AFTER a First Round bye, Inverurie Locos dropped out of the Scottish Cup but can be proud of a battling performance with every player working their socks off.

But graft and endeavour was never going to be enough on its own as the confident Division Three runaway leaders shone through.

The Inverurie Pipe Band had been out to welcome the teams and supporters on a day with swirling winds and the home team sheet pointed to Murray McCulloch having a free, roving role sitting in front of his back four. Neil McLean was on the bench, not a huge surprise as he continues to toil with a lingering groin problem. Simon Scott returned but Ritchie Singer missed out with a hand injury.

It was Kevin Will's side who threatened first, as Scott Buchan's raking diagonal ball picked out Nicky Gordon on the right wing but his hard hit cross raced past bodies just looking for a touch.

The first threat of Paul McManus was when Steven Park at right back was off balance as a through ball appeared to deflect past him. McManus was faced by the imposing figure of ex-Dundee United keeper Paul Jarvie with Kevin Fotheringham firing high over from the rebound.

From a frantic start the game went through a ragged spell, the home team certainly trying to get on the ball as much as possible but the match favourites not weighting their passes properly in the increasing wind.

Mark Simpson played a deft through ball with spin to the right channel. Gordon was again onto it like a shot beating Dougie Cameron to the 50/50 and driving on to show his trickery but the parting shot hit the roof of the net.

Ten minutes into the second half East Fife scored the opener with one of the luckiest goals seen at Harlaw Park in a long time. Cameron's inswinger seemed to hang up fooling the bodies galore attacking and defending but it was the imposing figure of Tweed who managed to force the ball home in unorthodox fashion - the ball coming off his backside!

Five minutes later Scott Michie was right in on goal from Kenny Coull's thread through and would have scored but Assistant Ref Brian Braidwood broke the hearts of the Locos support by waving the offside flag. Very marginal.

Jarvie made a great save to his left to foil Linn as he and McManus got into great goalscoring positions in a short space of time but in 77 minutes the classy match-winning goal came just as Kevin Will was about to make a switch.

Following a corner the ball bobbled about and was eventually cleared out but only as far as second top scorer Cameron who took the ball crisply on his left foot on the volley from 25 yards. Jarvie got to it at his corner but could only help it into the net.

Neil McLean who tried his trickery and got a good shot in and there were chances created by the home side but they simply couldn't get the good fortune of a ball sitting up and gallantly they had to bow out.

Inverurie Locos: Jarvie, Park(Nicol 80), Scott, Wilson, Simpson, Buchan, N. Gordon (McLean 77), Ross, Coull, Michie, M. McCulloch. Subs not used: McKinstry, Craib, Christie.
East Fife: Fox, McDonald, Cameron, Smart, Tweed, Fotheringham, Walker, Stewart, McManus, Linn (K. Gordon 82), Young. Subs not used: Blackadder, O'Reilly, Muir, W. McCulloch.

Boss Will was full of praise for the men on the park. He said: "We kept the ball well and opened them up on a few occasions, in fact we could've been ahead at the break. At half time we just told them to go out and same again. Paul Jarvie had a fantastic game, we restricted them to minimal chances and it's a great thing we feel disappointed.

"I was delighted with my players. It was a fluke and a wondergoal which beat us. We were trying to penetrate and were changing things when the second goal went in. They came here confident whereas we've been playing hot and cold all season but that performance gives us so much encouragement.

"We know they have it in them and should be able to reproduce it. There's a lot of good players here and we can take alot out of the game."

It has been a season where Locos have got right to the top of the League and they face an Aberdeenshire Shield Final with Buckie Thistle on Wednesday, November 14 so there is a lot to be positive about. But Will would just love to get a settled line-up.

"Neil McLean will see a specialist about this groin problem, we've been without Alfie Youngson, while Steven Park, Craig Ross and Kenny Coull have gradually been getting back to full fitness. We need a strong squad to be competitive. Players have been brought in but need time to gel, we are delighted with what's there. We have nt been great all week but competitive through all the injury problems."

Meanwhile, one of the players assigned a difficult role came through the test with flying colours. Former Don Murray McCulloch, who joined the club in the summer, was asked to play in front of the back four as the Highland League side tried to get to grips with the East Fife midfield from the first whistle.

The recently qualified PE teacher was pretty modest about his own contribution towards an attempted upset: "It was a bit different with a middle three but playing just in front of the four to try and compensate for what was coming at them. It worked well for us at times I thought.

"Nicky Gordon was our outlet on the right especially in the first half when he got behind them. My role could be different next game we play but I just accept what is best for the team."
Looking back on how the game had gone he added: "There really was not a lot in it. All credit to East Fife but on another day, it could've been different. It was a good performance we just didn't get the result we were after. We couldn't give anything away, couldn't let them have chances because they have very good ability. I thought we did well closing them down and didn't give them time.

"If they are being honest, looking back it would have been one of their most difficult games this season, we did show we were the stronger team at times and matched them."