Vics are shoot-out kings at Bo’ness

Bo’ness .. 2, Blantyre 2

Blantyre Vics clinched a place in the Scottish Junior Cup fourth round in a day of replay drama away to Bo’ness United on Saturday.

Scott Law saved a penalty to keep the score blank at half-time, and within two minutes of the restart Martin Mclaughlin fired Vics in front.

Bo’ness landed a quick-fire header double to move 2-1 in front, but Kieran Coleman equalised with a header from a Craig Kerr corner.

Then the referee sparked off a bout of touchline drama after blowing the whistle on 90 minutes, then signalling the players to get back out for 30 minutes of extra-time, rather than moving straight to penalties.

After 15 minutes the referee supervisor advised Chris Graham to move the game to penalties.

Gary Griffin missed Vics’ first spot-kick, but while Scott Law saved two Bo’ness kicks, Jade White, Coleman, Dale Jones and Kerr slotted in their efforts to give Blantyre a 4-3 win.

Manager John Gibson said:“it was a day of drama with a very good performance from the Vics squad, who created several good chances.

“I said to the referee at the end of the 90 minutes that it should go straight to penalties, but he insisted on setting up a period of extra-time.

“In the end it was a good result and now we look forward to facing another difficult tie away to Dundee North End or Linlithgow Rose on January 21.”

Meanwhile, Vics go into this weekend’s Super First Division match away to Kilsyth Rangers without Jordan White, Coleman, Kerr and Gary Campbell, who are all on holiday.

Several junior clubs, includingthorniewood United, held a minute’s silence ahead of the weekend games in honour of the Colombian air disaster that claimed the lives of most of the Chapecoense team.