On the face of it a 5-1 defeat away looks like one side has run away with the tie but it was a lot closer than the scoreline suggested at Robertson Park yesterday as the Ants WoS Cup dreams were put to bed for another season.
The Ants had come into this one buoyant from their 2-1 win last week at home to Bellshill but with Thorniewood sitting in the top half of the division above it would be no small task to advance to the third round of the competition. A couple of enforced changes saw Mark McKillop move back into defence and Findlay Provan recalled to the starting line up having missed out last week.
The Ants had the first real half chance of the match when Welsh found last weeks two goal hero Chris Reilly out on the right hand side of the penalty box, the big man cut inside but his shot was held by Lane. McKillop then did really well to cut out a dangerous looking Kalala cross with Kindlan waiting to knock the ball into the net. The match was flowing from end to end with Reilly again forcing a save from Lane and a Carswell header blocked as it headed goal wards then Provan just failing to get on the end of a Kirkpatrick cutback.
Thorniewood took the lead in the 23rd minute when Dan Kindlan, who appeared to be marginally offside was put through on goal by Archer and the ‘Wood midfielder avoided a sliding tackle before slipping the ball through McInaw’s legs to make it 1-0 to the home side. Credit to the Ants though they didn’t let this setback get their heads down and Welsh again tested Lane from distance but once again the young Hamilton Accies loanee did well to smother the shot with Kirkpatrick waiting to pounce. Kirkpatrick himself then tested Lane with a powerful drive that he could only parry, Prior picked it up and his cross found Kirkpatrick again but the striker was off balance and lashed the shot past the post. They then had claims for a penalty waved away as a Thorniewood defender threw himself infront of a shot which rebounded to Welsh who then fired just over.
The Ants did get level in the 31st minute when Kyle Bunch nipped in to steal a short Lane pass and with the Keeper at the edge of his 18 yard box the Ants midfielder produced a lovely dink over his head and into the net to make it 1-1. Two minutes later and Thorniewood almost re-took the lead but Ross Forbes’ free kick was an inch or two wide. Thorniewood did retake the lead in the 35th minute when Leighton’s ball down the wing found Bobby Barr who raced towards the box from out wide, McInaw came racing out of his goal but the experienced Barr just chipped the ball over the keeper and into the empty net to make it 2-1. Reilly’s personal battle with Lane continued up the other end as the young keeper parried away his free kick and Welsh just couldn’t get on the end of the rebound and 2-1 is how we went in at the break.
The opening stages of the second half saw the some wasteful passing from both teams as the park began to cut up heavily with few chances being created until Thorniewood made it 3-1 in the 57th minute. A ball over the top saw Kindlan and Barr both go for the ball, Kindlan had looked offside as the ball was played but he left it for Barr who’s cross eventually found it’s way to Blair MacDonald, who had only just came on as a sub, at the back post to fire the ball into the roof of the net from close range. The Ants to their credit kept pushing to get back into it and could have had a pelanty when Sideserf appeared to handle a Reilly cross but the ref judged his arm to have been in a natural position despite the video showing him moving his arm towards the ball and a corner was the outcome.
Reilly then thought he had reduced the deficit in the 83rd minute when his hit on the volley looked to be flying in but it hit Mullaney on the line and bounced to safety. Thorniewood eventually got the ball cleared and they found Ally Miller who raced through on goal and gave McInaw no chance to seal the tie at 4-1 in the 85th minute. Bobby Barr added a 5th in the last minute to put a ribbon on the scoreline for the home side and see the Ants crash out of the cup for another season
Full time Thorniewood 5 v 1 Ants.
