Greenock Juniors boss Gary Fleming hailed his team’s “excellent” all-round display after watching his team knock First Division Thorniewood out of the South Challenge Cup on Saturday.
Tai Beckley put the hosts in front midway through the first half before a late Craig Brown penalty sealed a 2-0 win and a place in the third round for Fleming’s side.
And while the draw has yet to be made for the third round, the management and the team can look forward to another challenging tie.
Fleming says the result, Greenock’s sixth straight win in all competitions, sets them up perfectly for their next challenge, a Junior Cup tie at home to Glenvale on Friday night.
The Nock boss said: "We knew beforehand that if we approached the game applying the same attitude we have been showing recently we would cause Thorniewood problems, and that proved to be the case.
"The quality of play at times, the defensive shape, on and off the ball, was excellent. The boys deserved to win.
"I thought Tai Beckley was outstanding. I sometimes forget how young he is, because he has been an established first team player for so long now; he terrorised their backline for the whole game and they will be glad to see the back of him.
"It is a shame he will be unavailable for the next two games as he heads off on holiday.
"I was also delighted with the clean sheet, which is a collective achievement, but something our back three and goalkeeper took real pride in at full time.
"We will reset fast and turn our focus to Friday night’s game with Glenvale.
"We have told the boys we want to do well in cups as we have the depth in the squad to handle an increased schedule of games.”
Thorniewood started the game quite well; they retained possession well and were probing the home team’s defence for weaknesses.
Greenock to their credit adapted very quickly to Thorniewood’s approach and after only six minutes created the first real chance of the game when some clever interchanges between Hunter, Barclay and Black allowed the latter to drift across the penalty and rattle the crossbar with a well struck shot.
In 16 minutes Greenock, playing in their new kit for the first time, came close again to taking the lead; Pat Tonner timed his back post run to perfection to latch on a superb Sinnamon free kick, but unfortunately his touch just directed the ball past the post.
A few minutes later the Nock were deservedly one up after Innes Lambert’s pressing forced an error from the visitors' captain Callum Nolan; Lambert ran into the penalty box and cleverly chipped the ball over goalkeeper Lane into the path of strike partner Beckley, who tapped the ball into the empty net.
There was excitement at both ends in 21 minutes; Boyle, Beckley and Canavan combined to free right wing back Andy Hunter on the right flank, and his cross narrowly evaded both Lambert and Beckley, before the visitors broke via Hamilton Academical loanee, Blair MacDonald, but his threatening incursion into the box was nullified by a well-timed Sinnamon tackle.
Hunter was again at the fulcrum of a Greenock attack in 36 minutes when Lambert turned his defender midway inside the Thorniewood half and linked with Beckley to put the wing back free on the right hand side of the penalty box, but his powerful drive was just a little too straight and zipped past Lane’s far post.
The second half started with Greenock having to scramble away a dangerous corner that bounced around the penalty area, but the Nock were soon causing problems at the other end when another well worked move ended with Jamie Black spinning away from his marker and shooting on target.
A few minutes later Cammy Barclay waltzed round opposition right back Shields and his cross caused a pinball effect around the visitors' goal before Beckley, having contorted himself to create a shooting position, just sent the ball wide.
Lambert was next to try and extend the lead when Sinnamon played an accurate cross field pass to opposite wing back Hunter, who slid Lambert in for a shot at goal that was well saved by Lane.
Thorniewood were by no means passive during the second half; they had plenty of possession, but their attacks floundered against Greenock’s hardworking midfield and a quite outstanding display by Boyle, Woods and Tonner in the back three.
Their resolute defending was balanced by clever usage of the ball, with all three contributing to the Nock’s attacking play.
As the game entered the last 10 minutes, the home side did have to deal with a shot spell of pressure by Thorniewood, as the visitors threw everything at Greenock to try and salvage the game.
That was eventually snuffed out by a second Nock goal; after containing a Thorniewood bombardment, Cunningham set Beckley off on a race with Nolan, and though the captain just reached the ball first, his pass back was weak and Beckley, having gathered the loose ball, was upended in the box by Lane.
It meant a penalty for Greenock and a red card for Thorniewood’s keeper, and Craig Brown slotted home from the spot to secure the home side’s place in the next round.
From Greenock’s perspective there is a lot to be pleased about from this game. Tai Beckley’s work rate and energy levels are now a given, however what really stood out was his technical level; he played with great skill and thought.
The back three were all in excellent form, so much so that goalkeeper Lightfoot had no saves to make from open play and was only really troubled at set pieces.
While the two goals will be seen as defensive lapses by the opposition, they were the result of determined pressing by Greenock’s front pair. That aside multiple chances were created through fine combination play. All very easy on the eye.
The fact that Saturday's opponents were two divisions above Greenock was in no way apparent, which should give the group great confidence going forward. A key factor in today’s win was that the team were fully focused for the full 90 plus minutes. The challenge is to maintain that standard of concentration in all matches going forward.
Team: Lightfoot; Boyle, Woods ,Tonner; Hunter (Corr 65mins), Canavan (Cunningham 65mins) Barclay, Black (Paterson 86mins), Sinnamon; Beckley, Lambert (Brown 74mins).
Subs not used McPhee, McGonigle, McKenzie.
Greenock are sponsored by Saveheat, Keystore Cowal View, Safer Group, The Lighthouse Bar, McGills, ARC and Blairs.
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