Reporter: Jim Davie

Lochee Utd 3 Hermes 1

Lochee United came from a goal behind to win this match and progress into the next round of the Macron Scottish Junior Cup.

Hermes knocked the Bluebells out of the Signature Signs Cup in Aberdeen in January by 12-11 on penalties after a 2-2 draw, but the home side gained their revenge in comfortable fashion, particularly after the visitors were reduced to 10 men.

Hermes had the first sniff of goal in the 12th minute but Jordan Reid ballooned the ball over the Lochee bar.

The unfortunate Reid only lasted another 10 minutes before hirpling off to be replaced by Elliott Macdonald.

The opening 20 minutes were fairly even but Hermes shocked the home side by taking the lead on 22 minutes, Craig Macklin’s free kick being headed past Jordan Millar by Connor HUNTER.

The visitors went down to 10 on the half-hour mark when David Stevenson was booked for simulation, his second yellow of the afternoon,  so off he went.

Lochee began to take control of the game and scored a spectacular equaliser eight minutes from half time. Ross McDonald made tracks down the left and the full back played in a beautiful ball to Alan TULLETH who sent a first time shot high into the net past Lee Sweeney in the Hermes goal.

If the first half was fairly close, the second half was one-way traffic towards the Hermes goal. In the opening 10 minutes Danny Cavanagh had a shot blocked and Tulleth was unlucky to see Sweeney pull off a great save to deny him.

From a Cavanagh corner Greg Kirk headed wide and a good move involving McDonald and Cavanagh saw Grant Lawson’s shot saved by the keeper.

A goal had to come and it did so on the hour mark. Lawson did well to win the ball in midfield and passed to Dougie Cameron. He sent Tulleth through and his cutback was perfect for CAVANAGH to blast the ball home from close range.

It was all Lochee against a tiring Hermes side who were offering very little in attack and sub Kevin Milne just failed to get his head to a McDonald cross.

Reece Ritchie came on for Cameron and almost scored with his first touch, keeper Sweeney getting down to his right to palm Ritchie’s shot past the post.

With 15 minutes to go and Lochee pressing for the third goal to settle the tie, Danny Millar came up for a Logan Davie corner and crashed a header off the crossbar.

A minute later the tie was over as Davie scampered up the right wing and crossed for the inrushing RITCHIE to fire the ball home.

A deserved win for Lochee against difficult opponents who were definitely handicapped by going down to 10 men and it was good to put last week’s disappointment at going out of the senior Scottish Cup behind them.

Lochee Utd: J Millar, McNally, D Millar, Kirk, McDonald, Davie, Gallacher, Cameron (Ritchie 68), Cavanagh (Deasley 77), Tulleth (Milne 62), Lawson.

Hermes: Sweeney, Nash, Mitchell, McKenzie, Burr, Begg, Hunter, Innes, Macklin, Reid (Macdonald 22), Stevenson.