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V WEST CALDER UTD 4 OCTOBER 2008

by Duncan McKenzie - 12:47 on 06 October 2008

Scottish Junior Cup Round 1

Inverness City 3 West Calder United 1

Team: Kerr, P. Beaton, D. Beaton, J. Fraser, K. Fraser, K. Mason, C. Mason (Sent off 57 mins), Stewart, Turner (67), Miller, Sanderson (88). Subs: Mapplebeck (88), Bannerman (67), Murdoch, MacLennan

CITY BOOK THEIR PLACE IN THE SECOND ROUND OF THE SCOTTISH JUNIOR CUP

INVERNESS City took their second major scalp in as many weeks to send West Calder United spinning out of the Scottish Junior Cup at the weekend.

Fresh from their impressive North Regional Cup win against Buchanhaven Hearts last weekend City went one better in front of another bumper crowd at their new home in the heart of Inverness.

Despite midfielder Colin Mason second half dismissal, goals from Stevie Sanderson and one from Graham Stewart sent City into the second round.

City co-manager Mike Pollard: "Who says lightning doesn't strike twice. The bookies had us down for another defeat, but we are delighted to have proved them wrong again.

"We were delighted with the size of the crowd again and they produced a great atmosphere inside the ground. I think we are now starting to shape a good sized City support."

Pollard also paid tribute to the players for another gutsy performance, saying: "Again this week we came from behind and no one can doubt the hard work and commitment of the lads.

"I felt our superior fitness showed towards the last 15 minutes and that's something we have been working hard on. And to do what they did with only 10 men for much of the second half deserves credit."

He added: "We are looking forward to getting back to league business next weekend against Burghead Thistle and it would be great if we could maintain the level of support we have received over the past couple of weeks."

The intelligence gathered by City's management team on their West Lothian opponents suggested that West Calder United would provide one of their sternest tests of the season so far.

And if the opening exchanges were anything to go by City appeared to be in for a difficult afternoon. After surviving some early pressure City almost found themselves a goal down in 11 minutes. Only a brilliant dive low to his left by City keeper Michael Kerr prevented the opening goal.

The visitors continued to dominate and in 21 minutes their pressure paid off with the opener. A goal bound effort was punched clear by Kerr but when the ball was flicked back in the West Calder striker hooked the ball over his own head and past the helpless keeper.

At that point the visitors were well in control and you feared the worst for City, but they gradually began to play their way back into the game, with Michael Turner the first to cause the visiting defence problems. His low cross from the right was deflected over, with Stevie Sanderon waiting to pounce.

The home side clearly saw merit in putting pressure on the visitors' wingbacks, who appeared sloth-like compared to City's pacy wingers Gary Miller and Turner. It was a tactic that was to pay dividends for the home side in 32 minutes.

Inverness' equaliser was a brilliant, lightning quick move down the right. Turner left the full back for dead and when his cutback was laid off by Colin Mason for Sanderson he made no mistake, rifling the ball past the keeper.

That goal clearly galvanised City and gave them the same kind of belief, which saw them knock Buchanhaven Hearts out of the North Regional Cup last weekend.

In 37 minutes the West Calder management team must have been looking to their bench for options as Turner left their full back in his wake once again. His cross found Miller and after his initial shot went into the ground Sanderson was there again to power the ball home to make it 2-1.

Five minutes after the re-start Kerr had to look sharp again to punch clear a flashing header from the West Calder striker.

Just when the match appeared to be drifting in City's direction they were hit by a wave of activity, which could well have turned the tide in 57 minutes.

Colin Mason became embroiled in an off-the-ball scuffle with a West Calder defender, who subsequently hit the deck as though a sniper had picked him out from the top of the stand. After consulting with his linesman, who saw Mason lash out at the defender, the referee was left with no option but to send him off.

Bannerman replaced Turner in 67 minutes and the substitute almost increased City's lead ten minutes after entering the fray, but his low drive shaved the left post.

West Calder were then reduced to ten men when their keeper was shown a straight red for bringing down Sanderson and the home side were awarded a spot kick. The usually reliable Kevin Fraser stepped up to test the replacement keeper, but his effort was weak and easily saved.

That disappointment did not deter City and when Miller raced clear into the box in 87 minutes he too was taken down, this time by a defender. But thankfully for the visitors he was not the last man and stayed on the park. Graham Stewart took over the penalty duties from Fraser and coolly slotted home the third and decisive goal.

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