Ardagh Glass Sectional League Cup

  Dunipace 2 - 2 Kirkintilloch Rob Roy  

Dunipace: Mullen (10), Pincombe (35)
Rob Roy: Feroz (25 pen), (90 pen)

With the pre-season preparations complete the opening fixture of the annual sectional League Cup brought local rivals Kirkintilloch Rob Roy to Westfield for the first competitive fixture of the new season.

Home debuts for Stefan McCurlay, Danny Brown and Ross Donald, as well as the return to the club of Ricky Buchanan, Craig Reid and Chris Cairney, gave the Pace team an unfamiliar look from the one that ended last season, reflecting the coming and goings at Westfield over the summer.

Much is expected of this new crop of Pace players and as far as opening fixtures go, there was certainly plenty to indicate why so many are so hopeful for the season ahead.

Dunipace, as has been the case during the majority of their pre-season, looked to pass the ball from the off while pressing their visitors high up the park. And with the pace they now possess in the wide areas Dunipace caused the Roy problems almost from the outset.

In fact, it took only 10 minutes for the first goal of the season and it was an excellent one at that.

The impressive Brown linked with Wright on the right flank, and the wide man left the full back for dead before he delivered a wonderful cross to the back post, where new Pace Skipper Kevin Mullen powered his header beyond the keeper from 12 yards.

Dunipace continued to put pressure on the visitors defence following the goal, with both Mullen and Donald trying their luck from distance but seeing their efforts fly wide of goal before Pincombe hit the side net from a Cairney cut-back following more excellent play involving McCafferty, Wright and Brown.

Defensively Dunipace were coping well with what Rob Roy were throwing at them, with only a few high balls into the box causing any concern as the majority of the game was being played in front of them.

They did have a scare though on 20 minutes when the Rabs wide man snuck in behind Buchanan as the ball that looked to be sailing out. McCurlay in goal though, who had been a virtual spectator until this point, reacted well to save low at his near post before Oates completed the clearance.

It was a warning for Dunipace that despite having the majority of possession and the better of the play, their opponents were still dangerous, particularly when the Westfield side had on a couple of occasions surrendered possession in dangerous areas of the park.

And it was this that was to prove their downfall as the visitors stole the ball midway inside the Pace half, catching the majority of the Pace team ahead of the play. As the ball was played into the feet of the striker six yards out he went down over McCurlay who was trying to smother the ball and the official pointed at the spot.

Without doubt the striker was looking for the penalty, having kicked the ball out for a goal kick before going over under the keepers challenge. It did however look to have been the right call and it would certainly be one that Dunipace would have been asking for had it been at the other end.

Feroz dusted himself off and coolly slotted the spot kick low to the keepers right to make it 1 - 1.

Far from being discouraged by this Dunipace again looked to get at the visitors, creating a couple of half chances before they took the lead again on 35 minutes.

Oates played a long ball forward and Pincombe managed to get in front of the defender to make it awkward. This allowed Cairney to nip in front of his marker from the bouncing ball and nod back into the path of Pincombe who casually chipped the keeper from 18 yards.

Another excellent finish to make it 2 - 1 Dunipace, which is how it stayed until the break.

Into the second half and Rob Roy threw on ex Dunipace Player Paul Tweedie in an effort to get back into the game. And it almost paid immediate dividends as Tweedie's physical presence allowed his strike partner a free header from 6 yards out.

McCurlay though was equal to it and produced a fantastic save low to his right to keep Dunipace ahead and from this point it was the home side who looked to extend their lead.

Wright was unlucky with a header that dropped just over the bar with the keeper helpless and Brown saw a strike sail just wide from outside the area. Pincombe was felled just outside the box as he broke against the defender and from the resulting free kick Pace went close to extending the lead.

Wright was unlucky with a poor offside call from a Moodie through ball before Mullen nutmegged the full back and cut back to Cairney who just couldn't put the brakes on enough to get the shot away.

But with time running out, Dunipace failing to extend their lead despite good play and chances created and last years Injury time Rob Roy Fiasco in mind, it was a nervous closing to the game for the Pace fans.

And sure enough, in injury time, the Rob Roy Jinx struck again as the official awarded a second penalty to the visitors as Buchanan was adjudged to have pulled the striker to the floor.

From the side it was clear that the front man had played the official, backing into Buchanan who fell with the striker falling over on top of him claiming the foul. And from a Dunipace perspective it was made all the more infuriating that the alleged infringement had come from a free kick awarded in the Roy half for offside as Moodie was played through the middle at least a couple of yards onside.

None-the-less Feroz once again picked himself up and dispatched the penalty into the same corner for 2 - 2.

With the official looking at his watch the Pace did manage to create one more chance of winning the game, Cairney playing a delightful ball into the path of young Mikey Kane, who had left his marker treading water yards behind.

As the keeper rushed out Kane tried to lift it over him and into the net, but the angle was against him and the ball sailed wide.

So 2 - 2 the final score, but that didn't really tell the story of a game in which Dunipace will feel aggrieved, on the balance of play and chances created, not to have taken all 3 points. However, with their opposition being 2 leagues above it certainly underlined the potential that exists within this Dunipace squad.

Dunipace will be eager to continue in this vain throughout the League cup campaign and, when the important business of the League proper starts in 3 weeks time give themselves a platform to go on and have a successful season. On this evidence, thats what all Pace fans will be hoping for.

Dunipace: McCurlay, Brown, Buchanan, Reid, Oates, Donald, Wright (O'Brien 90), McCafferty ( Moodie 70), Pincombe ( Kane 80), Cairney, Mullen
Rob Roy: Wilson, Carter (Tweedie 50), Sheridan, Morrison, McGreor, Carberry, McKay (Dunlop 80), Sinclair, Feroz, McClune (Gow 75), Martins