Month: September 2021

Brora Rangers 2-2 Lossiemouth

(Brora won 4-2 on penalties)

22/09/2021 – NORTH OF SCOTLAND CUP SEMI-FINAL, DUDGEON PARK, BRORA

BRORA RANGERS squeezed through to the final of the North of Scotland Cup by the narrowest of margins as they struggled past LOSSIEMOUTH at Dudgeon Park. Brora were two goals clear at half time but a late rally from the visitors sent the game to penalties, only for Lossie to stumble at the end.

Lossie started the game well and Ross Elliott kept Joe Malin busy but failed to find the opening goal, and were made to suffer as Brora woke from their slumber to steal into the lead. Andy Mackinnon rifled home to move Brora in front midway through the half, and a controversial second doubled the lead as the first half came to a close. Matthew Wright bundled the ball over the line amid suspicions of handball and offside in the build-up to the goal, but referee Gordon Seago allowed the goal to stand before giving the Lossie bench a talking to.

The weather began to deteriorate in the second period and Lossie managed to contain their hosts well before ringing the changes with half an hour to go. Brodie Allen came on for Ryan Stuart, and shortly after Fraser Forbes replaced Ryan Sewell. The two additions combined to haul Lossie back into the game, with Forbes setting up Allen just moments after coming on to leave Lossie with quarter of an hour to find a second goal. Forbes went close with a chance of his own soon after but failed to hit the target, only to redeem himself in injury time by thumping home the equaliser to send the game straight to penalties.

The shootout saw Brora again take the lead as Jordan Macrae tucked away his penalty before Liam Archibald missed the first for Lossie. Nerves crept in as Andrew Macrae fluffed his effort from twelve yards, only for Forbes to miss for Lossie. Wright and Mark Nicolson both got the better of Logan Ross, while Dean Stewart and Ross Elliott found the net for Lossie. Dale Gillespie was afforded the chance to win the tie for Brora with the ninth penalty of the shootout, and made no mistake from the spot.

Brora now go on to face Rothes in the final of the competition next month, with the showpiece game set to be played at Grant Park, Lossiemouth.

TEAMS:

BRORA RANGERS – Joe Malin; Tom Kelly, Millar Gamble, Mark Nicolson, Ally Macdonald (Josh Meekings (44); Dale GIllespie, Adam Mackinnon, Gregor Macdonald (Alisdair Sutherland (57), Andrew Macrae, Matthew Wright, Harry Hennem (Jordan Macrae (77); UNUSED SUBS – None

LOSSIEMOUTH – Logan Ross; Dean Stewart, Michael Weir, Jared Kennedy, Fergus Edwards, Liam Archibald, Ryan Sewell (Fraser Forbes (73)) Connor Macaulay, Ross Archibald, Ross Elliott, Ryan Stuart (Brodie Allen (56)); UNUSED SUBS – Lewis McAndrew, Niall Kennedy, Lewis Mullen, Robert Bruce, Oliver Kelly

GOALS:

BRORA RANGERS – Andy Mackinnon (32), Matthew Wright (43)
LOSSIEMOUTH – Brodie Allen (75), Fraser Forbes (90+)

REFEREE – Gordon Seago

Lossiemouth 0-3 Preston Athletic

18/09/2021 – SCOTTISH CUP FIRST ROUND – GRANT PARK, LOSSIEMOUTH

Hopes of a run deep into the Scottish Cup were dashed once again by a side from the Lothians as Preston Athletic eased past the Coasters at Grant Park. Two first half goals from Marc Molloy did for Lossie, while a thin decision to disallow a Lossie goal in the first period did nothing for the morale of the home support. The hosts rallied in the second half but a last-minute goal from substitute Kieran Jack put the tin lid on another Scottish Cup defeat for Lossie.

Lossie now head north to face Brora Rangers in the semi-final of the North of Scotland Cup this coming Wednesday, with the incentive of playing Rothes in the final at Grant Park should they win at Dudgeon Park.

TEAMS:

LOSSIEMOUTH – Logan Ross; Ross Archibald, Michael Weir (Fraser Forbes (83)), Dean Stewart, Lewis McAndrew (Jared Kennedy (46)), Liam Archibald, Ryan Sewell, Ross Morrison, Ross Elliott, Ryan Stuart, Brodie Allen (Fergus Edwards (46)); UNUSED SUBS – Connor Macaulay, Niall Kennedy, James Leslie, Oliver Kelly

PRESTON ATHLETIC – Craig Pennycuick; Kai Austin, Craig Innes, Matthew O’Connor, Thomas Prior, Ethan Williams, Marc Molly (Nathan Stokes (82)), Paul Currie, Jonathan Grotlin, Brandon Archibald (Michael Hamilton (75)), Kyle Somers (Kieran Jack (87)); UNUSED SUBS – Marc Forsyth, Rory Young, Macaulay Woodcock, Stevan McCole, Thomas McLean

GOALS:

PRESTON ATHLETIC – Marc Molly (10, 34), Kieran Jack (89)

REFEREE – Ross Anderson (sic)

Lossiemouth v Preston Athletic – Match Preview

18/09/2021 – SCOTTISH CUP FIRST ROUND, GRANT PARK, LOSSIEMOUTH

Lossiemouth welcome East of Scotland League First Division Conference B side Preston Athletic to Grant Park this coming weekend for their first competitive meeting as the two face off in the first round of the 2021/22 Scottish Cup. The Coasters go into the game on a high on consecutive wins and clean sheets and are searching for their first Scottish Cup victory since disposing of Newton Stewart in 2009.

The Panners will arrive in the north after a fine start to their league season. So far, Preston have played 8 league fixtures, winning 6 while drawing once and losing once. The defeat came at home to Edinburgh South, while they played out a goalless draw with fellow title contenders Glenrothes. Preston have won all three of their away league fixtures this season.

FORM (MOST RECENT RESULT FIRST)…

LOSSIEMOUTH – WWLLLW, GF 9, GA 7
PRESTON ATHLETIC – WWWLWW, GF 15, GA 4

CLUB COLURS

Home kit – all blue; away kit – all red

ABOUT…

Preston Athletic was formed as a by-product of the mining community of Prestonpans when the miners of Preston Grange and Preston Links gave a penny out of their wages every week to keep it going. Preston Athletic first took the field as a junior football club in season 1945/46. The players and committee came almost entirely from the local mining community of Prestonpans, and the club took over the pitch vacated by the recently defunct Prestongrange Rovers.

Keeping their close links with mining, the club moved in 1950 to a more suitable pitch at Preston Links Park. This period was probably the best in the club’s history when large crowds were attracted to the games. The club found itself on the move again in the early 1960’s and eventually settled at its present home, Pennypit Park. The park was built on the site of the former Penny Pit, one of the oldest mines in the area, although by this time few players were miners.

Several honours were gained at the club, most in the 1940s and 50s, the most recent being the Alex Jack Cup in season 94/95, when Craigroyston were defeated in the final.

The club turned senior in 1994 when it was accepted as a member of the East of Scotland Football League. In 1995 the club was accepted as a member of The Scottish Football Association. During season 1999/2000 Preston applied for one of the two vacant Scottish Football League position but were rejected in favour of Peterhead and Elgin City.

Preston Athletic were founder members of the Lowland League in 2013/14 and took part in the league until the end of the 2016/17 season, when they were relegated to the East of Scotland League.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS…

None

SCOTTISH CUP HISTORY

Preston have participated in the Scottish Cup since the 2002/03 season and made their cup debut at home to Hamilton Academical in December 2002, losing 0-1 at Pennypit Park. The Panners won their first Scottish Cup tie in the 2005/06 edition of the competition when they ousted Stenhousemuir in the first round, before losing to Brechin City.

The Panners have gone on to face northern opposition in the Scottish Cup on a number of occasions, losing to Golspie, Fort William and Nairn County, while knocking Huntly, Fort and Nairn out of the competition. Ominously, their three wins against SHFL opposition have all come while playing away from home.

Preston qualified for the first round of the current edition of the competition after beating Threave Rovers in the preliminary round back in August.

LAST SEASON IN THE SCOTTISH CUP…

PRELIMINARY ROUND TWO

Lothian Thistle 4-4 LOSSIEMOUTH (AET; 3-3 after 90 minutes; Lothian Thistle won 4-2 on penalties) 
PRESTON ATHLETIC 3-2 Hawick Royal Albert

FIRST ROUND

Stenhousemuir 4-1 PRESTON ATHLETIC

Sourced from Wikipedia, and the Preston Athletic club website, which you can visit here – www.prestonathletic.co.uk