Rossvale stun Cumnock in Scottish Junior Cup upset

New manager David Gormley is off to a flier as Rossvale boss after a stunning Scottish Junior Cup second round victory at Cumnock.
Rossvale rose to the occasion with a fine Scottish Junior Cup win at Cumnock (pic: Alison Scott)Rossvale rose to the occasion with a fine Scottish Junior Cup win at Cumnock (pic: Alison Scott)
Rossvale rose to the occasion with a fine Scottish Junior Cup win at Cumnock (pic: Alison Scott)

Two goals from Del McNab broke the hearts of the home team on the day they held a minute’s silence in memory of their former Scottish Cup winning manager Willie McKinley.

As early as the first minute Vale should have been ahead when Tony Higgins was put through one on one with keeper Ally Semple, but the ball got stuck between his feet, allowing Semple to dive and get the ball away to safety.

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Three minutes later a Sean Higgins free-kick to the back post found McNab sliding in but he couldn’t control it and it went past the post.

Cumnock winger Chris Campbell forced a save from Jamie Donnelly low down at near post.

Rossvale tried the direct route on 15 minutes when Donnelly’s long ball was headed on by Tony Higgins to McNab whose shot brought out an excellent save from Semple.

Vale’s hard work finally paid off in the 20th minute mark when Liam McGonigle sent McNab bursting into the box and his effort beat Semple, hit the back post and rolled along the line and in at the near post.

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Cumnock tried to hit back quickly and a Graeme Ramage effort was cleared off the line by Sean Higgins.

The it was Cumnock’s luck that was in when the ball was kicked off the line after Semple dropped a McGonigle free-kick.

Rossvale remained a goal up at the break, thanks to another excellent save by Donnelly from Jamie Conn.

Their advantage should have been doubled on the hour when Alan Murdoch’s tackle took down McGonigle as he burst into the box. But Semple dived low to his right to turn away Peter Bradley’s penalty and keep Cumnock in the game.

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Gormley made his first substitution by replacing Tony Higgins with Scott Davidson and it paid off almost immediately Davidson chased a long ball on the left and crossed for the inrushing McNab to head home and put Vale two up.

There was now way back for Cumnock and McGonigle had a snap shot was well saved by Semple before McNab thought he had got his hat-trick when he found the net with another header only to be ruled offside.