Bathgate’s good run now over in county cup defeat

Apr 23 2009 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

RECENT results seemed to suggest Bathgate were back in business.

A thumping win over title hopefuls Linlithgow Rose was followed by a midweek draw against county neighbours Whitburn but this weekend their frailties and shortcomings were back as they slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Hill of Beith.

Bathgate’s main problem this season has been converting their dominance of a game into goals and once again this proved to be their undoing.

Paul Jack’s men dictated the tempo of the game away to Hill of Beath and hogged the ball for long spells but they couldn’t find the net and that’s why they are out of the Fife and Lothian’s Cup.

They had plenty of chances to score in the match but failed to convert any and on the hour mark Steven Bathgate pounced on a bad mistake in the Jags defence to drive the ball into the net for the only goal of the game.

Bathgate: Carlin, Fallon, Neill, Menmuir, Gupwell, F Love, J Harvey, McColligan, P Harvey, McPhee, McLaren. Subs: Lister, Wilson, McGrillen, Longmuir.

The debut weekend of junior football’s newest cup competition, the MJM Cup, threw up a host of entertaining clashes.

Pick of the bunch was at Hermand Park where West Calder edged out Pumpherston by the odd goal in five.

Pumphy took the lead with a Lee Meekison effort but West Calder fought back and scored three times without reply.

Stuart McLeod, Davy Reid and new signing Brett Agnew all found the net to seemingly fire West Calder into an unassailable lead.

But the visitors weren’t finished and Lee Docherty’s goal set up a grandstand finish but it was too little too late for the visitors.

West Calder: Watson, Mitchell, Stevenson, Wolfe, Seaton, Paton, Meikle, McLeod, Reid, Agnew, Johnstone. Subs: Gerrard, Paris, Quinn, Bann.

Pumpherston: Ross, C Omara, Peters, Lemar, Leckie, Heeps, Meekison, Morris, McSkimming, Docherty, Tinning. Subs: Wales, Cameron, Dunlop, Hargreaves, Tillbrook.

The newly formed cup threw up another inter-county derby where Stoneyburn edged out Fauldhouse 2-1.

The two sides are fierce local rivals with just three miles separating the two but with Fauldhouse in the Premier League and Stoneyburn in the South Division the visitors were favourites.

But the magic of the cup is it’s tendency for shocks and the form book counted for nothing here as Stoneyburn dumped the Hoose out on their ear.

Both sides had injury worries but it was the home side who took the game to near cousins from the start.

They took the lead when Barry Pritchard fired the ball past the keeper on the half hour mark.

Fauldhouse had to wait to the second half before they could manage an equaliser when Ally Graham levelled from the penalty spot.

However Stoneyburn fought back again and with 15 minutes to go Michael Sweeney scored a dramatic winner when he headed home to send his side into the next round..

Stoneyburn: McIntosh, K Byle, Gallagher, Halliday, Fleming, L Byle, Conway, Sweeney, Bones, Pritchard, Baird. Subs: Brookfield, Wardlaw, Liddle, Tarditti, Marshall.

Fauldhouse: McLaren, Gallagher, Caputta, McDonald, Cooper, Carmichael, Robertson, Cunningham, Martin, Felvus, Bryce. Subs: Graham, Connolly, Stewart, Meekin, Hutchison.

Elsewhere, in the MJM Cup, Armadale travelled to Super League side Camelon and gave their hosts a tougher than anticipate battle.

The Dale lost 2-1 and the game was every bit as tight as the scoreline suggests.

And the West Lothian side may well be thinking what might have been had they kept a full of compliment of players on the field for the full match.

Ewan Donaldson was sent off against his former club and with a man less in their ranks the Dale couldn’t haul the Ayrshire side back.

Robbie Feeney was again on the score sheet for Armadale.

Broxburn were also up against Super League opponents in Bo’ness.

This time though the result wasn’t as close as the game being played in Camelon as the county club lost 3-1.

Craig Chilton was Broxburn’s scorer.

Harthill travelled to Penicuik and were well second best as they crashed to a 4-1 defeat with their goal coming from James Easton.

Blackburn and Dalkeith served up an exciting scoreless draw in the South Division but there was plenty of action to keep the crowd happy.

Livingston were at Edinburgh and gave a very good account of themselves.

They were a goal down midway through the first half but were awarded a penalty just before the break. Richie Kay missed the spot kick but David Brannon did manage an equaliser in the second half of the match.

Steven Cornwall was sent off before the full time whistle but it didn’t prevent Livi earning a highly creditable 1-1 draw in the capital.