Football Nation Cup: King reigns for Dunbar after bench request is turned down

Dunbar inflicted a stunning 4-1 thrashing on Linlithgow Rose in the Football Nation Qualifying Cup first round thanks to doubles from Chris King and Dean Ballantyne.
Chris King showed his class for DunbarChris King showed his class for Dunbar
Chris King showed his class for Dunbar

King almost never made the starting line-up as he had asked to be excused from the game from the start. Visiting manager Geoff Jones explained: “Chris said to me before the match he thought it would be a high-tempo game and he should possibly be on the bench.

“I disagreed and told him he was on from the start. We had a game plan to allow them the ball in their own half and it worked out really well. They never really threatened us at the back and, with goals from Chris and Dean, we ran the show.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Linlithgow were favourites at kick off but couldn’t find a way through the Dunbar defence. Then up stepped King with a fabulous double to knock the Rose off their stride. The first was a 25-yard drive into the bottom corner then another long distance strike.

Into the second half and again Dunbar were never stretched. Ballantyne turned his marker in the box and fired in their third. A terrible mix-up with a short throw-in back to the Rose keeper allowed Ballantyne in to roll the ball into an empty net for the fourth.

The referee then ruled out a fifth goal for Dunbar – an own goal from Gary Thom – before Ruarhi MacLennan pulled a goal back for the home side.

King was delighted with the team’s performance. “That was a good result from us because we stuck to the game plan,” he said. “Everyone played their part and stuck to the job they were given. I didn’t think I would be up for the pace of the game so I said to Geoff it would be best for me to come on later. He didn’t think so and he was right. It was good to get the goals today but Dean’s were just as good and important.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Also in the first round, Penicuik beat Haddington 5-1 with goals from Lewis Barr, Nico Salazar (2), Andy Forbes and Sam Jones. Stirling University beat Edinburgh University 4-1.

In the second round, Whitehill beat Lothian Thistle 2-1 thanks to goals from Scott Lucas and Mark Smith while Spartans enjoyed a 4-2 win at Hill Of Beath.

In the Central Taxis Conference B, Bonnyrigg Rose threw away a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 with Dundonald Bluelbell.