A SEAN MCAULEY penalty against his old club saw Preston Athletic lead East Stirlingshire 2-1 just after half-time but three late goals gave the home side a flattering 4-2 victory in the second round of the Homecoming Scottish Cup at Ochilview.
McAuley's spot kick, awarded three minutes into the second half after goalkeeper Jamie Barclay had brought down Kevin Cairnie, was struck with authority by the Preston midfield player. "I just concentrated on hitting the target and luckily enough th
eir goalkeeper went the other way," said McCauley. "Overall I thought that we did very well, especially in the first half, and we caused them a lot of problems."
McAuley's summing up was indeed accurate as Preston attacked from the kick-off and immediately put their SFL Third Division opponents on the back foot. Craig Manson galloped down the left-hand channel behind the East Stirling defence and his left-foot shot was well blocked by Barclay. Stuart Miller was then sent through with a good pass from McAuley but he snatched at his ten-yard shot and the ball drifted wide.
However, in the 14th minute Preston did take the lead. Manson released Bryan Wilson wide on the left and his mazy run along the goal-line resulted in him laying a perfect pass into the path of Miller who placed the ball wide ofBarclay.
East Stirling rallied and after Derek Ure hit the side netting there was an opportunity for Gary Kelly but his shot rebounded from the post, then Preston goalkeeper Ross Gilpin, another former East Stirling player, produced a fine diving save to deny Andy Rodgers.
East Stirling equalised in controversial fashion in the 26th minute. The referee adjudged that Miller, defending in his own penalty box, had tripped the experienced Colin Cramb and Rodgers slotted home the resultant spot-kick. It seemed a harsh award although it stirred Preston back into action and a Wilson cross was only inches away from Jamie Campbell's head.
Preston were dealt another blow ten minutes before half-time when Wilson, who had been a real threat, was stretchered off with a hamstring injury. Substitute Kevin Cairnie had a low shot held almost immediately before a McAuley corner fell to Matt Costello and his first-time effort was well held by Barclay.
The teams were level at the break and to any neutral observer it would have been impossible to determine which side was in the Scottish League. The second half was only three minutes old when Preston took the lead through McAuley's penalty although East Stirling then put the visitors under pressure with a series of four consecutive corners before Cramb hit the post with a header. Manson, normally so reliable as a six-yard box goalscorer, had the opportunity to increase Preston's lead but from only four yards out the striker misjudged the pace of the ball on the artificial surface and failed to connect.
The Preston central defenders Mark Cathcart and Costello repelled every attack that East Stirling mounted but the home side did equalise in the 73rd minute. David Dunn drilled a low diagonal ball into the penalty box where it deceived Preston defender Craig Scott and substitute Brian Graham fired the ball low into the bottom corner.
East Stirling manager Jim McInally had opted at this stage to have four strikers on the pitch and with only five minutes left his policy paid dividends. A long throw in from the right by Dunn was flicked on by Graham to former Hearts player Cramb who scored with an acrobatic overhead kick from eight yards out.
Preston pushed defender Scott forward in a bold attempt for an equaliser but they were caught on the break in the second minute of stoppage time when Marc McKenzie found Sean Anderson and he scored with a low shot from the edge of the penalty box to finally end Preston's adventure in this season's Scottish Cup.
It was a sterling performance form the East of Scotland League side and McAuley said: "We took them by surprise and if our football had been better in the final third of the park then it could have been different.
"We got off to the best possible start and then they equalised with a softish penalty.
"When we managed to get back in front again I thought that it was going to be our day. However, East Stirling got stronger as the game went on and for long spells we could not get up the park and we are really, really disappointed."
Manson, who so nearly gave Preston a two-goal advantage, added: "I thought that we played really well with a very attacking formation.
"We scored a good opening goal but after Bryan (Wilson] was injured we lost our shape a little bit.
"After we scored our penalty I thought that we might just sneak a result then I missed a good chance when the goalkeeper missed a low cross and the ball went through me.
"We didn't get the breaks when we needed them and I felt that we have played much worse than that and won games. The artificial surface made for a passing game although East Stirling seemed to hit the ball high and overall I am disappointed because I felt we could do something."
Stevie Myatt, the Preston manager, was also disappointed. "People will look at the scoreline but that does not reflect the true picture," he said.
"We went there with two up front and for long spells it was effective.
"We came out of the traps flying at the beginning of the second half and when we took the lead East Stirling were rocking and struggling. We had a chance to make it three then they threw on more forwards. The final score takes the gloss off our performance although I cannot praise my players highly enough. They have written another chapter in Preston Athletic's history."
East Stirlingshire: Barclay, Hay (Graham, 65), Dunn, Forrest, Bolochoweckyj, Tully, Donaldson, Kelly (McKenzie, 65), Cramb (Anderson, 88), Rodgers, Ure. Subs: Richardson, Newman,
Preston Athletic: Gilpin, Cathcart, McCaul, Costello, Scott, McAuley, Campbell (Noon, 73), McLaughlan, Miller, Manson, Wilson (Cairnie, 35). Subs: Thomson, Barton, Porteous.
