It's a big night for the quondam Scottish Junior side from Ayrshire, who are instantly pushing for league status, whilst one-time league side Brechin City are searching for a skilful loving cup operate to correspond their bid for promotion back to League 2 at the showtime try.
This writer felt a more than deserving tie for the cameras was League One Peterhead's trip to the wonderfully named Civil Service Strollers, who play inward the Lowland League (tier v), but no disrespect to the teams who will be featured on the Road To Hampden at Glebe Park inward Brechin.
You don't accept to live a fellow member of the Edinburgh Civil Service to play for Civil Service Strollers these days, just the cite they were given during their formation in 1908 was a describe for many a football game groundhopper in Oct when they visited Central Park inward Fife to tussle amongst the bottom club inward Scottish League two.
Grass roots football game fans from Leicester, Yorkshire too even Norway attended the necktie, equally office of the pocket-size crowd of about 300, equally Cowden took on the non leaguers forty years afterwards eliminating them vi-i inward a replay inwards the 1981/2 Scottish Cup.
 |
| Programme from Strollers' cup game 5 Cowden inward 1981 (two-2 - Cowden won replay half-dozen-one) |
In the terminate it was to be a bleak twenty-four hour period for the struggling Fifers, too specially their longest serving managing director inward xxx years, Gary Bollan, who had preserved the lodge's 117 yr condition as a Scottish League club inward recent times.
Cowdenbeath took the game to the non leaguers early on as well as went inwards front in the 13th minute when Liam Buchanan'sec cross was headed into the internet by Kris Renton. The Pb was brusque lived though with former Cowden actor Euan Valentine equalising for the visitors but 4 minutes afterward.
In the 23rd infinitesimal, Strollers were awarded a penalization when Kane O'Connor fouled Alieu Faye within the surface area. Faye took the spot boot himself simply was denied past Cammy Gill down to his left inward the habitation goal.
The domicile side went back inwards front end inward the 35th minute through Liam Buchanan after Mac Whyte had made two tremendous saves. But in one case again, Gary Jardine'second Strollers side pegged dorsum the Central Park side about forthwith amongst Faye making upward for his punishment young woman to caput inward from close reach.
Two carmine cards within the infinite of iii minutes about the 60 minutes mark saw Cowdenbeath reduced to 9 men with both Buchanans heading for an early bath. And 5 minutes after Strollers were back inward front end amongst Faye getting his minute of the game equally Cowden'sec bottle began to crash inward a tally which volition live a league fixture for the Fifers should they get downwardly in May.
Substitute Mo Dukuray added a quaternary destination in the 76th infinitesimal for the Pilton based community lodge to secure the Edinburgh side'sec passage to the 3rd circular of the Scottish Cup past an impressive ii-iv scoreline.
 |
| Civil Service Strollers celebrate their cup win at Cowdenbeath |
Within iii hours of the Strollers loving cup success, Cowden were looking for their 36th manager in 47 years later they issued this argument online:
"MANAGEMENT TEAM
Cowdenbeath FC tin this evening confirm next today’s Scottish Cup tie that manager Gary Bollan and his direction squad of Craig Easton and Ian Flaherty take left the social club past mutual consent.
We nearly warmly thank them all for their difficult go on the gild’s behalf in their fourth dimension at Central Park. Indeed Gary has been our longest serving director inward xxx years having been appointed to his postal service inwards November 2017. In that commencement flavor, taking over the society when it was at a depression ebb, Gary preserved our League condition with an against the odds win over Cove Rangers. Building further on that Cowden advanced to finish sixth and and then quaternary nether Gary and his squad inwards the adjacent ii seasons. Last flavour was a very hard i given the many trials together with tribulations visited on us past Covid in addition to its truncated nature.
Season 2021/22 though has produced a operate of very disappointing results in addition to the order has fallen to the foot of the League two table despite the direction squad'sec best endeavours. And equally everyone will appreciate, ‘football game is a very much a results based business organisation’. We do though nigh sincerely wish Gary, Craig and Ian all the rattling best for the time to come.
The search for a novel managing director is of form at once underway in addition to Goalkeeping Coach Dave McGurn volition have charge of team matters inward the interim assisted past gild captain Craig Barr.
STATEMENT ENDS."
Other non-league teams to await out for inward the Third Round of the loving cup inward Scotland are Bonnyrigg Rose (Sean Connery once played for them pre-Bond), Auchinleck Talbot (e'er a tricky ane for TV too radio presenters in England) in addition to the aforementioned Darvel, who crush league side Stranraer away inward the concluding circular.
See as well Gala Fairydean Rovers of the Scottish borders who would sure be the peak squad inward the Game of Thrones Premier League! Banks O' Dee are based inward Aberdeen spell Tranent expect to stupor Stirling Albion away.
Watch out besides for East Kilbride inward this circular of the cup also, they nigh demoted Cowdenbeath inward a play off a span of years agone, merely failed to take Cowden'second League ii place when they lost on pens later on an aggregate describe.
It's the magic of the cup for sure in November too to purpose just about adept erstwhile Scots language to complete alongside "ye canny trounce"
 |
| The cup this flavour is unlikely to throw upwardly some other world record mark similar the one recorded inwards the 1885 Scottish Cup tournament. Some say Bon Accord really came expecting a cricket tally! |
By Alex Horsburgh, written for @TFHBs
(All pictures borrowed as well as not owned inward whatever form by TFHB)