Cup joy for Auld Hoose as Pavilion put to the sword

Kinghorn controlled this game from start to finish and after taking only a one-goal advantage into the half time break, the Fifers came out after the break and scored four goals, three from the boot of substitute striker Alan Bell who was returning after six months on the sidelines.

Straight from kick-off Kinghorn took the game by the scruff of the neck with the pace of Craig Lowe causing left back Ian Bowden some serious problems within the first five minutes. The first clear-cut opportunity came as a result of Lowe’s pace as he picked the ball up just inside the Pavilion half and flew past two challenges before darting along the by-line only to see his cut back go inches behind the on-rushing Sean Mackie.

However, on the 15-minute mark Kinghorn took the lead with Lowe himself latching on to a long ball to fire into the back of the net. Goalkeeper Craig Downie spotted Lowe, who had drifted from the left wing to the right, and lobbed a high ball over the defence into the path of the flying winger who took one touch and fired in a left-foot shot past the hand of the diving Pavilion goal-keeper Scott Walker.

Moments later and Kinghorn should have doubled their lead as Mark ‘Doc’ Docherty broke through the midfield and latched onto a defence-splitting pass by Roni Hamed before firing in a shot that was expertly saved by Pavilion goalkeeper Walker.

On the half hour mark Kinghorn failed to add to their tally as Jimmy Gillon this time wandered into the box unmarked only to see his shot go inches over the bar after some tricky footwork by winger Lowe.

The onslaught on the Pavilion goal did get some respite just before half time as left back Bowden broke down the wing, taking on two defenders before firing in a far post cross to Anthony Thornton who saw his downward header deflect off defender Grant Montgomery and away for a corner.

The second half was similar to the first with Kinghorn battering the Pavilion goal time and time again. Their second goal of the game came moments after the restart through a mistake by keeper Walker. He mis-kicked his goal kick straight to Lowe who burst into the box and squared to Mackie who tapped into an empty net.

On the hour mark Kinghorn trebled their lead as substitute Bell grabbed his first of the game after firing in from eight yards out. Lowe, who had moved into the middle of the park when Bell came on, flicked the ball out to the ‘Wee Man’ who skipped round Bowden and drove into the box before cutting the ball onto his left and sending a bullet of a drive into the back of the net.

Ten minutes later Bell scored his second and his side’s fourth with a tap in from three yards out. Lowe again picked the ball up just inside his own half and danced past two challenges before finding Hamed on the right wing. Hamed took one touch and fired in a low cross to Bell who tapped into the middle of the net.

Bell’s hat trick came ten minutes before full time through the award of a penalty kick, a result of a clumsy challenge by defender Chris Crichton. Mackie picked the ball up just outside the box after a failed clearance went straight to the striker and he ambled into the box only to have his legs taken from him by Crichton. There was only one taker and Bell stepped up to fire the ball down the middle of the net, sealing his side’s passage into the fifth round of the cup where they will play away to Livingston Thistle AFC.

Pavilion player-coach Stuart Paterson was obviously disappointed by the display, especially after having such a good season so far. He said: “We never got out of the starting blocks which is disappointing as this is the furthest we have ever been in the competition. But the right team won and congratulations go out to Auld Hoose Kinghorn.”

Les Rutherford, the Kinghorn coach, was ecstatic with the win after believing this was going to be the end of their cup run prior to the game. He said: “I can’t believe how well we played. Our passing was accurate throughout and we never let Pavilion into the game at any point. We realised how good a team Pavilion are and so thought before the game this would be our cup final, hence the reason we brought a coach load of supporters with us!”

Pavilion AFC: Scott Walker, Calum Alexander, Ian Bowden, Chris Crichton, Simon Watson, Paul Colford, Anthony Thornton, Mark Graham, Graeme Cummings, Robert McVicar, Michael Stevenson, Stuart Paterson, Sam Donce, Tom Chisholm.

Auld Hoose Kinghorn: Craig Downie, Jason Griffiths, Steven Watson, Grant Montgomery, Craig Lowe, Mark Docherty, Paul Young, Jimmy Gillon, Sean Mackie, Roni Hamed, Jamie Burns , Alan Bell, Liam Flinn, Neil Linton.