Local interest in this season’s Scottish Junior Cup ended when Rothie Rovers were beaten 4-1 at home by Bellshill Athletic in the last 16 of the competition.
Calvin Cowie gave Athletic the interval lead before Lewis Hendry levelled on the hour mark.
Jack Currie then restored the visitors advantage before, with seven minutes remaining, Rovers were awarded a penalty for handball.
However, Jamie McKinnon blazed his effort over the bar before receiving a red card for reacting to the Bellshill celebrations at his error.
With Rothie forced to throw men forward, they left themselves open to the counter and Keiran Markey and Cowie took full advantage to secure a final scoreline that did not reflect the tightness of the contest.
Rothie manager Kevin Beaton was understandably proud of his squad.
He said: “We were excellent and for 85 minutes, I thought we were the better team.
“If we score from the penalty, I think at worst we’re heading for a shootout.
“They were right in Jamie’s face , he reacted and got the red card.
“At 2-1 down and with ten men we have to go for it and we paid the penalty but it was a great game and a great advert for junior football, I felt we deserved more but it’s fine margins.
“We really believed we could win that one but it’s all part of the learning curve.
“We’re still relatively new to junior football and I told the boys to enjoy their break and come back hungry for more, we’ve a lot of league games to play as well as other cups to contest so hopefully there’ll be plenty more big games to come in the second half of the season.”
Last 8!
Here we go!!!#MonTheHill pic.twitter.com/MUMsl8Th4Z
— Bellshill Athletic FC (@BellshillA1897) December 16, 2023
Luke Barbour, Paul Esslemont from the spot and Brunon Paszkiewicz scored at Lochside Park to see Hermes safely through to round three of the North Regional Cup at the expense of Longside while the Quest Engineering Cup clash between Newmachar United and Banks o’ Dee JFC was the day’s sole victim to the weather.
Dyce moved to the top of the McBookie.com Premier League courtesy of a 3-1 win at Stoneywood Parkvale with the goals coming from Dan Agnew (2) and Blair Johnston while Sam Bushua notched the consolation for the home side.
At Heathryfold Sunnybank crashed 6-1 to Stonehaven who had Keith Horne (2), Rob Armstrong, Harry Ingram, Michael Gunn and Lee Taggart on target with Adam Reid scoring for Bank.
Culter came from behind to win 5-2 at Nairn St Ninian thanks to a Cammy Fraser brace, Craig MacAskill, Elliot Duff and Scott Kerr with Keiran Duffty and Sean McWilliams on the mark for Saints.
Early strikes from Zak Conway and Daniel Smith secured the points for Fraserburgh United at College Park against Colony Park although Stevie Livingstone pulled one back for the visitors and at Aberdeen Sports Village, Bridge of Don Thistle went nap against Maud, the goals coming from Liam Burnett, Stewart Rennie, Sam Muirhead, Kyle Gauld and Craig Mackie.
Callum Tremaine was the hat-trick hero for Ellon United as they got the better of East End at New Advocates Park with Bradley Manson firing a consolation for the home team.
Ryan MacBean and Harry Allen were the Burghead Thistle marksmen at Cruden Bay in the Championship, a result that sees the Jags move to six points behind pacesetters Banks o’ Dee JFC while third-placed Islavale won by the same scoreline at home to Forres Thistle, Noel Scott and Fergus Edwards the scorers.
Owen Christie, Jordan Russell and Ryan Mathieson were the men who mattered for Deveronside at home to Lossiemouth United who replied with an Alex Matczak effort and Michael Crusoe scored the game’s only goal as Whitehills edged it at the expense of Hall Russell United.
An Arron Cruickshank double, a Keir Duncan penalty and strikes from Murdo Reid and Cammy Grant gave Dufftown victory at New Elgin who responded through Craig Sim and Keiron Cameron and at Woodside it was a 2-2 draw between Glentanar and Banchory St Ternan.
SCOTTISH JUNIOR CUP – Fourth round: Rothie Rovers 1-4 Bellshill Athletic.
QUEST ENGINEERING CUP – Second round: Newmachar United P-P Banks o’ Dee JFC.
NORTH REGIONAL CUP – Second round: Hermes 3-0 Longside.
PREMIER LEAGUE – Bridge of Don Thistle 5-0 Maud, East End 1-3 Ellon United, Fraserburgh United 2-1 Colony Park, Nairn St. Ninian 2-5 Culter, Stoneywood Parkvale 1-3 Dyce, Sunnybank 1-6 Stonehaven.
CHAMPIONSHIP – Cruden Bay 0-2 Burghead Thistle, Deveronside 3-1 Lossiemouth United, Glentanar 2-2 Banchory St Ternan, Islavale 2-0 Forres Thistle, New Elgin 2-5 Dufftown, Whitehills 1-0 Hall Russell United.
