WHITEHILL WELFARE'S hopes of progressing to the third round of the Active Nation Scottish Cup at the expense of the South of Scotland League champions, Threave Rovers, evaporated in a two-minute spell midway through the first half.
First, some sla
ck marking allowed Sam Warren a shooting opportunity which he gleefully accepted and volleyed in an unstoppable drive then Whitehill's Kevin Haynes, who had been booked only a few minutes earlier, made a crude lunge on Threave's Darren Kerr and was shown a second yellow and subsequent red card.
Until this short period in this second round replay, the game had ebbed and flowed from end to end but this double catastrophe meant a rigorous closing half hour for the Rosewell club although, somewhat ironically, they actually played some of their best passing football with only ten men. They were desperately unlucky not to take the tie into extra time and only an instinctive save from goalkeeper Vinnie Parker denied Ross Allum when the striker seemed certain to equalise in the final minute of the game.
In front of a vociferous home crowd, Whitehill kicked off knowing, as in the first game which ended 1-1, they would have to be at their best to beat their opponents on their own ground. Whitehill manager Gary Aitchison made one change from the previous Saturday's team by introducing Haynes at the expense of Kevin Morrison.
After two good early crosses from Daryl Devlin and Kevin Lee the first serious opportunity after seven minutes was a left-footed strike from Devlin which Parker held competently. Whitehill's retention of the ball in midfield was generally good but they were given a sharp reminder of how dangerous Threave were when a Warren free-kick picked out Scott Wilby at the back post but he screwed his shot high over the bar from only three yards. Allum was next to try his luck for Whitehill but his 25-yard effort squirmed past the target.
Midway through the first half, Threave gained control and Andrew Donnelly headed wide from a good position before the home side had loud appeals for a penalty waved aside when Andrew Kidd brought down James Baty. Youssef Bejaoui then punched clear a Warren corner before Donnelly watched his header from a James Fingland flick rebound from the crossbar.
Then, in the 30th minute, came a defining moment in the first half when a 25-yard screamer from Threave's Danny Dunglinson was net-bound until somehow Bejaoui, with one hand, managed to direct the ball up and over. Baty, a thorn in the side of the Whitehill defence, evaded both Ross Johnston and Kevin Lee but his shot from 12 yards was inches wide.
Five minutes before the break Allum picked out the unmarked Haynes with a cross to the back post but the big striker directed his header wide of the upright. Almost on the stroke of half-time the same pair combined and, again, Haynes missed the goalscoring opportunity.
The afternoon was getting steadily worse for Haynes and he was booked in the 55th minute for a deliberate trip before Threave edged themselves ahead on the hour mark. A neat reverse pass from former Annan Athletic player Mark Nicol picked out the unmarked Warren, who took one touch and rifled the ball powerfully behind Bejaoui from the angle of the penalty box.
"It was a great pass from Mark and I thought I would just hit the ball and I could not have connected any better. It's my first ever goal in the Scottish Cup," said Warren.
Two minutes later Haynes was sent off. Whitehill rolled up their sleeves and went to all-out attack and dominated for much of the remaining stages but an Allum effort from four yards which Parker saved with his face was the closest they came to grabbing an equaliser.
Goalscorer Warren added: "I thought that it was a very hard game between two evenly balanced sides. Both teams gave as good as they got and I thought that we deserved to score in the second half. The sending off probably changed the game and all credit to Whitehill for putting in a great performance.
"This win means such a lot to the players, the management, the committee and the supporters and already we are looking forward to the next round against Inverurie."
Dave McVitie, the delighted Threave manager, said: "I thought that it was another great game in which Whitehill started the brighter and it looked like it would take a great goal to break the deadlock. That's what happened but we also proved that there is not a lot between the top teams from the South and East of Scotland Leagues. The bigger park seemed to suit us better and, although Whitehill pushed forward, our keeper made some super saves."
Bejaoui, the Whitehill goalkeeper, said: "I am devastated because there were times in the game when we were totally in control.
"Their goal was the only shot they had on target in the whole of the second half although to be fair their player took it very well. Over the two games I still think that we were the better team but all credit to Threave, who really got their fans behind them."
Gary Aitchison, the Whitehill boss, concluded: "The first half was even with some decent football and end-to-end action. Their goal was a cracking shot but we are disappointed we allowed him to be unmarked then a bit of stupidity did not help us. We went for it with ten men and, but for a great save from their goalkeeper, we would have equalised."
Threave: Parker, Wilby, Kerr, Patterson, Fingland, Baty, Green (Struthers, 86), Dunglinson, Donnelly, Nicol (Milligan, 89), Warren.
Subs: Krause, Kevan, Shanks.
Whitehill: Bejaoui, Cornet, Lee, Johnston, Campbell (McGlashan, 67), Taylor (MacBrayne, 70), Devlin, McCormack, Haynes, Kidd, Allum.
Subs: Morrison, Koya, Lynch.
