SCOREBOARD OUT IN A
Late goal ends Jags’ dreams of cup glory
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Callum Carson Bathgate Thistle’s hopes of lifting the Scottish Junior Cup for a second time in the club’s history ended after just one game.
The Jags slumped to defeat thanks to a late Grant Bolton header minutes after Robbie Feeney had netted a flukey leveller for the hosts in a contest that won’t live long in the memory.
The Ayrshire visitors brought a vocal, if small, support to Creamery Park while Kevin McKee’s men went into the second round clash full of confidence on the back of two straight victories following a challenging start to the season.
Bathgate, who won the Scottish Cup in 2008, started the brighter of the two sides with Aiden McKee’s free- kick from 25 yards being comfortably saved by the Burntonians keeper.
At the other end, Paul McCambley created Craigmark’s best effort of a disappointing first half when he jinked past a couple of defenders only to fire straight at Shaun Donoghue.
Chances were few and far between during the first 45 minutes but the Jags did enjoy a period of pressure just before the interval as Lewis Milton’s strike was deflected over the bar, while Sid Easton got on the end of an enticing Gordon Harris cross but couldn’t find the net.
It took just two minutes of the second half for the deadlock to be broken. Burntonians were gifted the lead when Donoghue failed to collect a cross after coming off his line with McCambley nodding home at the back post despite the best efforts of captain Harris.
In truth, it was just what the game needed and Thistle squandered a terrific chance to get back on level terms almost instantly when a quick free-kick made its way to David Taylor, but the centre-back blasted over