Gartcairn FC

Gartcairn FC 5-2 Tayport FC

Scottish Junior Cup 2nd round

25/9/21

MTC Park

Photos by Ryan Masheder.


Tayport crashed out of the Scottish Junior Cup on Gartcairn FC’s 4G pitch in Airdrie after being caught out by the home team’s explosive start to the game when they opened the scoring inside a minute. Gary Thain had done well to block a shot but Sinclair fired home the loose ball from the edge of the box.

After struggling in the early stages, Tayport gradually came more into the game and Robertson had a chance, only to be denied by the home keeper. There was a further setback, however, on the half hour mark when a defensive slip gave McNeil a clear run in on goal to put Gartcairn 2-0 in front. It was an energetic performance by the home side but openings were coming Tayport’s way and a good run from Shaw set up McCabe but his effort was well off target

There was a disastrous start to the second period with Tayport losing a goal inside a minute of the restart. The ball was bobbing around in the Tayport penalty area before it fell to McNeil who provided a clinical finish. Gartcairn were moving the ball about quickly and always offering a threat. Tayport, though, were looking brighter but in 55 minutes they were further behind and it was another cheaply conceded goal, McNeil picking up a loose ball to beat Thain and thus complete his hat trick.

Within a minute Tayport had pulled a goal back when a good run and pass from White set up substitute Keiran Sturrock to beat Hutchison with a powerful shot from 15 yards. The chances were falling Tayport’s way now and Robertson robbed a defender to set up Ritchie but he couldn’t beat the keeper.

In 66 minutes substitute Ferns took advantage of Tayport’s dithering in midfield to run through unchallenged to net No.5. The scoring was completed in 79 minutes with probably the best goal of the game. Good play between substitutes Dorovic and Sturrock combined to set up Robertson to finally get on the scoresheet.

Tayport, who failed to recover from losing a goal so early in the start of both halves, were well served by youngsters Ewan White and Louis Joyce while substitutes Daniel Dorovic and Keiran Sturrock boosted Tayport’s attacking threat against experienced opponents, a side clearly comfortable at home on their artificial playing surface.


Tayport : G Thain; L.Joyce, C.Sturrocck, B.Ness, J.Hume, R.Ritchie, E.White, R.Paterson (K.Sturrock), D.Robertson, J.McCabe, L.Shaw (D.Dorovic)