Burgh returned to East Shore Park in the hope of extending their unbeaten run with the visit of fellow Third Division Fauldhouse United to East Shore Park in the Alex Jack. ‘The Hoose’ arrived with high hopes of progressing following their success in the previous round against Thornton Hibs.
Looking back at this game may become those “on another day” moments as the failure to take the chances that came their way was to ultimately come at a cost.
In the 2nd minute Ryan Heatherill had the first chance volleying just over the bar after a cross from the left hand side by Mackenzie Williamson, who himself was played through by a superb Adam Wilson pass.
In the 12th minute Owen McNally put through on goal after a flick on by Heatherill. But with room running out with keeper and defender closing down the angle, McNally’s shot was blocked for a corner. From the resultant corner Williamson rose the highest and sent his header crashing off the crossbar before Fauldhouse cleared the danger.
In the 16th minute it was defender Callum Roughead’s chance to jump the highest but his header went over the bar following another corner from the right. On 35 minutes Heatherill again was on hand to flick on a ball to McNally on the right-hand side of the area, but the Burgh no.9’s effort flew low across the face of goal and beyond the far post.
On 42 minutes play switched to the other end with Fauldhouse’s first serious attempt of the game which saw Joe Russell block twice from close range to force the corner.
Meanwhile Burgh had two further chances before the half time whistle. Firstly on 45 minutes Euan Morris played the ball to McNally with a chance to shoot from just outside the area which was pushed over by the Fauldhouse keeper Weatherby. Then deep in injury time a cross-come-shot from Morris deceived the keeper and clipped the bar and away.
Russell was again called into action in the 73rd minute when he brilliantly got his fingertips to a free kick from Furness to push onto the bar and over for a corner.
Burgh’s hand was seemingly dealt a boost in the 85th minute when the home side quickly turned defence into attack and Owen McCallion played a brilliant ball forward to Williamson to put him through on goal. Weatherby raced from his goal and collided with Williamson just outside the area as the Burgh skipper had flicked the ball past the keeper to surely score. The referee had no hesitation and Weatherby was shown the red card.
Unlike Burgh last week, Fauldhouse had the substitutions available to bring on their sub keeper Beaton, who was destined to make a big impact on the game.
As Burgh pushed to get the first goal of the game, Logan Whyte was unable to get his shot on target in the closing moments, whilst Williamson had a shot saved by Beaton at the near post.
As extra time started Williamson again tested the keeper with a low shot to the keeper’s right but Beaton was equal to it. CJ Thomson then had a stinging shot from distance saved.
The game took an expected swing in the opposite direction in the 11th minute of first half extra time when an uncharacteristic mistake saw Matty Mitchell dispossessed on the edge of the area and Furness held his nerve to roll past the advancing Russell to give Fauldhouse the lead against the run of play.
As the second period of extra time started, sub Kyle Tracey fizzed a chance just wide of the far post before parity was restored in the 108th minute of the tie when Tracey met a dangerous McCallion ball into the box to head past Beaton.
Tracey was close to becoming the hero when Whyte sent another cross into the box but the Burgh substitute couldn’t quite get a clean connection with the ball. McCallion won possession of the ball on the right-hand side of the area and laid off for Williamson whose effort went agonisingly past the post.
The game went to the lottery of a penalty shoot out. With both sides netted their opening two penalties each, before Burgh 3rd and 4th kicks were saved by Beaton. Fauldhouse netted their 3rd but Russell kept Burgh in it saving to his right to keep the shoot out at 3-2. Burgh needed to convert their final kick to keep them in the game, but unfortunately Beaton was to have one more final impact by saving again to seal progression to the ‘Hoose’ into Round 3.
Congratulations and best wishes to Fauldhouse for the next round.
Man of the Match: CJ Thomson.
