Cup hopes crumble as Thistle pay the penalty

Forres Thistle 4 Islavale 4 (Vale won 5-4 on pens)

There was more late heartache for Forres Thistle on Saturday as they let a 4-2 lead against ten men slip in the final few minutes before going out of the Morrison Cup on penalties.

Another promising display came to nothing in the end but there is a growing feeling that someone, soon is going to be on the wrong end of a hiding.

Thistle threatened early on when a good cross in from Aaron Maclennan was just missed by the head of John Ross while at the other end David Blackhall shot just over the bar.

The home side troubled again on ten minus when Scott Roy headed Callum Gemmell’s free-kick at goal. Soon after another Roy was shot cleared off the line by Macdonald, the rebound fell back to the striker but his shot hit the side netting.

The pressure continued to build, Matty Fraser had a header fly just over bar and John Ross also cleared the cross bar with an effort before the breakthrough arrived on the half-hour mark. Scott Roy turned his marker in the left hand corner of the box before curling a perfect shot into the far corner of the net.

The Keith outfit equalised minutes later though. A mix up in the home defence at a corner gave Paul Lamberton the opportunity to finish, and he slammed the ball home to make it 1-1.

However, Forres’ lead was regained before half-time when a 25 yard free-kick by Gemmell sailed into the far corner of the net. Forres looked to have secured a spot in the next round five minutes into the second-half when Gemmell’s shot from 18 yards squirmed through the legs of Robertson.

It went from bad to worse for Vale with twenty minutes remaining, as Islavale’s Mackay was shown a red card for his second booking of the game. Blackhall gave his side a lifeline when he headed a high ball into the box beyond Bremner to make it 3-2.

When Thistle restored their two-goal cushion, their progression appeared certain as Mark MacPhee’s shot was saved by Robertson, before falling back into the path of Craig Daley who returned a low shot into the net.

Vale lost another player when Collins was showed a straight red card. However remarkably the nine-men fought back with a late two-goal salvo to stun Forres and take the game to penalties. Moments after Blackhall had been denied by Bremner, the striker was on hand to head home a cross from the left and make it 4-3. Incredibly just moments later, another high ball saw Blackhall alive to the situation and he sent the ball past Bremner to make it 4-4.

The game subsequently went to penalty kicks, with both sides missing one from the first round of five through Daley for Forres and Hector for Vale. Vale won the tie however when Craig Cormack netted their sixth and Simon Bremner’s pen was saved in the sudden death kicks.

Forres entertain Lossiemouth United in the league this weekend.

Forres Thistle: S Bremner, A Mackintosh, A McIvor (M Macphee), S Lawson, M Milne, C Gemmell, A Maclellan, J Ross, S Roy, M Fraser, C Daley Subs: D McIvor, , R Gerard, C Beck, D McCulloch

Islavale: P Robertson, D Stewart, M Hector, K Mackay, P Lamberton, D Christie, B Macdonald, K Collins, D Blackhall, P Winton, D Cormack Subs: C Cormack, R McPherson, G Shand, G Cowie, D Moir