Dalbeattie Star v Wigtown & Bladnoch

SAME OLD CUP BLUES FOR TEN MAN STAR
Dalbeattie Star’s dismal cup record continued at Islecroft after they were eliminated from the SFA South Region Challenge cup by Wigtown & Bladnoch. However this was a match they controlled for the majority despite being down to ten men, but it all started to go pear shape when they visitors scored with 16 minutes left. This was a much improved performance from the last few weeks but that will be little consolation to the players and staff.
Star lined up without the suspended duo Lewis Todd and Steven Degnan and injured trio of Iain Anderson, Connor Graham and Joe Slattery, with loan signing Liam Park coming straight back into the starting XI. The home side started quickly and showed an eagerness and determination straight from the off. First chance fell to former Wigtown player Jamie McHarrie in the 8th minute but his lob from inside the box was off target. Two minutes later though Star took the lead when Tommy Muir and Stuart Cluckie went up for a ball at the corner of the six yard box and as the ball fell the Star striker was quickest to react and he turned and fired home a first time shot that gave keeper Martyn Roddie no chance. Soon after the visitors had their first effort at goal when ex Star player Lewis Dunn had an effort blocked and the rebound was fired over by Blair Dougan. But the vast majority of the play was at the other end of the park and Star soon went about searching for a second.
Muir was denied when his volley produced a fine stop from Roddie and the big keeper kept his side in the match with series of excellent stops. Ritchie Maxwell went close with a free header from a Lewis Sloan free kick and it was Sloan who slipped in a brilliant pass to Liam Park and with just the keeper to beat his effort well saved. It seemed just a matter of time before the second goal would arrive but Wigtown dug in deep as they knew as long as the kept within touching distance they were still very much in the tie.  Roddie again kept the score down to one with good saves from Muir and Park again, but with three minutes of the half remaining Wigtown were handed a huge boost when Star went down to ten men. A huge clearance from Roddie caught out the Star defence and as Dougan ran through he was challenged by Greig Thorburn who was shown a straight red card for denying a goalscoring opportunity. Some argued Thorburn got a touch on the ball but even if he didn’t Curtiss Wilson appeared to be a covering defender but unfortunately for Star, from the referee’s angle it was a sending off offence and it is his opinion alone that counts.
Star held out until the break and Danny Dunglinson came on for Lee Wells who was walking a tightrope sitting on a yellow card and there was no way Star could afford to go down to nine men. Liam Park dropped back to left back with James Baty partnering Ritchie Maxwell in the centre of defence. Despite being a man short Star continued to be the better side and still looked the more likely side to score next. In the 53rd minute that goal deservedly arrived when Sloan was fouled right at the corner of the penalty area and he whipped in a superb free kick that saw Muir rise highest in the penalty area and he scored with a powerful header from close range. This gave Star what could have been a crucial cushion but they still went out looking for more goals and soon after Sloan fired narrowly wide from the edge of the box.
However Wigtown are not top of the South league for nothing and they started to get more into the match but failed to seriously test Vinnie Parker in the Star goal. They were beginning to grow in confidence and the feeling was if they could get one goal there was every chance of them getting a second but time was starting to run out. Tommy Muir hobbled of with a hip injury in the 73rd minute and secinds later the goal that turned the match arrived. Ian Miller, who has caused Star problems over the last few years and was probably having his quietest match against them for some time, curled in a great cross from the left that was met by an excellent header from Dougan and the ball flew high past Parker giving the keeper no chance. The visitors had their tails up now and they knew if they could send the match into extra time then the ten men would surely be on their last legs. In the 79th minute Callum Scott had a great chance to equalise but he made a complete mess of his shot at the back post but with five minutes left the leveller duly arrived. Wigtown made the most of their huge height advantage and when Miller whipped in a brilliant corner to the back post, Stuart Cluckie rose highest to head home. It was always going to be tough for Star to get through from this position and perhaps their best chance would be getting to a penalty shoot-out. But with just four minutes left Ally Mason passed the ball across the six yard box and somehow the ball evaded everyone.
So the match went to extra time and Wigtown made full use of their extra man. What would be the winning goal arrived in the 98th minute and it was not without controversy. A Wigtown corner was cleared outside the box and the resultant volley came through a ruck of players that meant Parker could only parry the shot and substitute Robert Jamieson fired home the rebound. There were loud appeals for offside but the goal was given and it looked game over. Fair play to the Star boys though and they regrouped for one final push to take the game to penalties. Liam Park went close with a well struck volley that was blocked in a crowded penalty area and in the last minute of the first half Sloan had just the keeper to beat but the angle was tight and he couldn’t get enough curl on his shot and the ball went past the far post. In the second period Wigtown looked comfortable but the final word went to man of the match Martyn Roddie when he saved well from Mason with just three minutes left.
So congratulations to Wigtown and all the best in the next round and they showed that they are a good side with a number of good players. For Star it was a case of same again in this competition as they lost in extra time having played the majority of the match a man short. However on another day things could easily have turned out differently but it was perhaps a case of it was just not meant to be. Next week is a free weekend before it is back to league action with a trip to Civil Service Strollers and hopefully the walking wounded will be fit again and we will hopefully get back to winning ways.   
DALBEATTIE STAR 2         WIGTOWN & BLADNOCH 3 aet
Muir (10, 53)                      Dougan (74)
                                                Cluckie (85)
                                                Jamieson (98)   
DALBEATTIE STAR: Parker, Wilson, Thorburn, Baty, Maxwell, Wells (Dunglinson 46), Park, Fergusson (Proudlock 106), Muir (Mason 73), Sloan, McHarrie
Subs not used: Graham
Yellow Cards: Fergusson, Wells
Red Card: Thorburn (42)
WIGTOWN & BLADNOCH: Roddie, Rennie, Whorlow, Agnew (Jamieson 73), Lowe (Robertson 69), Cluckie, Jones, Scott, Dunn, Dougan (Chilton 109), Miller
Subs not used: Hoad, Rose, White
Yellow Cards: Jones, Lowe, Dunn
Ref: E Birch
Assistants: K Whalen & R Williamson