By Chris Toner
Albion Rovers will play Brora Rangers in a Scottish Cup second round replay at the Reigart Stadium next Saturday following their 0-0 draw today at Dudgeon Park.
Neither side could break the deadlock, meaning a replay will determine who will advance to the third round, with the potential opponents decided by a draw at 5.15pm tomorrow evening.
It was the Highland League side, who secured a famous cup upset over Hearts in the same competition last season, who had the better of the opportunities inside the opening ten minutes. Gregor MacDonald had a long range shot go wide and Tom Kelly’s cross for Andrew MacRae had to be dealt with by Rovers keeper Cammy Binnie and Sean Fagan.
Rovers’ lone chance of the half came in the form of a Kyle Doherty shot over the bar, with the best chance of the half coming from Cattachs forward Matthew Wright heading MacRae’s cross wide.
Early in the second half, the sides traded chances as the home side’s Kelly had a shot easily gathered by Binnie, while Doherty for Rovers forced Joe Malin to tip his chance wide.
Rovers were then the more threatening side as the game progressed. Corey O’Donnell had a header go wide and David Wilson had a free kick go wide before rattling the crossbar ten minutes from time.
Rovers believed that Brora should have had a man sent off as substitute Jordan MacRae reacted harshly to a challenge by Adam Fernie, leading to a skirmish that once sorted out landed the pair along with Fagan in the referee’s book.
Wilson was nearly the hero in stoppage time as he broke through the Brora defence, but he was denied by the outstretched leg of Malin, meaning the reigning Highland League champions will make the 438-mile round trip to Coatbridge next weekend to decide the tie.
