No.1 FOR JUNIORS
AWOEFUL secondhalf display saw Beith throw away their hopes of a second Scottish Junior Cup triumph in three seasons.
Former Arbroath striker Connor Birse profited from some horrific defensive lapses to net a well-taken hat-trick as rank outsiders Lochee United recovered from going 1-0 down to run out 4-1 winners at Bellsdale Park.
Disappointed boss Johnny Millar certainly didn’t attempt to gloss over his side’s shortcomings when giving his postmatch summations.
He said: “It’s difficult to fathom or find words to explain why we can play so badly in a Scottish Cup quarter-final tie at home but quite simply the best team won on the day.
“Our big-game players just never turned up, but we’ve had a very frank discussion after the final whistle and they are hurting to have let themselves as well as a lot of other people connected with the club down.
“Coming across as a good loser is not a feeling that sits well with me but I will say Lochee were worthy winners and wish them the very best of luck in the semi-finals.”
Beith were in the ascendancy from the off and came close to an early breakthrough when Ross McPherson’s faint touch took the ball past giant Lochee goalkeeper Mark Fotheringham but also past the upright.
But a goal – and a fortuitous one at that – was only delayed until seven minutes when a Darren Christie flick caught the hand of visiting defender Greg Kirk to earn a soft penalty that Connor McGuinness fired home.
Just five minutes later skipper John Sheridan got into an untidy fankle with defensive partner Mark McLaughlin which led to the ball being shuttled to the unmarked Birse whose low shot into the far corner beat Beith keeper Stephen Grindley.
Back came Beith with Paul Frize, Joe Bradley and Ross McPherson all going close, but half time was reached with the teams locked at 1-1.
A bitingly cold wind at their backs and shooting downhill had Lochee showing more of an attacking threat when the action resumed and they got their noses in front after 53 minutes when Birse set up Grant Lawson to rifle a low shot beyond Grindley.
BEITH’S response was a Darren Christie shot saved by Fotherinham but their pressing for the equaliser proved their undoing as Lochee strikers Birse and Scott McComiskie broke and Birse swept home his team-mate’s sublime pass across the goalmouth for 3-1.
And the hitman scored his third and Lochee’s fourth goal with 10 minutes left to play with a wonderful dinked finish over Grindley after being put clean through on goal.
Beith’s agony did not end there because McGuiness’s second spot kick of the afternoon lacked both the placing and ferocity of his first allowing Fotheringham to dive right and parry the ball to safety.
Beith striker Ross McPherson admitted: “The defeat is harder to take because we were confident of getting through at home but if you cannot expect to win big Cup games if you don’t turn up on the day.
“Not a lot went right for us and changing to three at the back to try and get back into the game saw Lochee break with great effect and punish us.
“It’s a sore one but we have to get over it quickly and get ourselves up for a title challenge.”
Elsewhere, early goals from Willie Lyle and Graham Wilson put Auchinleck Talbot in control away to Carnoustrie Panmure as the Ayrshiremen secured a 2-0 victory and a place in the semis.
However, Ayrshire neighbours Hurlford United had to settle for a 2-2 draw away to Bo’ness.
A dream start for Darren Henderson’s side came through a Glen Mitchell goal at Newtown Park but it all went sour shortly after when brother Danny Mitchell saw red for a challenge on Ryan Stevenson.
A battling rearguard enabled Hurlford to hold firm until 15 minutes from time when Scott Gibb levelled for the East Region side but Mitchell’s second goal of the afternoon looked to have clinched a memorable victory only for Bo’ness to earn a replay with a Calum Scott free-kick.
Yet another last-eight tie set to go ahead next weekend is the meeting of Wishaw and Rob Roy after the Lanarkshire outfit secured their last place with a a 3-1 triumph over fifth-round opponents Yoker Athletic in an eventful Holm Park clash.
Wishy went 1-0 up through a penalty kick converted by their veteran goalkeeper Sandy Thomson and their lead was doubled by James Coffey before the Whe Ho were thrown a lifeline with a spot kick of their own.
Thomson pulled off a marvellous stop to deny Ryan Hynes and the home side were left to rue that as Ryan Smillie added a third before Greg Maitland netted late to put a better complexion on the scoreline for Yoker.