The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Fraserburgh Civil Service
4 0 Dave Edwards
A superb Scott Barbour hat-trick and a Willie West goal booked Fraserburgh’s place in today’s Scottish Cup second round draw.
Civil Service Strollers survived incessant Broch first-half pressure but two goals in a three-minute spell just after the break broke the Edinburgh side’s stout resistance.
Man-of-the-match Barbour was delighted to score his first goals of the season. He said: “I’ve missed our last four games but it is good to be back. I was working out in the gym when I was away offshore but there’s no substitute to actually training and playing on a Saturday.
“I had only played in three games so far this season and had yet to find the back of the net. It was great to grab a hat- trick, although as long as we got through it didn’t really matter who scored the goals.
“I always thought that once we scored the opener we would go and get a few more, and that’s the way it worked out. I’m not really fussed about who we get in the second round draw, although it would be good if we were at home again.”
Strollers’ midfielder Chris Inglis, whohad a goal disallowed for offsidewhen Broch were 2-0ahead, said: “We did all right in spells although we did ride our luck a bit. They scored about 10 minutes into the second half when perhaps we should have cleared the ball. After that it went downhill and they went on to score three more.”
The home side flew out of the blocks, forcing five corners in the first seven minutes and from the last one Grant Noble’s netbound back-post header was headed off the line.
“We did all right in spells but we did ride our luck a bit”
The Broch were dealt a blow on the quarter hour mark when youngster Courtney Cooper was carried off, although the injury was not as bad as first thought and was later diagnosed as a jarring of the knee.
Midway through the half home right back Derek Paterson was close to breaking the deadlock, but his downward header landed a foot wide of the post.
In the 32nd minute Noble thought he had opened the scoring but although his deft flick beat goalkeeper Willie Stewart the ball rebounded back off the base of the upright.
However, eight minutes into the second half the Broch pressure paid off. Substitute Marc Dickson’s effort was brilliantly blocked by Stewart, but the rebound fell to Barbour who scored from eight yards.
Three minutes later the home side doubled its advantage. Strollers’ centre half Shaun Ford was caught in possession by Barbour who had the simplestof tasks to stab the ball into the net.
The Edinburgh side did have the ball in the Fraserburgh net in the 64th minute but the far-side assistant had his flag up and Inglis’s effort was chalked off.
Nine minutes from time Fraserburgh emphasised their superiority when Paterson carved open the Strollers’ defence. His cutback picked out West and he dispatched the ball past Stewart with the minimum of fuss.
Five minutes later Barbour completed a memorable hat-trick when he ghosted in behind the Strollers’ defence to clip the ball past the helpless Stewart.