EAST CRAIGIE v NAIRN ST. NINIANS

Reporter: Stephen Durcan

Scottish Junior Cup 2nd Round

A long journey down from the Highlands brought Nairn St. Ninian to Craigie Park for this Scottish Junior Cup 2nd Round tie. With both sides enjoying very good league form this, on paper at least, looked to be a very attractive fixture with Nairn playing their football one level higher but the Shipbuilder's enjoying crucial home advantage. East Craigie would also have to try and contain visiting striker Adam Macleod, in prolific form this season with 14 goals. Just a single change to the Craigie side which beat Lochee Harp a week earlier with Conan Howett replacing Jordan Conway in the starting eleven.

The hosts began brightly with a shot from Fraser McLeod, wide on the left, being held by the keeper. Minutes later Sean Reekie launched a ball deep into the box and Rory Faulkner dived to nod just wide. The home pressure paid off on 14 minutes with Howett and Euan McIlvenny reading each other well before the latter threaded a neat ball through the centre of defence to allow REEKIE to slide low beyond keeper Hepburn from 15 yards. Another home attacking move saw Faulkner running on goal but his shot was predicted by the keeper who palmed away.

Nairn's first real effort came in the 19th minute with Fernando-Soto picking the ball up wide on the left and playing a defence-splitting pass through to MacLeod but the striker ran out of space and poked wide from the acutest of angles. The Shipbuilder's launched a quick attack and doubled their lead as a ball across goal fell to MCILVENNY who placed beyond Hepburn. Nairn were left reeling and stood helpless as a rampant East Craigie netted twice more in quick succession. First GEORGE JOHNSTON, unmarked to the left of the area, struck low to score before a brilliant solo effort from HOWETT on 24 minutes saw him show great composure to pick his spot well and drive low and out of the keeper's reach. In between the goals Nairn's Neil tapped wide as the Highlanders struggled to match the finishing of Craigie. Fair credit to them though as they continued to battle with striker MacLeod missing the target with two long-range efforts. Back came the hosts with Faulkner being denied by the keeper after good passing play from Finlay Baird and Johnston.

Nairn were given a lifeline on 38 minutes when MACLEOD had his heel clipped before steering wide and was awarded a penalty. He made no mistake in placing his shot low into the corner for his 15th goal of the season. East Craigie were having none of it and quickly restored their four goal cushion - Johnston holding onto the ball well before finding FAULKNER in space and the number nine thumped low into the corner. The last chance of the half also went to the hosts with McLeod at the corner flag playing the ball back to Howett who struck wide.

HALF-TIME: East Craigie 5 Nairn St. Ninian 1

I was thinking of staking my entire life's possessions on the 2nd half being goalless as is often the case after a frantic opening 45 minutes. With a 5-1 lead there was no urgency, at least not for East Craigie. 53 minutes brought impressive interplay from Baird and Faulkner before McIlvenny saw his shot deflected over the bar. Seconds later Reekie launched an effort on goal but the ball sailed harmlessly high and wide. Craigie's McLeod got on the end of a cross into the box but his thundering header was blocked at point blank range by the determined keeper. A thunderbolt of an effort a minute later from MacLeod at the other end was well stopped by the hitherto untested home keeper Liam Dunn. On 64 minutes Hepburn did well to smother McLeod's low shot.

Then came a spell of relative inactivity as the home side took their foot off the pedal, allowing Nairn lots of possession but not allowing them enough space to threaten. On 74 minutes it was a case of déjà vu as another clipped heel brought another penalty. As Reekie lined up a shot a defender caught his foot and the referee was in no doubt when awarding the spot kick. Hepburn became a Nairn hero as he dived low to keep out Johnston's kick. More heroics from the St. Ninian keeper as he pushed away a pile-driver from McIlvenny with 15 minutes to go.

With five minutes left on the clock East Craigie wrapped up a convincing win when a wide ball from substitute Paul Moran fell to JOHNSTON who aimed for, and succeeded in finding, the far corner. Injury time saw Hepburn hold well from McIlvenny in the last action of a very exciting match.

MAN OF THE MATCH: George Johnston

FULL-TIME: East Craigie 6 Nairn St. Ninian 1

EAST CRAIGIE: Dunn, Reekie, Christie, McDonald (Malone), Brannan, McIlvenny, Baird, Howett (McNaughton), R. Faulkner, Johnston, McLeod (Moran).

NAIRN ST. NINIAN: Hepburn, Mulligan, Anderson, K.Mason, E. Neil, Hendry, MacDonald (McBrier), McWilliams (C. Mason), MacLeod, C. Neil, Fernando-Soto.