Scottish Junior Cup 3rd Round – 19th October 2024 @ Ian Mair Park
Match Report From Ross McGowan
The Scottish Junior Cup threw up an intriguing tussle for Lochee United this afternoon with a trip to North Aberdeenshire for a third round showdown with Dyce FC.
Competing at the same tier as us in the pyramid system, today’s opposition currently sit top of the North Region Premier League, undefeated with seven wins from nine games and boasting a miserly defence that has seen them concede only five goals in the league so far.
Lochee were made to work hard for their third round berth with a penalty shoot-out win over Lanark United in the previous round. And whilst the ultimate prize has always eluded us in the past, some memorable Scottish Junior Cup runs have made this competition a special one for Lochee United as our supporters travelled north this afternoon with high hopes of another cup odyssey.
Wearing their red away colours and shooting downhill Lochee took a while to settle into the game with both sides playing out a cagey evenly contested opening 15 minutes.
But Lochee soon began to ask questions of the Dyce defence and started to impose themselves on the game.
First, a trademark Lochee counter-attack sent Callum Moore marauding through the middle before slipping a good ball down the left for George Johnston but when his cutback found Kerr Hay in a dangerous position the Dyce defence managed to block Hay’s shot away to safety.
Then Bobby Linn tried to conjure up a bit of magic turning the fullback down the right wing and feeding the ball into the box where Callum Moore wriggled free before firing a low shot just wide from 12 yards out.
With Lochee now on top of the game George Johnston took two opponents out of the game in one fell swoop turning into space down the left and picked a good through ball for Bobby Linn who forced a good save from the keeper.
By now the old prophecy that you have to take your chances when you are on top might have been starting to worry the Lochee dugout, but ten minutes before the half the Bluebells’ nerves were settled with an opening goal of the highest quality. Kerr Hay made a nuisance of himself to draw a foul at the edge of the Dyce box and if it was going to take something special to unlock this game then Callum Moore certainly provided it, stepping up to crash an unstoppable free-kick into the top corner and put Lochee 1-0 up.
That was how the teams went in at half time with Lochee good value for their lead and perhaps a little disappointed not to have converted their first half superiority into a more comfortable lead. Dyce however would have the triple advantage of the slope, wind and tricky low-lying autumn sun in their favour for the second 45.
Lochee came out for the second half keen to put the tie to bed early on as Bobby Linn hustled and bustled for possession 30 yards out before slipping the ball into the channel for Kerr Hay but with the defender breathing down his neck the shot was rushed and easily saved.
However Dyce served notice that they were not going to go down without a fight when a corner from the right was met in the middle by a towering header that just cleared the crossbar.
With the game now delicately poised it felt like cat and mouse as Lochee pushed for a second goal but Dyce looking to use the quick long ball to hurt Lochee on the counter attack.
Bobby Linn tried to take matters into his own hands latching on to a well directed ball from Callum Moore and taking a terrific touch at full speed to burn the defender round the outside but the shooting angle was always against him and the keeper saved well.
It was now a nervy phase of the game for Lochee with Dyce continuing the aerial bombardment and coming agonisingly close from a couple of corners where the ball just bounced favourably for Lochee.
But the task was made easier 20 minutes from the end when a dangerous stamp in the midfield drew a red card from the referee to reduce Dyce to ten men.
And whilst Dyce continued to battle on admirably Lochee would not be denied their second goal five minutes from the end when Bobby Linn sent substitute Ewan Murray to the byline with a good ball inside the fullback and Murray’s low delivery picked out Kerr Hay in the middle for a sliding finish into the empty net to put Lochee 2-0 up.
The hosts never gave up the fight and right until the end they kept Lochee honest with Jamie McCabe having to make a couple of good low saves to keep things comfortable. But in the end Lochee ran out deserved 2-0 winners.
Dyce made a right good contest of it today, they look to be a team high on confidence, fearful of nobody and it’s easy to see why they sit top of their league. We wish them well for the rest of the campaign.
Lochee will likely file this one under the heading – “Wisna bonny, but job done”. It is not easy to go away from home in the Scottish Junior Cup to an unbeaten side and leave with a 2-0 victory. These results have to be battled for and that was a decisive factor in today’s man of the match award with Paul Lunan winning everything at centre-half today – it was a real grown man’s performance and it set the standard for the whole team.
Our reward for today’s win is a trip to Troon in the fourth round but for now all attention will be on the senior Scottish Cup second round next Saturday when we face a tough away tie against Peterhead.
As always – COME ON THE CHEE!!!
