Glasgow Perthshire 1-6 Lanark United: Lanark storm into West of Scotland Cup second round

Lanark welcomed back keeper Gareth Hallford who was brought into action in the second minute when he saved a Thompson free-kick then tipped an effort over the bar from the resultant corner.

The deadlock was broken in 11 minutes when Lanark won a free-kick 25 yards out and captain Cammy Lawson found the corner of the net.

This lead was soon doubled when a Shug Kerr cross from the right found Sean Lindsay at the back post, his header was not well dealt with by the home keeper and Brannan was on hand to prod the ball home for 2-0.

Lanark were well on top and it was 3-0 on 20 minutes when a header out of the Perthshire defence was met by Brennan 30 yards out and he hit a glorious shot that sailed over the home keeper and into the net.

The hosts then came close when Kelly saw an effort come back off the bar before being cleared.

It was no surprise when Perthshire got the next goal when a cross from the right found Musa and a good header made it 3-1.

Lanark created more chances before half-time when a Scott Nicol feee-kick found the head of Brannan and the home keeper was forced into a save.

Then a PJ O’Donnell shot from distance slipped just wide of the target.

Lanark survived an early scare at the start of the second half when a Perthshire effort went just over the bar.

But they settled back into the driving seat when good work from Lindsay produced a chance for Kerr but the striker’s effort was just wide,

Kerr was involved when Lanark did increase their lead on 50 minutes, however, when he linked well with Jordan Fraser before laying the ball back into the path of Fraser who struck a low shot wide of the keeper for 4-1.

Lanark were now well on top with Brannan running riot on the left helped by Lindsay.

From one of these runs Brannan sent an excellent ball in for Kerr but a mishit shot was easily saved.

Then from another Brannan cross Kerr saw a header well saved.

It was no surprise when Lanark increased their lead in the 63rd minute when Kerr worked well with Josh Gracie on the right before Gracie played the ball into the path of Fraser who scored his second to put Lanark 5-1 ahead.

The match was effectively wrapped up in the 70th minute when a good ball from Nicol found Kerr who, despite pressure from the home defence, managed to round the keeper before slotting home Lanark’s sixth goal from a tight angle.

Fraser thought he had completed a hat-trick with 12 minutes to go when he finished off a good move by tapping in a loose ball home after an O’Donnell shot was spilled but he was adjudged offside.

Then the same player struck a shot well over the bar a couple of minutes later.

Perthshire put late pressure on but Hallford was equal to anything they threw at his goal and the final score was 6-1 to the visitors who have landed a home tie against St Roch’s in the next round.

Lanark: Hallford, Gracie, Collins, Lawson, Nicol, Fraser, O’Donnell, Hill(Conlon), Lindsay(Hamilton), Brannan(McHugh), Kerr.

This Saturday, Lanark visit Ardrossan Winton Rovers in the league, KO 1.45pm.