William Hill Scottish Cup

First Preliminary Round

THREAVE ROVERS 0

BEITH JUNIORS 3

SUPER Premier Division winners Beith comfortably overcame the challenge of the South of Scotland champions in this preliminary round of the ‘big’ Scottish Cup.

They can now look forward to a home clash with Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale on September 1, but they face a much more difficult task to win a place in the first round proper.

The fine playing surface at Meadow Park in Castle Douglas suited the visitors and they wasted no time in putting their hosts under pressure with Jamieson clearing off his goal line in the second minute. Thomas Collins and Ross McPherson went close with efforts, before Beith went in front in 12 minutes when Thomas Collins was on hand to stab the ball home from close in after keeper Gemmell had parried a Conner McGlinchey shot.

Beith pretty much controlled proceedings thereafter and missed several chances to increase their lead. The hosts battled hard to stay in the match being only one goal behind but they created nothing until half an hour in when Irving got forward and forced Stephen Grindlay to turn his shot behind and from the resulting corner Patterson headed wide.

The visitors continued dominating but still went in for the break with only the slim advantage.

The pattern continued after the restart and Gemmell did his best to keep Beith at bay with some decent stops. The threadbare visitors used their one and only available substitute a the midpoint of the second half with Peter Haggarty replacing Collins and he quickly slipped Ross McPherson clear to score, but the referee disallowed the goal after a consultation with his assistant.

Haggarty continued to show up with Beith camped in the Threave half and he all but ended the contest in 74 minutes when he turned in the box and shot past Gemmell.

Ryan Docherty made the scoreline more realistic late with the goal of the game when he cut in off the right side and crashed a great left foot past the keeper.

THREAVE ROVERS: Gemmell, J Patterson, Forsyth, McKeand, L Patterson, Wiley, Jamieson, Milligan, Middleton, Thom, Irving. Subs: McMurdo, Wilson, Nish, Goldie, Liddell, Henderson

BEITH: Grindlay, R Docherty, Noble, MacDonald, Green, Wilson McGlinchey, Frize, Collins, McPherson, Milliken. Sub: Haggarty.