The Dale to face Kilsyth in Junior Cup replay

Dec 1 2011 by Kieran Westbrook, West Lothian Courier

The Dale to face Kilsyth in Junior Cup replay

A STUART McLEOD strike earned Armadale another chance to reach the Scottish Junior Cup fourth round after they held Kilsyth to a battling draw in North Lanarkshire.

The Dale went into the cup clash as huge underdogs but shocked their opponents when McLeod got on the scoresheet.

In a howling gale, the Armadale man made the conditions work in his favour by getting onto the end of a wind-assisted punt to head the ball past helpless Kilsyth Rangers goalkeeper Michael Duke.

Strong winds, driving rain, and a heavy pitch made for a difficult afternoon for both sides, who were forced to brave the elements despite a number of Junior matches around the country being called off.

However, the decision to play looked to have paid dividends when McLeod scored but a major setback was to hit Dale, with the weather being the main culprit.

Goalscorer McLeod twisted his knee on the soggy surface and crashed to the wet turf before being carried off.

Kilsyth finished the first half on the front foot but brave defending kept the visitors deservedly in front.

Paddy Donnelly then missed a great chance to double Thistle’s lead early in the second half before the weather took another turn for the worse.

Both sides battled hard to overcome the horrendous conditions, which made the keepers’ jobs especially difficult, but then the light began to fail.

And Kilsyth sub Phil Dolan darkened the mood for Dale when he finished a fine run from the right by driving the ball past Stuart Walker with the aid of a slight deflection.

Things got even gloomier for Armadale in the closing minutes when Gary Brown came off injured with all substitutes having been used.

Dogged Dale clung on for the draw but the credible result, came at a cost, with the away dressing room looking like an emergency ward after the full-time whistle.

McLeod, Brown and Craig Chilton all required treatment after the game for injuries which could sideline them for the replay at Volunteer Park.

lBroxburn’s Scottish Junior Cup clash with Girvan was called off only an hour before kick-off.

After much deliberation, ref Scott Lambie and assistants Neil Watt and Kirsty Morgan postponed the match due to the gale force winds battering Albyn Park.

Both sides will try to play the game this weekend, weather permitting.