Jamie’s Sned and shoulders above the rest
BELLSHILL Athletic boss Robert Sneddon reckons Jamie Stewart is living proof there are diamonds to be found in the Central Second Division.
The striker’s brace – along with a Lee Nicol strike – secured a 3-0 Scottish Junior Cup triumph over Ashfield to clinch a fourth-round tie at home to East Region big guns Sauchie.
“I’m really pleased for Jamie whose work rate on Saturday was nothing short of phenomenal and his goals were a fitting reward for the shift he put in for the team.
“He wasn’t alone and I’m sure Jamie would be first to admit a lot of weight is taken off his shoulders by Paul Brennan playing alongside him.
“Our preparations had been severely hampered by weather conditions over the past month and my biggest fear coming into the game was our lack of match practice.
“But the desire and attitude was apparent right from the first whistle and we fully deserved victory.
“A home game against Sauchie is obviously an even stiffer test but it’s also an opportunity to have a go at taking a big scalp.”
The fate suffered by Second Division counterparts Johnstone Burgh who were turfed out of the Cup for being unable to field a team to play their four-time postponed third-round clash with Lochee United evoked sympathy from Sneddon.
He said: “We were able to get Kieran Chalmers and Ritchie Kane back from injury against Ashfield which is just as well because we only had a total of 12 players available for the game.
“And our situation would have been a lot worse if the tie had been postponed again or a replay required as a number of the guys are away on short holiday breaks next week.
“As it is we need to hit the ground running once everyone’s back next midweek because our first game in the New Year is away to the league leaders St Anthony’s and we simply cannot afford to slip further behind.”
Another notable weekend Cup victory was notched up by Forth Wanderers for whom Warren Greenfell and Barry McGeechan were on target in the 2-1 defeat of Lochore Welfare in a third round replay which has Jamie McKenzie’s men facing the prospect of a short hop to meet Wishaw in the fourth round – assuming their neighbours come out on top in their replay tussle with Dundee Downfield.
A second bite at the cherry was earned the hard way as John Brogan’s side mounted a comeback from two down to level matters with Dean Kindlan and Joe McAfferty scores to set up a showdown at The Beltane – one of three replays scheduled for this weekend along with East Kilbride Thistle v Thorniewood United and Cumbernauld Utd v Newtongrange Star.