Ayrshire Weekly Press Cup Second Round

DALRY THISTLE 2

ANNBANK UNITED 3

ANNBANK, with four changes to the side who drew the league game four days earlier, held out despite a strong comeback from the hosts to reach the quarter-finals.

The opening spell was lively and evenly contested.

Annbank took the lead in 13 minutes. A pass through the middle split the Dalry defence and Holland scored from 15 yards.

In 17 minutes a powerful shot from Stuart some 25 yards out was touched by the visiting goalie onto the crossbar. From the corner a header from Chris McGowan snr went over the top.

Annbank stretched their lead in 20 minutes when a corner wasn't cleared and Sherrie scored from a very tight angle.

Just after the half hour Kieran McLaughlin supplied a pass for Mark Archdeacon which was well saved, but the referee had blown for offside.

Before the break Stuart pounced on a poor clearance and sent in a low cross. Archdeacon saw his shot saved and no-one could take advantage of the loose ball.

A totally different Dalry started the second half.

They were on the attack right from the start. A shot on the run from Marc Hood went just wide.

On the hour home boss Gavin Friels made changes, with Craig Marshall and Marc Hood replaced by Kyle Cummings and Greg Morrison, and Ian Reid moving forward into midfield.

However the changes had hardly been made before Annbank scored again. It was White who found a couple of yards of space and he drilled a shot low into the corner.

There were 69 minutes gone when Dalry pulled a goal back. Greg Morrison was the provider for Reid to score with a shot from the edge of the box.

The comeback looked like a real possibility when Dalry scored again in 70 minutes. In a crowded box Archdeacon bundled the ball home.

An overhead kick from McGowan snr was saved. A Reid went over, and then a Morrison shot took a deflection for a corner.

On full-time an Archdeacon free-kick was too near the keeper, who saved.

DALRY THISTLE: Burns; Hunter, McGowan Junior, Reid, McGowan Senior, Marshall, McLaughlin, Lavery, Archdeacon, Hood, Stuart. Subs: Cummings, Morrison, Watson