Edinburgh University 1 Lochee United 3

Reporter: Jim Davie

Lochee United progressed into the second round of the William Hill Scottish Cup with a hard-fought victory over Lowland League side Edinburgh University at East Peffermill, Edinburgh.

The game was delayed by 15 minutes as the Lochee players and supporters had been held up by roadworks, but no one was complaining as the game kicked off in glorious weather and on a bowling green surface.

The students were first to threaten, with skipper Luke Murray’s ball across the face of the goal just missed by the inrushing Ross Watters.

The home side had settled first and on 10 minutes, should have taken the lead. Again, Murray was the architect, rounding goalkeeper John Sinclair, but finding opposing skipper Greg Kirk on hand to block his shot.

Lochee gradually came into the game and Kevin Buchan and Danny Cavanagh both fired shots over the Edinburgh bar.

On 27 minutes Grant Lawson fed the ball out to Scott McComiskie whose cross was headed towards goal by Buchan. Keeper Kieran McDougall got a hand to the ball despite Lochee claiming the ball had crossed the line.

Stephen McNally had his hands full dealing with marauding wing back Murray and the Edinburgh man put in another dangerous cross which was again blocked by his opposite number, Kirk.

There wasn’t too much in the way of goalmouth action though Lawson did have a shot blocked and Kevin Milne sent a fierce volley over the bar.

If the first half lacked goals then the second half made up for it.

The visitors began to dominate possession and after Milne and Scott McComiskie had come close, they went ahead on 57 minutes.

Danny Cavanagh picked up the ball in midfield and found Milne whose cross was headed home by McCOMISKIE at the far post.

Lochee looked likely to add to their lead and were unlucky when Milne’s effort came back off the Edinburgh bar.

However, a one-goal lead is never enough and, with 15 minutes to go, the University side made Lochee pay for not cashing in on their chances.

Ross Watters fired in a shot that Sinclair managed to turn round the post for a corner, but the Bluebells defence failed to pick up substitute Patrick Baird who flashed a header past Sinclair for the equaliser.

The home side’s tails were up now and they came more into the game. There was every chance that Lochee might lose a game that they had largely dominated.

However, seven minutes later they regained the lead and it was that man McCOMISKIE again, heading home a Cavanagh corner and the striker was a saviour at the other end as he cleared the danger after a stramash in the Lochee goalmouth.

With just minutes to go, Lochee wrapped things up with a third goal. Substitute Reece Ritchie won the ball in midfield, played it out to Milne who, in turn, found LAWSON. The midfielder rode a couple of tackles in the box before slotting the ball past McDougall.

All in all, a deserved win for Lochee, though they made it hard for themselves by not adding to their lead and allowing the home team a way back into the tie.

Edinburgh Uni: McDougall, Murray, Purves, McGuire, MacFarlane, Daniels-Yeoman, Kemp (Baird 60), M Waters, R Watters, Sinclair (Maskrey 72), Maurice (Yusuf 60).

Lochee Utd: Sinclair, Webster, Kenneth, Kirk, McNally, McComiskie, Cameron (Davie 83), Lawson, Cavanagh, Buchan (Ritchie 68), Milne.