SHIRE 0 DUNDEE UNITED 4

Beaten but not disgraced was a fair summing up after Shire exited the Homecoming Scottish Cup at the hands of S-P-L form team Dundee United.

Jim McInally’s men certainly had their moments at windswept Ochilview but they were outdone by more clinical opponents.

They got over the disappointment of losing an early goal to give as good as they got in the first half but two strikes from the visitors in the final five minutes of the opening period was their undoing. The only United goal in the second half came via the penalty spot.

Shire gave a long-awaited debut in goal to under-19 keeper Jamie Newman while Eddie Forrest was welcomed back to the team after missing the 3-0 defeat against Stenhousemuir through suspension.

A bigger surprise was the return of Colin Cramb to the starting eleven, making it  a rather adventurous 4-3-3, although given the quality of the SPL opposition it was more likely Brian Graham and Andy Rodgers would spend most of their time in midfield making things a more realistic 4-5-1.

United had to do without their skipper Lee Wilkie, who was suspended and star man Scott Robertson was left out through injury. One man who did make the United starting side was Johnny Russell who scored twice for Forfar Athletic against Shire in their 3-0 victory at Ochilview in  August while on loan from Tannadice.

Cramb felt the full force of a Darren Dods challenge in the second minute and David Dunn tried his luck with the resulting free-kick from fully 40 yards, not a bad ploy with a gale force wind at his back, but his effort went wide.

Two minutes later Shire had a glorious chance to take the lead when Craig Donaldson’s pass released Cramb but the striker’s attempted lob from the edge of the box was just too high.

Shire got an indication of just how dangerous  United could be after six minutes when Flood got clear down the left and crossed for the unmarked Daly who shot high and wide from ten yards. Newman got his first taste of the action not long after, racing from his goal to challenge Russell but the visiting winger still got his shot away although Forrest cleared off the line.

The teenage Shire keeper got a reassuring first save on 12 minutes after getting down well to clutch cleanly after Flood’s shot from the edge of the six yard box. United’s Prince Bauben then tried his luck from long range but his effort went well over the bar.

But, having found his range, the Ghanaian midfielder was more accurate on 15 minutes, taking a pass from Daly to shoot the visitors into the lead with a low shot from the 18 yard  line.

Shire created another great chance on 19 minutes. Donaldson’s in-swinging corner was half cleared as far as Rodgers but the shot, although drilled with power, flew just wide of Zaluska’s left-hand post.

After 30 minutes Dunn had another attempt at a wind-assisted 40 yard free-kick which was deflected wide for a corner. Dunn took the flag kick himself and Graham got his head to it but could only direct it into the side net.

Two minutes later Paul Hay’s ball into the box found Michael Bolochoweckyj who juggled with it before shaving the outside of the post from six yards.

But Shire’s good spell was brought to an end five minutes before the interval when the Shire defence failed to deal with a Dixon corner kick and Dods got a free header from six yards to leave Newman no chance.

That led to some sustained pressure and on 43 minutes Dillon’s cross from the right was headed home by Daly from eight yards with the home defence again posted missing.

At the start of the second half United were happy to stroke the ball about and make Shire do lots of chasing but Russell took matters into his own hands in 54 minutes racing into the box past a poor challenge from Bolochoweckyj which forced Craig Tully to bring him down. Russell took the penalty himself, low to Newman’s left and just inside the post.

Jim McInally took off Colin Cramb and brought on Marc McKenzie and dropped Tully back into defence in a bid to put up a stronger barrier on the Shire goal. The swirling wind wasn’t making things easy for either team although Bauben tried to take advantage of the gale with a shot from distance that flew wide.

Graham was injured after a clash of heads with Dods but was able to continue with the help of a bandage applied by Iain McIver. Dods couldn’t continue, though, and was replaced by Danny Grainger. And Graham had a decent chance on 70 minutes, challenging Zaluska for Donaldson’s cross but just failing to poke the ball past the keeper.

In injury-time Graham fed McKenzie on the edge of the box and his shot on the turn stung the palms of the United keeper. Then the visitors had one last chance to make it 5-0 but Daly’s shot was brilliantly saved by Newman’s outstretched leg.

Shire : Newman, Hay, Dunn, Forrest, Bolocholweckyj, Tully, Graham, Donaldson, Cramb, Ure, Rodgers

Dundee United : Zaluska, Dillon, Dixon, Conway, Dods, Flood, Kenneth, Bauben, Daly, Gomis, Russell

Referee : M. Tumilty

Attendance : 2,153