Broxburn Athletic manager Chris Townsley was pleased with his side’s resilience as they struck late on to seal an East of Scotland League Cup quarter-final berth.
Jackson Barker popped up for the only goal of the game two minutes from time as the Brox defeated Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts at a wet and windy Albyn Park.
That victory ensured an away quarter-final tie with Whitehill Welfare later this month.
Townsley praised his team’s gutsiness and urged them to power through as they head towards the business end of the season.
He said: “It was all about the result today, the performance was secondary. We looked a bit leggy after the game on Tuesday against Penicuik but we got through and that was all that mattered in the end.
“We just lacked a wee bit of quality in the final third. Fair play to Inverkeithing, they were a very difficult opponent.”
He added: “We were keen to score before extra-time after all the effort we had put into this week, and you could feel the energy from the players.
“It felt like an end-of-season match where there was some attrition and players looked a bit worn out, so I was glad to see Jackson pick up the loose ball at the end.”
In a game that featured little in the way of real goalmouth action, there were still several chances created on both ends.
Barker almost got on the scoresheet earlier than he did after Greg Binnie fired in a delicious cross only for the no.10 to head it narrowly wide, while Dan Nimmo saw a free header sail over the bar.
Although the Brox defence kept Swifts’ 41-goal striker Greig Spence quiet for the majority of the game, goalkeeper Shaun Donoghue was called into action when the ex-Alloa player saw his looped header tipped over the bar.
But just as the game looked like it was clocking over into extra-time, Barker answered the call after a low cross from the right was parried into his path by Swifts keeper Michael Gibb allowing the centre forward to seal Broxburn’s passage into the quarter-finals.
Elsewhere, Linlithgow Rose also booked their place in the last eight with a 3-1 home win over Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale, while Conference X outfit Whitburn were no match for Premier Division leaders Tranent with the Belters running out 6-0 winners.
In league action, there was plenty of drama at Beechwood Park as Livingston United appeared to have rescued a point with a late equaliser only for Stoneyburn to seal a 3-2 win in injury-time while it was honours even at Hermand Park as West Calder United and Fauldhouse United played out a 3-3 draw.
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