League: Scottish Cup

ST MIRREN                        3        OBIKA (2), MULLEN

BROXBURN   ATHLETIC   0

St Mirren Hiadky , Waters , McCarthy (Andreu 67m) , Magennis , Flynn , Obika , Durmus (Mullen 60m)  , Foley , Morias , Fameo , MacPherson ( McGrath 60m) . subs McGinn , Cooke , Erthalon , Lyness

Referee David Munro   Assistants  Mr D. Potter , Mr. C.Drummond

attendance  4372

St Mirren booked their place in the Fifth Round of the William Hill Scottish Cup with a deserved 3-0 win over Broxburn Athletic.

After a goalless first-half, Jon Obika opened the scoring in 54 minutes to finally make the breakthrough.

Two goals in the closing minutes from Danny Mullen and Obika put the seal on the win as Saints saw off the stubborn East of Scotland League side.

It took until the final few moments to wrap up the match, but it could have been a more comfortable afternoon had the Buddies opened the scoring with a chance inside the first 60 seconds. Calum Waters low ball across the box was laid on a plate for Obika who didn’t catch the shot well enough and clipped over the bar.

The Buddies asserted themselves in the opening stages and had the vast majority of possession and territory. Junior Morias curled into the arms of Broxburn goalkeeper Connor Wallace with eight minutes played, while Ilkay Durmus dragged an effort wide on 15 minutes.

Obika sent a tame effort into the arms of Wallace on 22 minutes after a neat exchange with Morias and really should have had Saints ahead three minutes later. Morias charged down the left-hand side and slide the ball across the area where both Obika and Durmus were waiting. The former got a toe onto the ball but it somehow creeped centimetres wide of the post. The English forward then headed past the same post just after the half-hour mark.

For all the dominance Saints were failing to make Broxburn goalkeeper Wallace work, but that would change after the interval with the goalkeeper making a good stop to deny captain Kyle Magennis on 50 minutes.

Durmus should have had St Mirren ahead two minutes later but somehow smashed wide from eight yards.

Thankfully, the wait for the breakthrough only lasted another two minutes with Obika opening the scoring on 54 minutes. It was a scrappy goal for Broxburn to lose with a low Waters effort coming off an unfortunate Broxburn defender and ricocheting off Obika into the net.

The Buddies fitness told after that and only heroics from Wallace kept the scoreline down. The goalkeeper made terrific saves to deny Morias twice, while he did well to push away a Mullen volley. Arguably the pick of the bunch came when he denied Jamie McGrath a debut goal on 79 minutes. The Irishman curled towards the far corner from the edge of the area with Wallace at full stretch to tip the ball round the post.

Wallace would make further saves in the final 10 minutes to stop Obika and Morias attempts, but Saints finally added a second to secure their place in tomorrow’s Fifth Round draw with Mullen curling home from 20 yards.

Mullen then turned provider a minute later when he slammed the ball across the ball to meet the chest of Obika to put the icing on the cake for the Buddies.

INVERURIE LOCO’S            0

BROXBURN ATHLETIC       1    MILLER

Inverurie loco’s   Reid , Souter , Mitchell , Burnett ( Michie 85m) , Watson , Broadhurst , Dingwall , Hunter , Gauld (Angus 72m) , Smith , Stott ( McLean 78m ) subs  Cook , Reid , Watt , Cooper .

Referee  Mr C. Scott . Assistants  Mr C. Philips ,Mr C. Drummond

attendance 1171

With so much at stake for the winners  the game started cautiously for both clubs .With relentless rain and a soft park no one wanted to make a mistake today .Gordon Donaldson made the first effort on goals in the 8th minute when he got down the left but shot well wide right . Inverurie sent a free kick into the box on ten minutes which was headed clear of the danger area . A minute later Nicholas Locke sent a shot wide of the target . Ryan Stott made Connor Wallace pull of a great save on 13 minutes . On 15 minutes Locke made another incisive run down his left before shooting just past the right hand post . Both teams were giving their all now and at the other end Jonathan Smith tested the conditions and Wallace with a low shot that the keeper dealt with comfortably . A minute later Andrew Hunter turned and shot from 20 yards out past the left hand post . Over half an hour into the game  when Jack Beesley saw a free kick saved . Wallace pulled of another save from Andrew Hunter . The final chance of the half came on 38 minutes when Calum Dingwall saw ashot blocked and cleared

The second half was to start in monsoon conditions and Neil Gauld was first try an effort on 49 minutes but his effort went wide left . Four minutes later Miller made a good run and saw his shot well saved by Andrew Reid in the home goal . On the hour mark a ball into the box was cleared out and it fell to Calum Dingwall who saw his effort go well over . A let off for the home side when Miller had an effort on goals cleared off the line on  69 minutes . Nicholas Locke set up Craig Scott on the hour mark and his shot was deflected for a corner that came to nothing . Ross Nimmo carved an opening a minute later with his final shot deflected for a corner .  Substitute Christopher Angus  saw his shot saved by Wallace after initial parry as the sub  homed in on the loose ball .  The winning goal came on 84 minutes when a good move set up ALEXANDER MILLER about twenty yards out where he made space before sent a dipping shot over the helpless Reid to the delight of the  delirious huge travelling support . When the final whistle went it sparked huge scenes of celebration with supporters and players who had endured terrible conditions to both watch and play the game in .

COWDENBEATH                   1  COX

BROXBURN ATHLETIC         1   LOCKE

Cowdenbeath  Henderson  , Mullen , Pyper , Todd , Barr , Miller , Cox , Buchanan  , Allan , Thomas , Taylor

subs Valentine , Swann  , Sneddon  , Pollock  , Whyte , Easton , Glass  none used

Referee Mr Chris Graham     assistants   Mr C. McCalpine  , Mr F.Bushell

attendance  767

Broxburn started this cup tie as underdogs but quickly showed they were not just there to make up the numbers . On three minutes Cammie Ross got into the box and forced Sam Henderson into an early save . The same player three minutes later saw a shot blocked by the defence . With eight minutes gone Alexander Miller got down the left and his ball in was headed clear for a corner .The corner into the box came out to Ross who shot over the bar . Cowdenbeath went on the attack in 15 minutes when Robert Buchanan saw an effort blocked for a corner by Gordon Donaldson . Five minutes later a ball into the back post from the left saw David Cox head goalward but Connor Wallace saved comfortably . Ross saw a shot blocked and cleared on 26 minutes . With half an hour gone Greg Binnie sent Nicholas Locke away wide on the right and he saw his shot agonisingly swing just wide left of the goals . Broxburn all most shot their selves in the foot when a pass back to wallace was miskicked but the big keeper recovered to clear before Jordan Allan could capitalize on the error . With half time approaching Jamie Todd saw a header go wide for the hosts .Robert Buchanan got into the box on the right but shot left of the goals . In the last minute A free kick into the box was headed clear by Shaun Harrison for a corner .The corner in fell to Archie Thomas who fired over the bar .

A free kick after three minutes into the box found the head of Gordon Donaldson but Henderson saved his effort .A minute later Harrison slipped on the right hand side allowing Buchanan  to get past him but his ball into the box found no one . Miller saw a shot on nine minutes deflected for a corner . Broxburn though they had taken the lead on 55 minutes when a ball into the box from the right found Alexander Miller who bullited his header into the net but was offside when he did so ., Cowdenbeath’s Jamie Todd made Wallace look lively when heading goalward and the big keeper tipped the effort over the bar at full stretch . cameron Ross and Gordon Donaldson worked well to force a good save at the second attempt from Henderson . Graham Taylor created a chance on 65 minutes but wallace saved easily . The hosts took the lead on 74 minutes when a long throw into the box found DAVID COX in room to scissor kick the ball high into the net despite the best effort’s of Wallace to stop it . Broxburn pressed for the equaliser and a ball into the box was cleared as far as Donaldson who shot wide . At the other end broxburn’ defence had to look lively to clear an attack . Ross put a great ball into Nicholas Locke who’s header went wide . .The visitors were not to be denied and NICHOLAS LOCKE gathered the ball on the left hand side of the box with two minutes remaining and swanned his way passed the home defence before firing home through a congested six yard box to the delight of the huge support Broxburn had taken to Central park . With no more scoring it is now down to a replay at the Albyn park next Saturday the 26th October with a 3pm kick off .