Scottish Cup holders draw with 'Ford

HURLFORD UNITED 2

BEITH JUNIORS 2

BEITH unbelievably continue on a run where they are playing well and dominating games but still not winning them.

They did more than enough over this 90 minutes at Blair Park but will be hugely disappointed to have left with only one point to show for their efforts.

The visitors started well with David McGowan and Darren Christie having early shots at goal, followed by goalkeeper Ally Brown making a good save to turn a Nicky Docherty header over the bar. Beith kept the pressure on and took the lead after five minutes when Ross McPherson forced the ball over the line in a packed goalmouth after a Christie shot had been blocked.

Apart from a solitary Paul McKenzie shot across goal that went wide Hurlford were offering little as they continued to be pinned back in their own half. Beith won corner after corner but the closest they came to converting one was a Mark McLaughlin header which Brown saved.

There was a huge incident on the half hour when a Beith free-kick into the box was clearly stopped by a Hurlford player's raised arm but amazingly the officials were the only people in the ground who didn't see this.

All Beith's good work was then completely undone in a spell before the interval.

The hosts equalised completely against the run of play when a free-kick was delivered into the box by Paul McKenzie and Stewart Kean picked his spot with a virtually free header. Beith couldn't have gone closer to regaining the lead a few minutes later when a Richie Burke shot came back off the post with the keeper beaten. The only luck Beith are having right now is the bad variety and they suffered again when a 'Ford clearance was pumped forward and hung in the air deceiving John Sheridan allowing Stuart McColm to advance on goal where he eventually slid the ball home after his first attempt was blocked by keeper Stephen Grindlay.

Beith showed their determination right from the off in the second half and were rewarded with an equaliser from the spot after three minutes when McLaughlin was pushed from behind in the box as he went for a Burke flick-on. Conor McGlinchey made no mistake with the penalty kick.

McGlinchey saw another good strike at goal soon after, touched over by keeper Brown who made some fine stops throughout. McLaughlin's aerial strength was causing Hurlford problems when he got forward and he went close heading a Christie cross inches wide.

Beith continued to look the more likely to score but play became somewhat bogged down in midfield with Jamie Wilson dominant against his old side with the tireless McKenzie at the centre of the home side's efforts.

Grindlay juggled with a Kean shot before grasping it but as the game wore on, the home side seemed fairly content to settle for a point.

Beith were still endeavouring to find a winner but their best opportunity was scorned by substitute Kenny McLean who snatched at his shot and blazed over from a good position and there ended another frustrating afternoon for his side.

HURLFORD UNITED: A Brown; Hodge, M Brown, Fisher, G Mitchell, Molly, McKenzie, D Mitchell, Kean, Agnew. McColm. Subs: Roberts, Brash, Byrne, Robertson, McKillen.

BEITH: Grindlay; McGlinchey; Docherty, McLaughlin, Sheridan, Wilson, McGowan, Frize, McPherson, Christie, Burke. Subs: Watt, McLean, Bradley, MacDonald, McArthur.