty, Forde, Turner, Gold. Subs: McAleer, Meechan, Bennett, Donnelly. Kelly.