Pumpherston 1-2 Kennoway Star H

An injury crisis along with one or two other absences for other reasons had decimated the squad with eleven signed players unavailable.

With cup rules not allowing trialists to play, the only option was to try and sign amateur and under 19s .

Two from Greig Park Rangers, three from Kennoway Ams and two from East Fife under 19s were assembled.

With three of the back four making their debuts it was only Doig who was a regular starter, Doyle, Lawson and Sneddon made up the defence.

Midfield saw ex KSH midfielder McAllister back in the role he excelled in previously.

Up front Davidson linked up with Bryce. Allan and Gilbert were on the bench alongside the management duo and a half fit D Muir.

On a pitch the size of Hampden it was going to be big ask for a team thrown together to topple high flying Pumpherston, a team who had romped their league by a massive sixteen points.

Doig picked up a booking with one mis-timed tackle that would come back to haunt him later in the game.

KSH created the best passing move of the first half with Craig and Davidson combining before the latter played a deft pass into the path of Bryce who slid in and hit the ball inches wide of the post.

Minutes later a shot from Craig was cleared off the goal line.

Doig was to receive a second yellow then red after a foul on a Pumpherston striker.

McAllister dropped back in to central defence with D Muir replacing youngster Davidson as manager Byers tweaked the system.

The ten men looked solid in their defensive approach and always a threat on the counter with R.Muir and Craig looking to support Bryce at every opportunity.

Youngster Watson was finding space in the middle of the park as the game started to open up.

A ball was flicked on by Bryce allowing Craig to scamper through on goal before prodding the ball past the `keeper from the edge of the area.

Pumpherston were looking to play the diagonal at every chance as the overloaded the forward areas.

Resolute defending from the new boys was backed up by some fine goalkeeping.

With eleven minutes left Pumpherston grabbed an equaliser as dangerman McRitchie pounced to score his 35th goal of the season.

The final ten minutes saw KSH soak up the pressure but create chances with a quick transition of play.

Watson broke from the middle of the park and had options either side before feeding R Muir who saw his shot blocked.

With three minutes remaining another quick counter saw Watson feed Liam Craig wide on the right, the wide man managed to advance in the pox before firing in a low shot that could only be parried by Shaw, thankfully for the away side R Muir was on hand to gleefully knock home the rebound.

The drama was not over though as the referee played six minutes injury time, with almost the last attack of the game an outrageous acrobatic scissor kick from Murray saw Paterson save the day for KSH.

Kennoway: Paterson, Doyle, Doig, Lawson, Sneddon, Craig, Watson, McAllister, R.Muir, Bryce, Davidson.

Subs: Allan, Templeman, D.Muir, Gilbert, Byers.

Next game is at home to Lochee Utd on Saturday, May 25 at 2.30pm.