ETHX Energy Scottish Junior Cup Fourth Round Replay

IRVINE MEADOW 0

LINLITHGOW ROSE 2

by Stewart McConnell

HOPES of a dream home winning debut for new Meadow boss Davie Greig were shattered as they crashed out of the national competition to high-flying Rose.

The home side were considered underdogs to progress as they were up against after Rose side who were on a real high following their historic William Hill Scottish Cup success against Forfar Athletic four days earlier.

However the hosts competed very well and in the first half they bossed the game but lacked a killer instinct upfront. After the break they missed a number of good chances but were ultimately outmuscled by a visiting side who are on the crest of a wave.

Now they will be hoping to take confidence from their overall display into the remaining Premier Division games as they battle to survive in the Super Premier Division.

Manager Davie Greig was encouraged with his team's performance despite the result and said: "The boys applied themselves superbly. Sometimes you need a wee bit of quality in the last third and a wee break with something going in but we did not get that although it was not for the want of trying. I felt we dominated most of he game against a very good side. Linlithgow showed the ruthlessness and that's why they are winning games. I am delighted with the effort of the players and the fans were great today, they got behind us."

Meadow began well and two minutes in a rasping 25-yard drive from Michael Keenan was fumbled then recovered by Alistair Adam.

Two minutes later at the other end a Blair Batchelor cross was hooked away by a Meadow defender. In seven minutes Mark Tyrell shot high and wide for Rose from 25 yards.

The visitors had their best chance in nine minutes when Tommy Coyne had home goalie Graeme Shepherd to beat from 10 yards but shot straight at him.

Former Ayr United defender Marc Twaddle made a great clearance to foil Graham Weir at the edge of the box in 12 minutes. Shepherd made a stunning save to deny Tyrell from the edge of the box a minutes later.

Medda won a free-kick in 17 minutes when Shaun Fraser was tripped just outside the box by Ruari McLennan. The resultant set-piece from Ryan Deas was deflected wide by the visiting defence.

A strong Deas effort from 22 yards was deflected over the bar by the goalie in 27 minutes. Gary McCann surged into the box and had an effort from eight yards on the half hour and from the resultant corner-kick Keenan's header hit the top Of the bar and went over.

Keenan was booked for a challenge in 37 minutes.

A through ball from Shaun Fraser was aimed at McCann in 41 minutes, but the keeper cleared the danger.

Two minutes after the break a cross into the box by Deas was cleared by the visiting defence. Meadow had a great chance in 50 minutes when Shaun Fraser sent a precision pass to Richie Barr to shoot wide from eight yards.

Paul Maxwell replaced Barr in 63 minutes as the home side battled to make the breakthrough.

A Fraser free-kick was deflected over the bar a minute later. Deas saw his speculative shot from 25 yards well saved in 70 minutes.

However Rose took the lead four minutes later when Batchelor slipped a pass to Weir, who shot under Shepherd and into the net from 10 yards.

Deas had an effort saved on the line by Adam a minute later as Meadow pushed four men upfront to try and get back into the match.

Maxwell won a corner-kick in 79 minutes but it came to nothing.

Then Maxwell set up new signing Adam Strachan whose close range shot was hooked away by a defender in 85 minutes.

Rose doubled their advantage in the final minutes when Colin Strickland set up Batchelor and he rolled the ball to Tommy Coyne to slot home from six yards as Rose set up a clash away to Kilwinning Rangers on February 13.

IRVINE MEADOW: Shepherd; Girvan, Halliday Evans, Twaddle, Keenan, McCann, Murch, Barr, Deas, Fraser. Subs: Wilson, Finnigan. Strachan, Maxwell, Bolton.