After two months without a competitive fixture, Tayport were at last back in action this weekend, emerging from cold storage to claim victory in the much-postponed Emirates Scottish Junior Cup tie against Renfrew.
‘Port could not have had a better start to the match, scoring the opening goal inside two minutes. Striker Grant Manzie chased a simple ball through the heart of the ‘Frew defence and shoot towards goal, from the edge of the box. Advancing home ‘keeper Dean Sexton blocked the effort, but the ball seemed to canon back of Manzie and fly past Sexton before rolling over the line.
Thereafter, Renfrew began to exert some pressure, with midfielder David Gray the main architect. He tested Frazer Fitzpatrick from distance and was central to most of the home attacks.
Tayport did come close to a second goal, on 37 minutes, when Stuart Ferguson unleashed a dipping left-footed volley which thundered off the underside of the bar and Grant Manzie headed the rebound over the top.
The hosts won several corners towards the end of the half, but were fortunate to be awarded the one which really counted. Gray fired in a shot which fizzed wide of the target, without appearing to touch a Tayport player. The visitors were not impressed by that decision, but worse was to follow.
As the ball swung to the far post, it bounced and hit Scott Hunter on the side of the body. From the angle at which he was looking, the referee could not have had a clear view of the incident and a crowd of players blocked his view anyway. Nonetheless, on hearing the shouts of the Renfrew players, he confidently pointed to the spot. Gray tucked away the penalty,
in the 45th minute, and the teams went in level at the break.
‘Port did most of the pressing in the second half and their endeavour was rewarded on 63 minutes. Skipper Roberto Morris, playing in a midfield role, suddenly found space in the Renfrew box and, as he bore down on goal, he dummied the ‘keeper, took the ball on another couple of yards and stroked home what proved to be the winner.
In the latter stages, Lee Bryce had a goal rightly disallowed for offside while, at the other end, Gray, Clinton Maxwell and Neil Shearer all tried their luck from outside the box. Frazer Fitzpatrick, however, was untroubled and ‘Port comfortably advanced to the last sixteen.
