NEWTON STEWART 1 THREAVE ROVERS 3

John McNaught reporting from Blairmount Park

This League Cup First round tie was an exciting contest between two teams determined to play good football with the inexperience of the home side coupled with some poor luck leading to their eventual downfall against a much more experienced Threave Rovers.

The home side started the better of the two sides and after four minutes play keeper Benson had to be alert to stop striker Calum Dunn from scoring following some good work by winger Willie Cloy. Andrew McEwan was next to test the Threave keeper but again the stopper was equal to McEwans goal scoring effort. The young Newton side were proving a handful for the experienced Threave defence and when the home side won a corner on the right McEwan rose head and shoulders above the defence to head an unstoppable header into the visitors net.  This was no more or less than Newton deserved as they had been the better of the two sides in the opening exchanges.

It took to almost the half hour mark for Threave to come close when a Sam Warren corner on the right was almost forced into the net by Andrew Donley at the near post but was well defended and finished up the wrong side of the upright. A couple of minutes later though the visitors did level the match when  the flight of a hopeful ball from the left deceived the home defence and fell to Donley who made no mistake from twelve yards out. Five minutes later Threave took the lead when following a goalmouth scramble the ball entered the net via a deflection of Sean Milligan for a goal which was really very unlucky for the home side and sent them in at the break a goal behind.

Threave became livelier in the second half after the introduction of substitute Grant Middlemass ex Queen of the South player to the play.   In almost the youngsters first attempt on goal it took a great goal line clearance from Martin Walsh to stop the visitors going further ahead. Twenty minutes from the end of play a poor defensive clearance landed favourably for MIddlemass but his weak shot was easily dealt with by Newton keeper Dale Leith.  The youngster was not to be denied though and although Newton were giving as good as they got his dipping shot from twenty yards entered the net over the outstretched arms of the home keeper to seemly put the game beyond the home side with only thirteen minutes to the end of the match. 

Newton Stewart had claims for a first half penalty turned away when Gary Smith was brought down but ten minutes from time there was no denying an award when Smith was again caught by keeper Benson inside the penalty box as he burst through on goal.  Substitute Jamie McKie stepped up to the mark but his effort from the spot was saved by the keeper as he dived to his left to pull off a save.  This other piece of bad luck for the home side gave the visitors the lift that they needed to see the game out and although there were other efforts on goal by both sides there were no more goals and the game ended three goals to one in favour of the visitors from Castle Douglas.

This match was closer as the scoreline suggests and as Newton Stewarts season progresses and the new players blend into the side they can look to pull of some good results if they continue to perform like they did in this match against the South Champions. Threave Rovers on the other hand have almost the team that they had last season and blend well together but will know that they had to be at their best particularly in the second half to come through this match unscathed. 

Newton Stewart had some very good players throughout this match with Graeme Blain being their man of the match.

Newton Stewart; Leith, Walsh, Beggs, Blain, Richardson, Fisher, Smith, Sean Tazylor, McEwan, Dunn, Cloy; Subs; Henry, Williamson , Wilson, McKie and McCulloch.

Threave Rovers; Benson, Wilby, Kerr, Patterson, Fingland, Struthers, Dunglinson, Nicol, Donley, Milligan, Warren; Subs; P. Middlemass, G. MIddlemass, Walker and Adams.

Referee- Derek Stocks.

Attendance - 70