With the weather perfect for both playing and watching football, a healthy looking crowd, including a sizeable travelling support, looked on as the two sides nervously set about each other in the opening stages. Lossie appeared content to sit back and see what Dalbeattie had to offer, which turned out to be less than some had predicted. The early chances fell to the home side, but Ross Kerr was wasteful in front of goal.

To the amusement of the away support, Lossie then took the lead. Stuart McGregor played in Joe LASLEY to open the scoring from outside the box. In the context of making a contest of the game, Lossies patched up side needed to score first to force Dalbeattie into the game, and things certainly livened up following the first goal of the afternoon.

Star pushed for a quick leveller, but were a little desperate in their attempts. Scott McQuade found himself booked for a laughable piece of simulation inside the penalty area, with even some of the home support looking a little embarrassed on his behalf.

The first real chance for Star came through a set piece on the corner of the box. Kevin Stuart was booked for a foul on Lewis Sloan, and Sloan took the free kick himself. Darren McConnachie was well positioned to punch clear. Moments later, Dalbeattie should have levelled through Milligan, but the winger drilled his shot across the face of goal.

Lossie were sitting deeper as the half wore on, and the only other chance of note for the visitors came through Lasley with a long shot from his own half. Graham Wright in goal backpeddled quickly enough to catch the ball on his line.

Dalbeattie had the last chance of the half, with Sloan providing an inch perfect ball across the face of goal, only to see it fly through a ruck of players and out for a goal kick.

Half time – Dalbeattie Star 0 Lossiemouth 1

The game turned in favour of Dalbeattie minutes into the second half. Referee Stuart Hodge produced a second yellow card for Kevin Stuart following an innocuous challenge, and the visitors were down to ten men.

The theatrics continued from Star, with Gary Redpath going into the book for more simulation. Lossie threw on Michael McGregor for Stuart Lamberton in a bid to shore things up in the middle.

Dalbeattie were pushing Lossie further back, and the visitors were defending their lead by virtue of  of luck and last minute tackles. Calum Read took the ball off the toe of Gary Kerr as he looked to shoot from 18 yards, and Ross Kerr saw a curling effort come back off the post and the rebound from Milligan well held by McConnachie at his post.

Dalbeattie levelled midway through the half, with Scott MILLIGAN looping a header over McConnachie from the edge of the box. It had been coming, and was the least Star deserved for their efforts in the second half.

Lossie had Darren McConnachie to thank for preventing the visitors going behind, when the keeper made a brave stop at the feet of Gary Redpath. From the resulting corner, Darren Watson was on hand to head the ball off the line as Star continued to press.

With only ten minutes left, Lossie looked like they might just get away with a replay, but Dalbeattie turned the screw to finish the game in a manner that suggested a trip north was the last thing they wanted.

The home side went ahead for the first time in the afternoon through Lewis SLOAN, who found himself with time to rifle the ball between Darren McConnachie and his near post. Lossie responded by replacing Stuart McGregor with Sean McIntosh as they chased an equaliser, but before the youngster had touched the ball, Star moved further ahead. Scott MILLIGAN took advantage of the Kevin Stuart shaped hole in the middle of Lossies rocky rearguard, and sprinted clear on goal before sliding the ball below McConnachie from the penalty spot.

Dalbeattie finally got the penalty they'd been trying for in the last minute of normal time. Despite John Urquhart appearing to win the ball cleanly in the tackle, Scott Milligan flung himself to the ground in hilarious fashion and was awarded with a spot kick. After some debate over who was getting to take it, MILLIGAN stepped up to complete his hat-trick with a right foot finish. A visibly frustrated Darren McConnachie guessed the right way but was inches short of getting a hand on the ball.

Dalbeattie supplied the final insult minutes into injury time. With Lossie caught high up the park chasing a goal, the ball broke through midfield to a possibly offside Gary Redpath who squared for Scott MILLIGAN, and he stroked the ball home from a dozen yards.

The referee brought an end to Lossies cup run shortly after, and the Coasters set off on the long journey home to reflect on what could, and maybe should, have been a more fruitful afternoon. Dalbeattie will be grateful to have avoided one of the League sides in the second round, with either Selkirk or Coldstream the opposition at Islecroft Stadium.

Full time – Dalbeattie Star 5 Lossiemouth 1

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