Pollok travelled to New Tinto Park on a showery Friday evening to take on St Cadocs in the 2nd Preliminary round of the Scottish Cup. It was a historic event for the hosts as it was their first appearance in the Scottish Cup, but it was Pollok who marched into round 1 with a narrow victory secured with an early goal.

Maxi made two changes from the previous weekend’s dramatic victory over Johnstone Burgh – McCreath replaced Saturday’s man of the match Henry and Watt came in for a first start in place of the injured Josh Tran.

After a short delay for repairs to the net the game got off to a cagey start. The home side won a corner on the break after a misjudgement by Walsh and from the corner generated a shooting opportunity, but the effort was curled wide.

An innocuous booking for Matt O’Donnell for getting in the way of a free-kick was quickly followed by an attacking surge down the right wing by Sean O’Donnell. His skill and tenacity won the Southsiders a corner which they put to very good use. Scott curled it in and his defensive partner McCreath was there to volley home in the tenth minute.

A couple of minutes later Sean O’Donnell picked up possession and drove inside. He passed to Watt who quickly fed McHugh in space but his shot was lofted over the bar.

With 25 minutes on the clock St Cadoc’s launched it long. Boyd gave McCreath a substantial nudge as he tried to head it away and the ball broke kindly for the striker. He played a one-two with Ferguson and had a great chance to equalise but White was out quickly to block the shot with a brave save.

As the game approached the half hour mark Pollok were starting to exert some dominance. McHugh saw a shot blocked, a decent move down the left ended with a dangerous Walsh cross well defended at the near post and then after good work by Stirling, Matt O’Donnell had a shot from the edge of the box which went straight at Currie.

The away side survived a mighty scare a couple of minutes before half time when a cross from the left was deflected on to his own cross bar by McCreath. Boyd was on hand to head the rebound goalwards but White made the save.

HALF-TIME: ST CADOC’S 0 – 1 POLLOK

The second half began in increasingly wet conditions. Bain swung over a cracking cross which had no takers and then Leyden wriggled into some room for a shot but Currie saved.

In the 55th minute Matt O’Donnell was adjudged to have clipped his opponent and the referee sent him off, but Pollok reorganised and got on with defending their lead.

The industrious Stirling won the ball in midfield and burst forward. A one-two with McHugh gave him a shooting opportunity but he blazed over.

The home side were using their man advantage to dominate possession and push Pollok back but they weren’t creating too many clearcut chances. A shot from distance which flashed wide was as close as they came.

With twelve minutes to go came the game’s flashpoint. A Pollok corner was headed goalwards and saved by Currie. As he looked to set his team away he became involved in a tussle with McHugh and kicked out at the Pollok striker, before doing the same to Oguama. McHugh got a yellow card whilst Currie’s was red.

With time running out St Cadocs pushed more men forward in their search for an equaliser. They got a few crosses in and White had to turn one shot round the post but the Southsiders held out to secure a place in the next round.

It had been a pulsating tie. Not perhaps a huge amount of great football but plenty of grit, determination and drama. Pollok probably edged it in most areas but were hanging on when both teams were down to ten. Whilst progression is all that matters in cup competitions all involved with Pollok will have been delighted with a first clean sheet of the season. And it was well earned.

FULL-TIME: ST CADOC’S 0 – 1 POLLOK

Man of the Match: Chris White

Report by Peter Thomson

Photos from James Graham