Reporter: Jim Davie

Lochee United 1 Neilston 3

Lochee United crashed out of the Macron Scottish Cup at the hands of Neilston in this replay at Thomson Park.

The Bluebells, minus skipper Greg Kirk, would still have been confident of progressing after drawing away from home two weeks ago, but the visitors capitalised on slackness in the home defence to put themselves into the next round.

Lochee started brightly with Kevin Milne setting up Kevin Buchan at the back post but the striker just failed to control the ball and the chance went abegging.

Ross Gallagher then tried his luck with a 25-yard drive but Neilston keeper James Digney pulled off a diving save.

With their first foray upfield the Farmer’s Boys took the lead. Mark Archdeacon found Paul STEWART inside the Lochee box and he beat home keeper John Sinclair with a shot into the far corner.

They almost added a second minutes later when a slip by Garry Kenneth let Archdeacon in but Danny Millar was on hand to clear off the line.

Stewart then had a great chance to increase the lead when put in by Martin Curren but he shot over from 12 yards.

On 25 minutes, though the visitors grabbed their second. Dylan Fletcher worked his way into the box and, though Sinclair parried the first effort and blocked another two attempts, ARCHDEACON was on hand to bundle the ball home.

A few minutes before half time Sinclair kept his side in it with a tip over the bar from Ross Mackinnon’s free kick.

It was a poor first half from Lochee but they came out all guns blazing in the second half and reduced the deficit after only three minutes, a Grant Lawson corner being bulleted into the net by KENNETH.

From another Lawson corner a Danny Millar header was cleared off the line as the home side turned the screw and the visitors were struggling to get out of their own half.

Lochee boss George Shields made an early double substitution, bring on Alan Tulleth and Scott McComiskie for Logan Davie and Buchan.

McComiskie soon got into the action, setting up Millar for a header which keeper Digney tipped over the bar.

With the home side pressing for an equaliser they were shocked when a penalty was given against them on 70 minutes. It looked a harsh award with the ball being blasted against Stephen McNally from close range.

Lochee protests came to nothing though and Dylan FLETCHER stepped up to give Sinclair no chance from the spot.

The Bluebells almost reduced the lead immediately but McComiskie’s header was cleared off the line by Mackinnon.

With seven minutes to go McComiskie went down in the box under pressure from Mackinnon but the referee waved aside penalty appeals and Lochee’s last chance of getting back into the tie went with it.

So, Lochee’s Scottish Cup adventure is over for another season and they will surely rue not finishing the tie in the first leg when they dominated for so long.

Lochee United: Sinclair, Webster (Cavanagh 85) McNally, D Millar, Kenneth, Ritchie, Davie (McComiskie 52), Gallagher, Lawson, Buchan (Tulleth 52), Milne.

Neilston: Digney, Halliday, MacKinnon, Convery, Doyle, Docherty, Stirling, Fletcher (Haddow 84), Archdeacon, Stewart, Curren (Paterson 84).