Scottish Gas Scottish Cup 2nd Round
Saturday 26th October 2024
Brora Rangers 2 Formartine United 1
Brora Rangers Scorers: MacLeod (50), Williamson (81)
Formartine United Scorer: Julian Wade (15)
This second round tie in the Scottish Gas Scottish Gas Scottish Cup was as hard fought as most anticipated it would be, It was a game played in blustery conditions when all three goals were scored by the team that had the wind at their backs at the time and produced an outcome that slightly flattered the home sign who now face a journey to Livingstone in the third round. United had the better of the first half and might consider themselves a little hard done-by in going behind to an 81st minute goal before being denied what many present considered to be a “ stane dyke” penalty claim a couple of minutes before the final whistle.
With the wind behind them Formartine showed early ambition and made incursions to Brora territory. Mykyta was to the forefront of most of these and before 10 minutes had elapsed he really tested the home keeper. Breaking across a well populated 18 yard line, he had the skills to retain control of the ball and the nous to use defenders as cover to disguise his late shot on the turn that forced the custodian to a full length dive to his left to turn the ball round the upright for an unrewarded corner. Brora were clearly up for this challenge and made some headway against the wind into United territory. However the United defence, despite the absence through suspension of fans’ favourite Jonny Crawford, coped well in circumstances where the fight of the ball was subject to the vagaries of the wind.
In the 15th minute Mykyta , midway between the halfway line and the penalty area, played a superb over the top lob that took out central defenders Nicolson and Dingwall as WADE blasted in from the left behind them to collect the ball racing to the just beyond the corner of the box to hammer it beyond the reach ,of the advancing keeper to put United ahead. United by and large sustained the pressure and the talismanic Wade again threatened from the right with a drive from wide and not far short of the goal line that found the side netting, Another shot along much the same lines by Mykyta challenged keeper Mackay who managed to claw the ball to safety from close to the right hand junction of post and bar.
Brora battled into the wind and although they mustered little that really exercised Macdonald in the United goal, managed to force four corner kicks. The wind was such that it certainly spoiled the aesthetic of the game and passes by both sides were often under or over struck.
The second half saw Brora taking advantage of not just the assistance the wind offered but also of the confidence boost that having it behind them engendered. They went out to restore their fortunes from the outset and levelled early on. In the 50th minute they achieved this with a simple but well executed goal . Sub Macleod played the ball from central midfield forward right to Max Ewen who pushed on down the right flank before returning it to MACLEOD who had moved on to the centre of the 18 yard line and thumped the ball past MacDonad. The initiative was now with Brora but United were matching them and refused to cease their attacking endeavours and for the next half hour the deadlock remained. The wind, which was lightening a little, was of little visible advantage to Brora although the effects of playing into it were inevitably energy sapping for Formartine. In the 81st minute after a brief period of sustained pressure from Brora they won a corner on the right. Mackenzie swung the ball over into the Formartine goalmouth where left back WILLIAMSON barged his way a couple of yards left to right to get his head onto the ball that he headed past Macdonald to establish the lead.
United had the grit and character to battle back and were able to exert pressure back onto Brora and came extremely close to keeping their interest in the Cup alive when in the dying minutes of the game a two pronged attack down the inside right channel by Wade and Dangana saw the latter breaking into a lightly populated Brora box before Kelly slid in from the rear with a two footed tackle and felled the forward as he entered the box . Claims for the penalty were ignored and Brora ran out victorious.
Brora Rangers Team: Mackay, Williamson, Finnis, Nicolson, Dingwall, S. Sutherland, Wallace [Macrae 76], Kelly, A. Sutherland [MacLeod 42] Ewen [Robetsen 77], Mackenzie. Unused Subs: Gillan [GK], McRitchie, Gamble, Cooper.
Formartine United Team: Ewen Macdonald, Lewis Wilson, Luke Strachan [Stuart Smith46], Rhys Thomas, Matthew Maclean, Marc Lawrence, Julian Wade, Graeme Rodger, Paul Campbell {Robert Ward 70], Tyler Mykyta [Michael Dangana 83], Arron Norris. Unused Subs: Cameron Middleton [GK], Ross Clark, Aidan Combe, Aidan McCormick.