Rambo hails heroes
United boss delight at Central League Cup triumph
LANARK United manager Tom 'Rambo' MacDonald has hailed the heroes who saw off Rob Roy 2-1 at Cambuslang last Tuesday night to clinch Lanark's first Central League Cup victory since 1976.
United were 1-0 down at half-time in the engrossing Somervell Park clash. But second half goals from Tom Hanlon and Davy Middleton earned a memorable comeback win for the mid-table Central Division 1 outfit over the team which won that league this season.
''The boys did really well,'' Rambo told Gazette Sport. ''It's always nice to get a bit of silverware for the hard work throughout the season.
''It's another trophy for our committee and gives them bragging rights.
''We knocked some good sides out to win this cup.
''Beating the better teams is definitely part of our make-up.
''I just wish we could do as well against the teams in our league next season and then we could get promotion!''
Lanark's spectacular 25-yard free-kick equaliser on 70 minutes from man-of-the-match Hanlon drew particular praise from MacDonald.
''Hanlon has had a good season,'' the Moor Park gaffer added.
''He hit the ball well and it flew right into the corner.
''We thoroughly deserved to win the game over the 90 minutes.
''There weren't really any celebrations after the game though, because it was a Tuesday night and everybody had their work the next day.
''I had a quiet glass of Magners and that was it.''
Lanark's historic Central League Cup victory came a massive 31 years after their last success in the competition, when they beat Renfrew 3-0 in the final at Shettleston.
To illustrate the ups and downs of football, Lanark suffered a major disappointment against Rob Roy at Cambuslang on Saturday, just four days after their glorious Central League Cup triumph.
This time United lost 7-6 on penalties to Rabs in the Evening Times Cup quarter-finals, following a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes of the Somervell Park rematch.
Both sides scored their first six penalties, before the unfortunate Craig Miles ballooned his effort over the bar to give Rob Roy a revenge victory.
''We were gutted to lose,'' MacDonald added.
''It is a prestigious cup which we managed to win two years ago.
''But we lost on Saturday because we missed chances in the second half to finish them off.
''That's been our problem throughout the season.
''We haven't had a finisher. Hopefully we will sign someone in the summer who can do that for us next season, when we will be looking to get promotion.''
United's final Central Division 1 game of the season at Cumbernauld was due to be played on Tuesday night, after the Gazette had gone to press. See next week for a match report.
CRAIG GOLDTHORP
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