AUCHINLECK Talbot hung on to defeat Highland League side Huntly 4-3 to join fellow Ayrshire side Irvine Meadow in the third round of the Active Nation Scottish Cup.
Bryan Slavin nodded Talbot in front after only minutes in front of 498 fans with fellow striker John Boyle doubling the lead. Steven White thumped in a third before the visitors' grabbed two goals back through Michael Ewen and Andrew Fraser.
Subs
titute Danny McKelvie calmed Talbot nerves when he netted in 86 minutes only for Stuart Soane to cause some flutters again with a late goal.
Manager Tommy Sloan said: "I was getting concerned as nerves definitely crept into our play. We were well worth our three-goal lead, so it was disappointing to have to hold on after that."
Talbot will now face Second Division leaders Stirling Albion at Forthbank.
Scott Fraser yesterday warned Ayr United that Deveronvale would be no pushovers in the next round. The Banff side needed 120 minutes to see off nine-man Buckie Thistle at Victoria Park, but Fraser believes his side will be a much more dangerous proposition when they have nothing to lose in front of a big home crowd.
The centre half – Vale's record signing – said: "It will be the biggest game I've played in. Ayr are a First Division outfit so will be full of quality but we will have nothing to lose and will be playing in front of what should be a very big crowd.
"I certainly think we have a chance if we produce our best and Ayr will, at the very least, know they've been in a game."
While Vale needed extra-time to overcome Buckie, who suffered their first sending off after 25 minutes, Fraser paid tribute to his team-mates for holding their nerve in front of almost 1,200 spectators. "We knew how important it was to start the game well and we got the goal to push Buckie on to the back foot."
Vale's Mike McKenzie struck with a close-range opener after 16 minutes, Thistle's Ian Murray then saw red for a challenge on visiting keeper James Blanchard nine minutes later. Bob Duncan also saw red for the home team with 11 minutes remaining but, despite being two men down, substitute Steve Bruce equalised from 16 yards.
Buckie's nine men held their own until Gary McGowan fired the second in the 111th minute and then Smith sealed it three minutes from time with his seventh goal in four games.
Sam Warren was the toast of Castle Douglas when his stunning left-foot drive from the apex of the penalty box flew past Whitehill Welfare goalkeeper Youssef Bejaoui to ensure Threave Rovers' passage to the third round of the cup.
The teams had drawn 1-1 the previous Saturday at Rosewell and another tight encounter transpired – although the sending off of Whitehill striker Kevin Haynes 17 minutes into the second half did not help the visitors' cause.
The highlight of the first half was a magnificent save from Bejaoui to deny Danny Dunglinson while Threave's Andrew Donnelly also hit the crossbar with a header.
Whitehill's best efforts in the opening 45 minutes were two headers from Haynes which did not trouble Vinnie Parker in the home goal.
Warren's super strike arrived after 60 minutes when he accepted a neat reverse pass from Mark Nicol and connected sweetly with the ball to give Threave the lead.
Haynes received his marching orders only two minutes later for his second badly mistimed tackle of the contest and, although Whitehill pushed players forward, they could not find an equaliser. Ross Allum, however, came agonisingly close in the dying minutes when his four-yard shot hit Parker full in the face and was cleared.
Goalscorer Warren, with his first ever Scottish Cup goal, said: "It was essentially a great team effort with everybody doing their job very well. Credit has to go to Whitehill who, even with only ten men, kept breaking forward and our goalkeeper had some good saves."
Gary Aitchison, the Whitehill manager, said: "I thought that we did create chances, particularly in the first half, and I am bitterly disappointed. Our game plan worked, although going down to ten men did not help. We picked the game up and had a real go. I wish Threave all the best in the next round."
The third-round draw will see Threave host Highland League club Inverurie Loco Works at Meadow Park on Saturday, 28 November.
