Scottish Junior Cup Second Round

DALRY THISTLE 1

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 5 (played at Kilwinning Rangers FC, Abbey Park)

By Frank Cassidy

THERE was never any danger of Glens taking this game lightly in their first defence of the trophy.

They were 2-0 up in no time at all, having made their intentions clear with a McCann chance in the third minute which he put over the bar.

He made no mistake within 60 seconds when he gathered an Alan Cairns throw-in and sent a low shot past ex-Glens keeper Blair Lochhead.

Veteran striker Ian Cashmore then had an opportunity for a quick equaliser but his shot was weak and easily saved by Brian McGarrity.

His miss was to prove costly as it was 2-0 in seven minutes, Ryan Borris finding Dale Moore with a superb pass with the winger's shot going in off the post.

Craig Menzies then tried to find Ally Park with a deft clip over the defence but Shaun Lavery intercepted well.

Blair Lochhead was alert to grab a pick a ball out of the air, that was heading for a waiting McCann.

Jordan Stuart then tried to chip McGarrity but his shot was wide before Ryan Borris hit the post after the Thistle defence was carved open.

Glens were playing some of their trademark passing football and it almost reaped rewards but for a block by Kyle Lochhead, who had read a move between Cairns and Moore.

Although his namesake in goal had foiled McCann earlier, his fumble led to number three for Glens when Ryan McChesney pounced on the loose ball.

Dalry rallied after this and Stuart embarked on a solo run but found himself outnumbered and a Dylan Stevenson shot was deflected for a corner.

Fans were debating whether Glens had taken their foot off the gas or Dalry were on a damage-limitation mission.

The answer came minutes into the second half when Stevenson reduced the leeway when he timed his run perfectly.

Glens defence seemed to switch off and Stevenson advanced on goal, beating the advancing McGarrity.

While Stevenson had showed the composure to stay onside, Kyle Cumming was caught in no-man's land after a Chris McGowan pass.

Stevenson was proving a handful and he was through on goal again, albeit McGarrity was alert to the danger.

With the 3-1 margin the next goal was going to be crucial and it came from that man McCann.

It came from a good old fashioned corner, the striker nodding home Jamie McKernon's pinpoint cross.

Another tradition of a junior cup time is the occasional rammy, provided in this case by Borris and Kyle Lochhead who were both yellow-carded.

A flurry of substitutions interrupted the flow of the game and goalmouth action was limited.

There was still time for McCann to get his hat-trick, though, and he duly obliged with a typical opportunistic strike when Dalry's defence were starting to tire.

DALRY THISTLE: Blair Lochhead; Monan, Kyle Lochhead, Kirkwood, McGowan, Stuart, Cumming (Archdeacon 67), Anderson (Marshall 60), Cashmore, Stevenson, Lavery

Subs not used: Lawrie, Byrne, Fleeting.

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC: McGarrity; McAusland, Cairns, Menzies, McChesney, McKernon, Borris (Lynass 71), Park, McCann, Andrew (Dallas 66), Moore

Subs not used: Gray, McKnight, Watson.