Thistle kick off cup defence

LOCHAR Thistle kicked off their defence of the South of Scotland League Cup with a hard fought 1-0 victory over Stranraer Reserves at Wilson Park on Saturday.

Both teams cancelled each other out for much of the first half, although both had chances.

Stranraer were first to threaten on ten minutes but Thistle shotstopper Konar Pietsch made a comfortable save to push an effort wide, the big keeper was called in to action soon after and did well again to save.

Thistle’s two best chances of the half fell to Cammy Shaw but he failed to find the back of the net.

Lochar’s cause took a blow midway through the half when Marcus Zygadlo had to limp off to be replaced by Jack Caskie following a bad challenge.

The teams headed into the half time interval with the game evenly poised. And, as the tie wore on, little continued to separate the two sides.

Lochar started to have a lot more control of the game and a fair amount of possession but struggled to test the Stranraer keeper.

The hosts were dealt another blow on 77 minutes when Jack Caskie was challenged on the edge of the Stranraer box and had to be helped off the field following a bad head knock.

Johnny Heyes took his place. And it was Heyes and fellow sub Craig McKeand who were instrumental in the only goal of the game on 84 minutes.

McKeand started the move from right back with a marauding run into the opposition half, Heyes then received the ball after finding himself in space on the right wing and his inviting cross was missed by everyone bar Scott Milligan who had arrived at the back post to head past the keeper.

Stranraer piled the pressure on for the remainder of the game and had a great opportunity with the final kick of the game but Harry Mitchell’s header just went wide.

Over at New Abbey, Abbey Vale dropped out of the Alba Cup at the semi final stage after losing on penalties to Lochmaben.

Adrian Leybourn fired Vale into an early lead before the Burgh equalised through Jordy Atkinson from the penalty spot.

Lochmaben took the lead when Chris Newbould headed home from a corner just before halftime.

And the visiting captain Connor Graham added a third for Lochmaben following another penalty early in the second period.

But Vale fought back. The Lochmaben defender turned the ball into his own net to make it 3-2 before Lewis McKenna converted a late penalty to level the score.

Penalty kicks ensued, and the Burgh keeper Sam Henderson made two saves to secure a 4-3 shoot-out win for his side and send them to their first final in almost a decade.

On Saturday Abbey Vale are the visitors to Wilson Park as they face Lochar Thistle in the league.