Play-off final advantage after late penalty spot drama
decision after referee Gavin Duncan initially chose not to punish Kilby’s Fabio Capuano for handball in the box, but he changed his mind after consulting with his linesman.
McGinley added: “I didn’t think it was a penalty.
“It looked like Fabio was trying to stoop down to head it and the boy came right through the back of him. I thought it should have been a foul to us but the ref has given the penalty. “Thankfully I’ve been able to keep it out.” In an even first half Fraser Mullen stung the hands of McGinley and when Liam Henderson pounced on Craig Howie’s error in seven minutes he fired straight at the keeper.
Kilby then spurned good opportunities when Craig McLeish’s strike whistled past the post in 14 minutes and Sean Winter was denied by an outstanding one-handed save from Beath keeper Jamie Sneddon.
EK were screaming for a penalty in 64 minutes when Jamie Pyper appeared to bring Strachan down in the box, but Duncan infuriated the home support by booking him for diving.
The hosts had the better of the second period and Joao Victoria, who ran Beath ragged, was denied twice in two minutes as Sneddon saved superbly from his low strike in 73 minutes and seconds later his powerful header cannoned back off the crossbar.
With three minutes to go Cowden won a penalty after much deliberation. Miller stepped up and McGinley dived to his right to keep it out.
And a devastated Miller revealed he changed his mind in the run up.
He said: “Our record with penalties is rotten.
“We have been speaking about it in training and I have had my hand up for the last three or four. I eventually got my turn after practicing them in training but I changed my mind about this one.
“I did that in the run-up and even though I hit it well the goalkeeper has made a good save. If I had hit it better he would not have saved it. You should not be missing penalties.
“I had the chance to win it but it is not the end of the world. We should beat them back at our place.”
Kick-off is 2pm at Central Park on Saturday.