Broch beaten as lethal Linn hits a Cup double
FRASERBURGH 0 ARBROATH 2
A Bobby Linn double saw Arbroath knock Highland League champions Fraserburgh out of the Cup at a windswept Bellslea Park.
The Broch put some early pressure on the Championship side and should have taken the lead in the seventh minute. Scott Barbour’s shot came back off the post and, when Lewis Davidson turned the follow-up goalwards, it took a desperate goal-line clearance to deny him.
Barbour then drew a fantastic save out of Derek Gatson with a shot arrowed towards the top corner but was tipped round the post.
Dick Campbell’s side took the lead in the 16th minute when Scott Allan fed the ball through to Linn and he drilled a left footed shot into the bottom right corner from 12 yards out.
Arbroath’s progress was secured in the final minute with another Linn goal. He collected Scott Bitsindou’s pass and slotted it into the bottom corner once more.
Linn could have claimed a treble in injury time, but spurned the opportunity, shooting wide.
WICK ACADEMY 0 FALKIRK 5
League 1 Falkirk cruised past Wick Academy with four goals in the last halfhour completing a 5-0 win.
The last time they met on this ground was a pre-season friendly in 1995, with Mo Johnston scoring for Jim Jeffries team in a 3-0 win that was to be eclipsed by the team of 2022.
A Kai Kennedy corner led to the visitors’ breakthrough. Brad Mckay’s header was brilliantly saved, but Ramarn Burrell was on hand to bundle the ball home from point-blank range five minutes before half-time.
The second goal was crucial and controversial as Craig Mcguffie’s effort only just crossed the line despite a desperate attempt to clear.
Three minutes later, sub Gary Oliver rose to head home Kennedy’s free-kick to kill the game as a contest.
Oliver added a second from the penalty spot in the 70th minute, then former Caley Thistle defender Coll Donaldson headed home from another pinpoint Kennedy set-piece delivery.
COVE RANGERS 7 DUNIPACE 0
A gleeful Jim Mcintyre proved he was no dunce after watching his side, Cove Rangers, score seven against seventh-tier Dunipace.
“These types of games could cause you a few problems, but we did our homework on them,” he said.
It took just 17 minutes for Cove to take the lead in peculiar fashion.
Luis Longstaff cut the ball back in the box to Blair Yule, whose weak effort was saved. However, the Pace’s goalkeeper fumbled a shot and Gerry Mcdonagh was there to bundle the ball over the line.
The second goal for the hosts came on the 38th minute through Mcdonagh again. A Longstaff cross found Fyvie, whose shot hit the post. It came back out to Megginson who had his effort saved, but only as far as Mcdonagh who was at the right place at the right time again to tap it over the line.
One minute after half-time, Mcdonagh completed his hat-trick, volleying home a Longstaff free-kick.
He soon added a fourth, heading home from another Longstaff delivery. After a pause in the scoring, Cove added three more goals in a four-minute spell.
Substitute Leighton Mcintosh chipped in a fifth counter for the home side when put through on goal, and Fraser Fyvie ended a goalmouth stramash with a simple finish.
In the 87th minute, Jamie Masson made it 7-0, leaping the highest from a Ciaran Dunne cross to head in from close range.
FORMARTINE UTD 1 STENHOUSEMUIR 3
Stenhousemuir defeated Highland League side Formartine 3-1 in a game that opened up in the second half.
Formartine started the game on the front foot and were unlucky not to take the lead when the ball fell to Jack Mciver at the edge of the area, but the former Don fired over.
Matthew Yates and Julian Wade both went close as the two teams probed for an opener. A long throw by Mike Anderson was headed just over the top by Dan Higgins, who had earlier cleared a goalbound effort off his own line.
The all-important breakthrough arrived four minutes into the second half when a Yates corner was deflected into the goal by Aaron Norris.
Supersub Adam Brown headed home the nerve-settling second when he rose to nod Anderson’s cross past Ewen Macdonald.
Wade pulled one back in time-added with a close-range finish to raise hopes of a dramatic finale.
Within a minute, the ever-dangerous Yates restored the two-goal cushion, Hamish Orr laying it on a plate for the young striker to sidefoot home