Macron Scottish Junior Cup Second Round

IRVINE VICTORIA 0

KELLO ROVERS 3

By Stewart McConnell

UNDERDOGS Kello, quoted at 5/1 to win the tie, unceremoniously dumped their hosts out of the showpiece cup event.

The visitors are bottom of the division below their hosts but belied their lowly status with a dominant performance against the Championship team.

Now this will hopefully give them a huge confidence boost for the coming matches as they aim to push up the table after being relegated last season.

In four minutes Kello forged an opening when Liam Fleming shot across the face of goal from 25-yards.

Fleming then whipped a cross in to the box two minutes later but a Vics defender cleared the danger.

Gabe Skeoch was in on goal for Irvine Vics in 10 minutes but visiting goalie Ryan Dunsmuir blocked with his legs.

Kello capitalised on their dominance by taking the lead in 19 minutes when shots from Mark Armour were saved by Blair Cousar and blocked on the line by a defender before Fleming slammed home the rebound from eight yards.

Callum McDade shot well over the bar from 25-yards for Vics in 24 minutes as the home side battled to try and get back into the match.

Dunsmuir sprinted out to beat McDade to the ball just outside the box in 38 minutes.

Then in 52 minutes Kello doubled their tally with a great finish from Armour.

Ryan Morrow miscued the ball on the edge of the box in 63 minutes for the hosts. However a minute later Kello surged in to a 3-0 lead when Armour shot home from 25-yards.

Brian McLuckie’s team were offering little at this stage and it looked like game over. David Smith sent a cross into the box for Vics in 84 minutes but found no takers. Then a minute later, Jordan Craig shot well over the bar from 12-yards. Smith chased after a long pass in 89 minutes but the ball ran out of play to sum up a frustrating afternoon for the hosts. However it’s Kello who can look forward to finding out their opponents in the third round when the draw is made next Tuesday.

IRVINE VICTORIA: Cousar; Farrell, Thorburn, Craig, Holden, Loughlin, Morrow, Miller, McDade, Skeoch, Baxter. Subs: Singleton, David Smith, Anderson, Cameron McLuckie, Ewan McLuckie.

KELLO ROVERS: Dunsmuir; Copeland, Pagan, Stuart Bennie, Struthers, Weir, Hampson, Sean Bennie, Armour, Costello, Fleming. Subs: Jardine, Blackwood, Alistair Smith, Clelland.