Match Report

The Scottish Cup provides teams with cup dreams and Jeanfiled Swifts came to Galabank with a real opportunity of progressing from the second round where they were supported by a large vociferous following who vastly outnumbered the Annan fans.

The match was very much a game of two halves with Jeanfield bossing the first half and Annan dominating the second half. The real talking point in the first half centred on a 27th minute offside decision when the visitors had a goal chalked offside when Aaron Whiteside rose above everybody to head the ball into the net. The excitement from the visiting fans was short-lived as the goal was chalked offside.

The incident came at a stage in the match where Jeanfield were pressing the Annan defence and had the goal stood who knows what the outcome would have been. Chris McLeish shot in the 34th minute struck the outside of the post. Annan’s Tony Wallace squandered the clearest chance of the half minutes later when Jack Purdue’s defence splitting pass released Wallace one on one with Mark Mitchell who saved the day for Jeanfield.

Annan started the second half in a differed mode and within 2 minutes Jack Purdue had his effort cleared off the goal line but in the 50th minute the game swung in Annan’s favour when they were awarded a penalty kick for a challenge on Douglas, Tony Wallace converted the spot kick to put Annan ahead.

Jeanfield were now the team chasing the match but in the 60th minute Annan doubled their lead when Moxon’s free kick was headed back out to the edge of the box and Tony Wallace fired in a shot from 15 yards past Mitchell in the Jeanfield goal.

Rob McCartney replaced man of the match Jack Purdue and McCartney had a big say in Annan’s third goal in the 85th minute when he weaved his way past at least six challenges before laying the ball on a plate for Owen Moxon who tapped the ball home from 3 yards.

Jeanfield had the final say when they scored through a glancing Chris McLeish header when he connected with a Fraser Smith free kick.

It was the last action in an excellent Scottish Cup tie where Jeanfield Swifts could be more than happy for their performance.