Fans Progress to Second Round

Abbey United 0-5 Bully Wee United

For the second year running the UK Cup first round draw presented Bully Wee United with a trip to Cambridge to take on Abbey United, the supporters’ team of Cambridge United and for the second year running the Clyde boys clinched a victory and progressed into the second round.

The game was played at Colebridge Community College on a pitch which lacked the puddles and marshland the BWU squad are so used to playing through in Scotland.

However the Clyde team did not let this distract them as they got off to a great start with the off the ball runs of striker Andy Murray causing all sorts of problems for the Abbey United defence, unfortunately Murray’s shooting did not give the same kind of problems to the home team’s goalkeeper.

After an opening half hour which saw a mix of good goalkeeping from the Cambridge goalkeeper and poor finishing from the BWU attack the Clyde team came a matter of inches from scoring as left midfielder David Meldrum rose highest at a corner only to see his header rebound back off the post and away to safety.

However the away team did not dwell on the missed chances and were given the ultimate opportunity to finally open the scoring after midfielder Andy Muir’s promising run was brought to an abrupt end by a Cambridge defender and the referee was left with no choice but to award the penalty.

Clyde spirits were high as they looked certain to score the opener only for hearts to sink when attacking midfielder Graham Forrest sent the ball just wide of the right hand post from the spot.

At this stage the Bully Wee United boys were playing some nice passing football and after 40 minutes this was rewarded.

Another attack saw another corner awarded and this time the defence could not clear Muir’s cross properly and Forrest pounced to make up for his penalty miss and stab the ball home to give BWU a 1-0 lead.

The away side were not happy to settle on their one goal lead though and just two minutes later right winger Richie Duncan collected the ball 30 yards from goal before advancing a couple of yards and unleashing  a once in a lifetime thunderbolt from 25 yards into the roof of the Cambridge net.

The shock of his teammates soon turned to delight as the boys piled on top of Duncan in celebration of the crucial second goal just before half time.

The second half began in similar fashion as the first had ended but BWU goalkeeper Ian Fitzpatrick had to make a smart save as he turned over a powerful strike which was bound for the top corner. 

However shortly after the save BWU were back on the attack and captain Graeme Percy played through Forrest who calmly slotted the ball past the onrushing Cambridge keeper to score his second and give Bully Wee United a deserved three goal lead.

Bully Wee United then made a couple of changes as David Alexander replaced player manager Duncan before Kieran McReynolds came on for young centre half Ross McGill. 

And Alexander made an immediate impact as his fresh legs chased down what seemed to be a lost cause but resulted in BWU’s fourth goal. Andy Murray was once again sent through on goal, only to see his shot stopped on the line by a Cambridge defender however as the defender turned to clear the ball it cannoned off Alexander’s outstretched leg and nestled nicely in the back of the net.

The BWU defence was then breached for one of the very few times in the game as a Cambridge striker made a strong run and rounded Fitzpatrick only to see his shot bravely blocked on the line by what some thought looked suspiciously like the arm of Clyde centre half Stuart McNulty, the referee however waved play on and the Clyde defence completed the clearance.

The result was further increased by the one man in the Bully Wee United team who deserved a goal more than most, Andy Murray. After clever play from Andrew Clark to beat a man in the middle of the park he burst forward before dinking the ball through to striker Murray whose shot, just like his previous dozen or so was saved by the Cambridge goalkeeper however this time the rebound fell kindly for the striker and he made no mistake as he slammed the ball into the back of the net to give a final score of Abbey United 0 Bully Wee United 5.

BULLY WEE UNITED: Fitzpatrick; Al Murray, McNulty, McGill (McReynolds), Clark; Duncan (Alexander), Muir, Percy, Meldrum; Forrest; An Murray