Scottish Junior Cup Quarter Final

BEITH 1

LOCHEE UNITED 4

By Stewart McConnell

UNINSPIRING Beith were bundled out of the Scottish Junior Cup after becoming the second successive Ayrshire victims of the Dundee team.

Hat-trick hero Connor Birse did the damage as Lochee ran the hosts ragged with three second half goals - exactly a month after sending Irvine Meadow packing.

While the hosts were very poor defensively, they simply couldn't cope with the blistering pave of the visitors' frontline.

As it to underline that point, a cross into the box from Scott McComiskie in the opening minute was confidently clutched by Stephen Grindlay in the home goal. Then a minute later the Beith rearguard easily dealt with a cross into the box from Scott Webster.

Beith were awarded a penalty kick in six minutes when a cross into the box by Ryan Docherty was handled inside the box by a defender and Connor McGlinchey netted from the spot. Then at the other end two minutes later a shot from inside the box by Reece Mitchell was booted off the line by a home defender.

The home side had a great chance in 10 minutes when Paul Frize went on a darting 30-yard run before shooting just over the bar from 10 yards.

However Lochee levelled with a fine strike in 14 minutes as the unmarked Connor Birse shot home from 12 yards.

United came close again two minutes later when Webster shot narrowly wide from 16 yards.

At the other end a minute later a header from Ross McPherson was finger-tipped over the bar by Mark Fotheringham. Then in 20 minutes the visiting goalie came out to save at the same player's feet.

In 28 minutes a McComiskie free-kick was blocked by the Beith wall and a minute later, another set-piece from Steven McNally was saved well by Stephen Grindlay.

Beith came close in 36 minutes when Keir Milliken shot across the face of goal and McPherson shot wide from six yards.

A shot from the edge of the box by Frize was well handled by Fotheringham three minutes later.

The home side spurned a good opening in 50 minutes when Ryan Docherty shot just over the bar from 20 yards.

Lochee blasted into the lead in 53 minutes when Greg Lawson went on a surging run and beat two opponents before shooting low into the bottom corner from 12 yards.

McPherson saw his 16-yard shot easily saved in 57 minutes.

]Four minutes later it looked like game over when McComiskie played a defence-splitting pass to Birse, who rolled the ball home from eight yards.

Beith had an opening in 73 minutes when a Docherty shot from 16 yards was saved by the goalie.

However in 76 minutes it was 4-1 when Birse latched on Tina precision pass and shot home from 10 yards.

To rub further salt in Beith's wounds they were awarded a penalty 10 minutes from time and McGlinchey's effort was brilliantly saved by Fotheringham.

It was a miserable afternoon for Beith who must now focus on a League challenge - they can play much better than this. But as for Lochee, write them off at your peril.

BEITH: Grindlay; McGlinchey, Docherty, McLaughlin, Sheridan, Martin, Christie, Frize, McPherson, Milliken, Bradley. Subs: McLean, Burke, Collins, Wilson, MacDonald.

LOCHEE UNITED: Fotheringham; Kirk, Miller, Smith, McNally, Webster, Cameron, Ritchie, Lawson, McComiskie, Birse. Subs: Davie, Deasley, McIlravie, Reid, Stewart.