Ramsay shootout penalty wins cup tie for Rangers - Kilwinning Rangers - at Thorniewood United

Saturday’s The Kilmarnock Pie West of Scotland League Cup quarter-final at Robertson Park finished 0-0 after 90 minutes, with the visitors blasting a 21st minute penalty kick over the ’Wood bar.

This spot kick had controversially been given for handball by home defender Fraser Stobie, who was only three feet away from the player who struck the ball at him.

Thorniewood – looking for a fourth Premier League scalp in this season’s competition – also came agonisingly close to winning it late on when Dillon McLauchlan’s low cross from the left evaded forward Ally Small by only a few inches.

The game went straight to penalties after 90 minutes, with ’Wood having goalkeeping coach Craig Smith between the sticks as regular number one and Player of the Year Lewis Purves was out injured.

After Stobie had failed with ’Wood’s first penalty, an effort by Rangers’ Thomas Collins was saved by Smith.

Ally Small then netted for the home team before Aldin El-Zubaidi levelled and Declan Brown missed for ’Wood when his attempt was stopped by Harry Brown.

Although Ross Gillan and Darren Bowie went on to score for the hosts, Kilwinning booked a semi-final against Darvel thanks to strikes by Ramsay, Ben Lewis and Gavin Millar which earned them a 4-3 shootout success.

"Despite the defeat the manager should be proud of the boys for the season they’ve had and the effort they put in,” said Thorniewood secretary Eddie Lynas.

"They were gutted when they came off the park because they knew that Kilwinning were there for the taking and they just couldn’t finish them off.”

Kilwinning – who were backed by a large travelling support – only had 11 players available due to the game taking place on the same day as Rangers playing Hearts in the Scottish Cup final.

Lynas stressed that Thorniewood had offered to switch the fixture to the Friday night so Kilwinning would have more players available but this suggestion was declined.