Lochar Thistle completed a Dalbeattie double by winning this Tweedie Cup semi final meeting at Islecroft to add to last weeks win in the South Challenge Cup. The home side had the slight consolation in that at least this week they more than made a game of it after the capitulation of seven days ago, but there will always be a nagging doubt that this was chance missed as the visitors played for 50 minutes with ten men.
Unsurprisingly Lochar lined up with the same team that began last weeks match but It was a very unfamiliar looking home side as they had six first team players missing through suspension, injury and unavailability. Forward Declan Rogerson played almost 90 minutes at right back and did well all things considered and we welcomed two loan signings from Queen of the South, Alex O'Hagan and Finlay Millar who both could be pleased with their debuts. There was also a return for Farrel O'Sullivan who answered an SOS from the club for his first match in nine months and though there were the odds signs of understandable rustiness, he did well.
With the soft conditions underfoot this was never going to be a match for getting the ball down and playing it on the deck. It was a fairly cagey start from both sides but there was an early flashpoint when Lochar captain Jordan Muirhead overreacted to a challenge by Millar and kicked out at the Star striker off the ball right in front of the stand. The former Star defender certainly dodged a bullet when the referee only showed him a yellow card when even the most ardent of Lochar fans must have expected a red. The visiting bench must have felt the same and they made the wise move of replacing Muirhead before any more damage was done. Lochar began to enjoy more possession but Star looked more than comfortable and Russell Williamson saw a rasping left foot drive fly inches wide from 20 yards. The visitors continued to press and were awarded a penalty in 20 minutes when O'Sullivan slid in to block substitutes Reece Irving's cross but was adjudged by the referee to have caught the full back. Though keeper Jake Gemmell went the right way Robbie Ferguson's spot kick had enough power and accuracy to find the back of the net and the cup holders were one up. Four minutes later Ferguson almost scored his second but his right foot effort came back off Gemmell's left hand post. Star though began to grow in confidence and just before the half hour they equalised when a clever through pass from Ross Hunter found strike partner Finlay Millar and the loanee made it a dream debut by poking the ball past keeper Konar Pietsch. Chances were coming at both ends now and Gemmell did well to deny Ferguson and four minutes from the break Star had a great chance to take the lead when they themselves were awarded a penalty kick. Alex O'Hagan burst past the Lochar defence and as Pietsch came sliding out to meet the attacker he certainly seemed to try and pull out of the challenge but there was enough contact for the official to point to the spot. After Hunter missed from 12 yards last week it was Williamson who was given the responsibility and his left foot shot was low and right into the bottom corner, which was just as well as the keeper went the right way.
The second half began with Star looking relatively comfortable though Gemmell produced a good save from Finlay Kennedy in the 56th minute. Midway through the half Lochar levelled with a well worked goal. Former Star favourite Scott Milligan did well down the right and his driven cross was cleverly dummied by Robbie Hogg in the centre and it left Marcus Zygadlo with the simple task of sweeping the ball home at the back post. The momentum was very much now with Lochar but just three minutes after equalising they were reduced to ten men when full back Rory Copland was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Millar. This gave the home side a huge boost and just a few minutes later they had a great chance to re-take the lead but could not convert when there was an almighty stramash in the Lochar goalmouth. However as the match wore on the stronger Lochar grew despite being a man short. They made excellent use of their substitutes by introducing fresh legs just when they needed it and just when Star began to visibly tire. Star survived seven minutes of stoppage time which included a number of Lochar corners and needed a superb clearance from Ewan Gourlay to deny Craig Adamson from finding a dramatic winner.
The match went into extra time and still the ten men dominated and it was no surprise when they scored a third in the 95th minute. Scott Milligan was again the man who did the damage by showing superb footwork and calmness in a crowded penalty area to somehow create a chance for himself that ended with Gourlay again clearing off the line. The ball though was recycled and eventually fell to Ferguson and he made no mistake by firing the ball high past Gemmell from close range. Try as they might Star couldn't muster the energy to create one final chance and Lochar comfortably played out the remaining 25 minutes much to Star's frustration. It has to be said that the three players who stood out throughout the two hours of football were perhaps the three oldest on the park and all with a strong Dalbeattie background. Hugh Cameron, Lewis Todd and Scott Milligan used all their experience, intelligence and undoubted ability to steer their side to victory especially when they went down to ten men and proved there is no substitute for class.
So congratulations to Lochar who will now face Stranraer in the final. For Star it is back to league business next week with a trip to Lochmaben and it is vital we get back to winning ways as we near the business end of the season.

DALBEATTIE STAR 2 LOCHAR THISTLE 3 aet
Millar (28) Ferguson (21pen, 95)
Williamson (41pen) Zygadlo (67)
HT 2-1 Att 129
DALBEATTIE STAR: Gemmell, Rogerson (Swan 88), Jamieson, O'Sullivan, E Gourlay, D Taylor, O'Hagan, Williamson, Hunter (Meechan 68), Millar, Shaw (R Taylor 105)
Subs not used: Green
Yellow Cards: O'Hagan
LOCHAR THISTLE: Pietsch, McKeand, Copland, Todd, Muirhead (Irving 16) (Adamson 82), Cameron, Hogg (Cairnie 96), Kennedy, Ferguson (Turner 111), Milligan, Zygadlo (Adams 82)
Subs not used: Steele, Nicholson
Yellow Cards: Muirhead, Copland, Ferguson
Red Cards: Copland (70)