Cumbernauld Colts vs BRFC
Berwick’s Lowland League Cup came to a frustrating end at Broadwood as Cumbernauld Colts produced a second half comeback to knock the Dream Team out.
Jackson Mylchreest had given Berwick the lead just before half time but goals from Keelan Adams and substitute Cole McIntyre in the final 20 minutes ended Berwick’s hopes of a first cup semi final in over 60 years.
Thomas Scobbie had hinted after the weekend defeat to East Stirlingshire that he was looking to rotate his side to rest some and give others an opportunity to get minutes and he stuck to his word, making 5 changes – Jordan Sinclair, Alex Harris, Thomas Kay, Blair Sneddon and Richard Tambwe coming in for Liam Buchanan, Jamie McCormack, Jamie Stevenson, Callum Antell and Scott Bright.
David Proctor’s Colts sit second in the Lowland League and had lost just two of their previous 15 competitive games so were always likely to be tough nut to crack for Berwick and so the early stages proved. Both sides, be it poor decision making or some residual fatigue from a long season, struggled to create any clear chances in a fairly even first half until Adams found some space on the edge of the Berwick box and curled an effort just wide.
Berwick’s first real opportunity at goal came after half an hour when Tambwe finally got a chance to attack his defender but his effort from the edge of the area was way too high. That gave Berwick a lift and, combined with some Colts sloppiness in possession, saw them create one or two openings with the best coming after Zak McKay inexplicably passed the ball to Lewis Barr in the Colts area but Barr dragged his first time effort wide of the far post.
However, with two minutes to go until half time, the game sprung into life with a moment of quality from Berwick. Cammy Graham had been largely quiet out wide but his interplay with Mylchreest saw him send the St Johnstone loanee through on goal. The Colts defence was static and the young striker showed great composure to shift the ball onto his left and just caress it past Ryan Adamson and in off the post to give the ‘Gers the lead.
It was the shot in the arm the game needed and with it being so close to half time, Proctor had a chance to get into his players which seemed to get a reaction although the first effort in vain came from Tambwe, who again slipped inside his man but this time couldn’t quite find the curl to get the ball inside the far post.
Proctor turned to his bench to bring on Graeme Holmes, Reg McLaren and Cole McIntyre and it proved to be an inspired decision as all three gave Colts more of a threat in the final third and, within ten minutes, Colts were level. Adams had been a threat from right back all night and he got in behind Sneddon and unleashed a glorious first time strike off the far post and in. It was a truly brilliant strike from the full back and there was nothing Kay could do to stop it.
Colts tails were up and McIntyre, who got the winner when the sides met in December, was causing Berwick all sorts of problems and, with just two minutes left, he provided the decisive moment. The ball was played into McIntyre in the area who got the wrong side of Harris, spinning the Berwick man before using Ellison as a screen, shooting through his legs to the near post. Kay was unsighted and, despite getting a hand to it, couldn’t stop it from finding the bottom corner. It was a heartbreaking moment for Berwick who had worked so hard but McIntyre proved to be the difference again.
Berwick didn’t look like getting an equaliser with a combination of Callum Mackay and Kay actually stopping McIntyre getting another and it means that there will be no silverware this season for Thomas Scobbie’s side.
Attention will now turn back to the remaining Lowland League games starting on Saturday with a trip to Airdrie to face Celtic B.
