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Luthermuir exit Scottish
Leven 4 Luthermuir 1 LUTHERMUIR travelled to Fife for the second week in succession to face a Leven side that made it to the quarter finals of the previous season's Scottish Cup.
The home side started the fourth round tie at a ferocious pace but the Luthermuir players battled hard to stay with their opponents.
Glover and Stuart Lindsay made important interceptions before Leven took the lead in 20 minutes. Duff suffered a head knock in midfield and with Luthermuir expecting the match to be stopped, the ball was switched to the left hand side where a neat one two found Leven at the byeline and the cutback was fired past Howe by Duff's opponent.
Feeling a sense of injustice Luthermuir were rocked for the next ten minutes. Howe made an excellent save at his near post at the expense of a corner which was met by the Leven centre half but his header was cleared off the Luthermuir line by Stuart Lindsay.
Leven went two up in 30 minutes when Gordon Lindsay brought down his man just as he was about to convert another cutback. The ball was expertly smashed past Howe.
Scott McCombie and Ryan Arthur had seen very little of the ball but good work from Greig found the front two and they combined to lay the ball off for Neil Arthur whose drive was saved. Greig then fired in another effort that drifted over.
Luthermuir lost a third goal in 40 minutes when yet another excellent cross into the box was controlled on the chest and volleyed under the despairing dive of Howe.
Despite having been outplayed for the majority of the first half, Luthermuir got a goal back just on half time. The midfield combined to get the ball to Ryan Arthur and his through ball was seized upon by Scott McCombie who outpaced his marker who proceeded to rugby tackle him from behind.
The referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty but took no further action against the centre half. Ryan Arthur stepped up to give Luthermuir a lifeline.
The second half was a much tighter affair but Leven still looked the more likely team to score. Howe claimed some difficult crosses and made some good saves and the midfield and defence tightened up to restrict the Leven side to efforts from distance.
Luthermuir only really created two chances in the second half. A Fotheringham was blocked and a Ryan Arthur free-kick from the edge of the box was well saved.
Leven, who had scouted the Luthermuir team in the previous weeks game at Dundonald, wrapped up the tie with five minutes to go with a goal that was harsh on the Luthermuir players.
With the Luthermuir defence on the halfway line, Leven played a ball through the middle and a home player, 10 yards inside the Luthermuir half was allowed to progress and round Howe before stroking the ball into the empty net.
Luthermuir exit the competition at the hands of a very good Leven side. Whilst the team was outplayed in the first half, they did well to regroup and put up a spirited second half showing and were unlucky to lose a fourth goal to a terrible decision .
Luthermuir: Howe, Morrison, G. Lindsay, S. Lindsay, Glover, Greig, N. Arthur, Duff, S. McCombie, R. Arthur (M. Robertson), Fotheringham. Subs: H. Stuart, S. Robertson, Hall.
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Weather for Montrose
Friday 10 February 2012
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