Saltire Fashions North of Scotland Amateur Cup Second Round at Pitmedden Road on Saturday 15th November
Dyce progressed to the third round of the North of Scotland Amateur Cup at the expense of Beacon Rangers on Saturday in a tie which had to be decided on penalties.
The home side went into the game on the back of a ten match unbeaten run and they opened the scoring after only six minutes when a long clearance from keeper Holmes found Yates who cut in from the left and drilled the ball low past Lawson. Dyce continued to hold the upper hand in the opening exchanges and could easily have extended their lead in the first twenty minutes of the match. A driven shot from Noble whistled just over the crossbar, Lynch came within inches of diverting a Hutcheon cross into the net and it took a perfectly timed challenge from Cheyne on the edge of the area to deny Yates a clear sight of goal. At the other end, Beacon’s best effort came when a dangerous ball from Eastcroft flashed across goal and just eluded the inrushing strikers.
Just as it looked as if Dyce would end the half with a slender lead, the game was suddenly turned on its head in the space of three minutes just before half-time. With 42 minutes on the clock, Beacon got back on level terms when Murray advanced down the right and his low cross was turned into his own net by Greig. It seemed that the match had barely re-started when Boyle was then tripped as he ran into the Dyce penalty area and Cheyne made no mistake from the resultant spot kick to put his side 2-1 in front.
There was still time for Dyce to try to get back on level terms before the interval when an intelligent lay-off from Lynch found Yates, but Lawson rushed from his line to block the striker’s effort and preserve his side’s one goal advantage.
Half-time: 1-2
The game was evenly contested in the early stages of the second period and, as the shadows started to lengthen across the pitch, the play was concentrated in the midfield area and both defences were coping well with any attacking threat with neither keeper being unduly troubled. As Dyce pushed more men forward in search of an equaliser, Beacon looked for opportunities on the break and they almost put the tie beyond doubt two minutes from time but Burnett was denied by a last ditch challenge as he attempted to surge though the heart of the home defence.
It seemed that time was running out for Dyce but they salvaged their cup hopes in dramatic fashion with the very last attack of regulation time when a cross from the right was only half cleared as far as Yates, who chested the ball down on the edge of the area and fired a dipping left foot volley beyond Lawson and into the bottom corner to send the match into extra-time.
Full time: 2-2
Despite the disappointment of losing the last minute goal, Beacon made an encouraging start to the first period of extra-time and they almost went in front through a long-range effort from Cheyne which drifted narrowly wide of the post. After the change of ends, it was Dyce who almost snatched victory when Michie laid the ball into the path of Noble and it took a tremendous saving tackle from MacKay to keep the scores level and ensure that the game would be decided on penalties.
Hutcheon, Michie, Yates and Noble converted the first four penalties for Dyce and it was home keeper Holmes who was the hero by saving the third and fourth spot kicks from the visitors to secure his side’s place in the third round of the competition.
After Extra Time: 2-2, Dyce won 4-2 on penalties
Dyce: Holmes, Greig, M. Thomson, Noble, Duncan, N. Thomson, Brown, Taylor, Lynch, Yates, Hutcheon. Subs: Nicolson, Glennie, Ogston, Henry, Michie.
Beacon Rangers: Lawson, Stewart, Cheyne, Smith, Burnett, Eastcroft, Hay, Murray, MacKay, Robb, Boyle. Subs: Napier, Hay.
Referee: R. Nicolson
