Kilbirnie go fourth against Burgh

KILBIRNIE LADESIDE 4

JOHNSTONE BURGH 1

LADESIDE made six changes to the starting 11 for this West of Scotland Cup tie, but were still too strong for their Central League Division Two opponents.

Burgh had the first effort on goal after only five minutes when a good run forward by Fitzpatrick saw the ball break off him in the tackle to east and his shot was deflected just wide.

Ladeside's first real attack came after a run by Anderson took him past two defenders before laying the ball into the path of Jon Sweeney on the edge of the box but his effort was saved by Brown. Michael Tuohy then had an effort on goal from a Scullion free-kick but his shot was blocked at the near post by the Burgh keeper.

Midway through the half a break from his own box by Dominic McLaren saw the big defender run the length of the field his cross was only cleared as far as David Anderson 20 yards out, however his effort went well over the bar.

Kilbirnie took the lead in 27 minutes after they were awarded a penalty. A corner from the left was knocked out to Sweeney and he slipped the ball through to Tuohy who was brought down in the box by Burgh goalie Brown. Scullion stepped up to fire the ball low past the diving keeper and into the net.

Scullion then had an effort from just inside the box saved by Brown before he linked up with Anderson to double Ladeside's advantage in 37 minutes. Anderson picked the ball up midway into the Burgh half and when he laid it off to Scullion he played a pass over the defence which found Anderson and he brought the ball down before firing an effort past Brown into the far top corner of the net.

Kilbirnie had one more chance before the break when Halliday crossed from the right but McGill's shot was deflected wide.

At the start of the second half Peter McGill was set up by Anderson but Brown made an acrobatic save with his feet to deny the Ladeside man.

Kilbirnie made the game safe in 57 minutes when a ball wide to the left found Tuohy and his low cross into the centre of the box was turned into his own net by Nugent. Burgh kept trying and a good ball forward found Kennedy on the right but his low cross went right across the goal with no takers.

Tuohy had a great chance in 62 minutes when Sweeney found Robbie Halliday and his cross to the far side found Tuohy from the left but his shot went wide. Fitzpatrick then set up Kennedy on the edge of the box but his effort went just wide.

In 34 minutes, Burgh almost conceded another own goal when a good run by Kurtis Roberts along the bye line saw him cut the ball back across goal and in his effort to clear the danger McIntyre diverted the ball against the post. Some slack defending in 85 minutes let Johnstone back into the game as the ball fell kindly to Blair 12 yards out and he slipped the ball past Wilton into the net to reduce the deficit.

Kilbirnie restored their three-goal cushion two minutes from time when a good run by McGill saw him find Williamson inside the box and he slipped the ball back to Sweeney to fire home from seven yards.

The last action saw McGill find Tuohy and he stepped past his defender before shooting but Brown tipped his effort over the bar. A comfortable win for Kilbirnie who set up a home second round tie against Hurlford United.

KILBIRNIE LADESIDE: Wilton; Halliday, Juskowiak, Sweeney, McLaren, C Hughes, Stokes, Anderson, McGill, Scullion, Tuohy. Subs: Williamson, Roberts, Bembo, MacKinnon, Hughes.

JOHNSTONE BURGH: Brown, N Herron, Nugent, Stobo, McGarrigle, Robson, R Fitzpatrick, McIntyre, J Herron, Kennedy, East. Subs : Blair, Arthur, S Fitzpatrick, McBride, Williams.