ASHFIELD F & A C 1 LOCHEE UNITED 4 Saracen Park, Glasgow - Saturday 1st December 2007



Ashfield welcomed Ray McKinnon`s high flying Lochee United to Saracen Park this afternoon for this Scottish Cup Third Round Tie. This is the third meeting of the Clubs - the last being the 1994-95 Competition- 5th Round Tie when Lochee left Saracen with a 2-1 victory. Both teams have been in good form and the game started at a frenetic pace, with the conditions and an over fussy Referee not assisting the flow of the game. Lochee were very dangerous at set pieces and came close twice in the opening stages with looping headers which narrowly missed the Ashfield goal. Kevin Miller was having an excellent game in the Ashfield midfield until he picked up an injury, and Ashfield`s menacing front two of Chalmers and O`Donnell were causing the well marshalled Lochee defence some problems with their pace. However in the 22nd Minute Lochee took the lead amid some controversy. Ashfield claimed a hand ball in Midfield and were guilty of waiting for the Referee`s erratic decisions, and on this occasion play was waved on. Lochee`s No 11 gathered the ball on the left wing and charged at the Ashfield defence before despatching an angled drive into McGovern`s Left hand corner to the delight of the big travelling support and to the dismay of the Ashfield Team with our Captain, Ian Murphy being booked for discussing the decision with Referee Mr Craig.


Ashfield responded well to the goal and put pressure on the Lochee goal without testing the Keeper.

HALF TIME:- ASHFIELD 0 LOCHEE UNITED 1


Ashfield were a different team in the second half and controlled the game for long spells. Straight from the kick off, the `field had decided to have a real go at high flying Lochee. A lovely move in the 55th Minute almost brought the equaliser when O`Donnell and Chalmers played in Kevin Miller who`s left foot shot was brilliantly stopped by the legs of the Lochee Keeper.


Mark Thomson, Ian Murphy and Jamie Reilly in the Ashfield defence were at this stage stopping the menacing wing play of Lochee and gradually Ashfield looked like they were going cause Lochee some serious problems,. However in the 63rd Minute, disaster struck - a long through ball was headed on by a Lochee forward which fell to McGovern on the Ashfield goal, however the ball took a deflection off the Lochee No 11 and headed towards the Ashfield goal. It looked like Martin Gault had cleared the ball off the line, however the Linesman stated it had crossed the line and Lochee were 2-0 up.


Ashfield tried hard to lift their game but Lochee were in control now until a cross from the right was adjudged to have hit the Lochee Centre half on the hand and the Referee immediately pointed to the spot. A soft decision but this was the break that Ashfield had been waiting for. Darren O`Donnell, Ashfield `s top scorer last season, despatched the penalty with style with the Lochee keeper going the wrong way - Ashfield 1 Lochee Utd 2 - Game on !!


This was a real cup tie now and the game was end to end now. With 11 minutes to go, Lochee were awarded a Free kick on the edge of the Ashfield Box. Lochee`s No 11, who had been excellent on the left, placed a curling shot into the top corner of the net to effectively end Ashfield`s dream for another year. The Lochee support were ecstatic now and a few minutes later were celebrating again after a wonderful individual goal starting from the right and ending eventually with a low shot being placed under the onrushing Steven McGovern to put Lochee 4-1 up. Ashfield`s frustration boiled over in the closing minutes and Martin Gault was given a 2nd booking for dissent aimed at an extremely disappointing Referee, who had been equallty poor to both teams.

The score line was a bit harsh on Ashfield, however it highlighted at this level, chances must be taken. Ashfield head to St Anthony`s next Saturday and will now concentrate on achieving a second promotion in two seasons and playing against this standard of opposition will have done them no harm at all.

FULL TIME :- ASHFIELD 1 LOCHEE UNITED 4





Man of the Match:- There were no major standouts, however Alan Smith playing in only his 2nd season in Junior Football in the Ashfield defence edges it ahead of Mark Thomson & Kevin Miller.

Attendance :- Approx. 150

Photographs by:- Inga