Last-gasp penalty spares Arbroath giant blushes
Another Scottish Cup shock looked on the cards at the Beechwood home of junior side Auchinleck Talbot, however Championship Arbroath avoided the exit door thanks to Michael McKenna’s penalty six minutes from time that earned a 1-1 draw.
The Ayrshire hosts had led through a sublime Dwayne Hyslop goal and looked set to add the name of the Red Lichties to Ayr United and Cove Rangers as senior sides they have knocked out in 2019.
Gayfield manager Dick Campbell admitted afterwards he had to have a blast at his players at half-time to get them back into the cup-tie, as he explained: “Credit to Auchinleck as they are experts in these types of games. Their goal was absolutely brilliant, but we did not play in the first half.
“Anyone that was within earshot of our dressing-room at the break would have heard that.”
“We were in top in the second half and I am delighted to still be in the draw, especially as a penalty looked the only way we would score.”
Gordon Pope set the tone for a period of early domination by Talbot when he cracked in a 30-yard free-kick after just 90 seconds that had Derek Gaston scrambling across his line to push past for a corner.
The hosts took the lead on 11 minutes when Hyslop conjured up a fine strike from the right side of the visitors’ box high into the far corner.
Home goalkeeper Andy Leishman showed his class on 29 minutes when Jamie Murphy thundered an effort into the ground, and it looked set to loop into the net until Leishman stretched out an arm and flicked the ball wide.
Arbroath responded to Campbell’s half-time blast with skipper Thomas O’Brien cracking a 40-yard effort goalward that Leishman was glad to see clear his bar.
The visitors were doing plenty of pushing and probing and it looked like they had found an equaliser just after the hour mark when the ball dropped to Luke Donnelly six yards from goal, but he sent a volley high over.
Talbot were dangerous on the break and Graham Wilson had the chance to secure their passage into tonight’s draw 10 minutes from time, however he pulled his shot from eight yards wide.
Wilson’s bad luck continued as he stuck out a boot to help his defence and it connected with Scott Stewart’s head and, after referee David Lowe pointed to the spot, McKenna drilled in from 12 yards to ensure that the sides will meet again on Wednesday.
Auchinleck boss Tommy Sloan said: “We scored a great goal and had a chance to make it 2-0.
“It was a soft penalty, so I have ended up feeling disappointed that we never got over the line.”