Four minutes later just on the half way line Grant Campbell
mistimed his challenge on Batchelor and referee Nick Walsh flashed him a red
card. Graham Weir and Davie Allan also picked up yellow cards in the stramash
that followed the tackle.
On the half hour mark Ryan Baptie scored a screamer to put
the home side into the lead. Gary Manson broke out of defence chasing down a
ball that had been cleared from a Rose free-kick. Batie nicked the ball from
him and from fully 35 yards out he unleashed a wind-assisted left foot shot
that beat McCarthy into his top left hand corner.
2 – 1
Five minutes later Colin Strickland found the net when he got
onto the end of a Graham Weir Cross on the edge of the six-yard box and the
former Whitburn striker made no mistake heading home to put Rose well and truly
in the box seat.
3 – 1
Half time – Linlithgow Rose 3 – Wick Academy 1
Six minutes into the second half the tie was over when Tommy
Coyne teed up Ruari MacLennan and he riffled a shot through a crowded penalty
area, which may have taken a slight deflection, and ended up in McCarthy's
bottom left hand corner of the net.
4 – 1
On 56 minutes Davie Allan broke into the Rose box and went
down when it looked as if he may have received a slight tap on his ankle from
Colin Leiper. Allan had already been booked in the first half and referee Walsh
dished out another for simulation and Academy were down to only nine men.
Rose ended the scoring on 66 minutes. Andy Shirra played
MacLennan into the box and he sent a low left foot drive under the advancing
McCarthy for his second goal of the match.
5 – 1
Academy had done well to reach the 3rd round for
only the second time in the Club's history but were in the end well beaten by a
slick Linlithgow outfit and they claimed the prize of a home tie against Forfar
Athletic in the next round.
Full time – Linlithgow Rose 5 – Wick Academy 1
