It was a game of fine margins, says Formartine skipper Anderson after Challenge Cup defeat to Glenavon

Captain Stuart Anderson felt there wasn’t much between Formartine United and Glenavon, despite a 3-0 Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Challenge Cup loss.

Glenavon, who finished third in last season’s Northern Irish Premiership, won the third round tie against Highland League United at North Lodge Park.

Pitmedden skipper Anderson said: “They had some good players, but I didn’t think there was much between the quality of teams.

“They probably did shade it in terms of chances in the game, but there wasn’t too much between us.

“It was a game of fine margins, I think we had good chances as did they.

“But we haven’t taken them and the score of 3-0 looks like a doing, but anyone who saw the game will know that’s not how it went.

“We’ll take the positives from it because there were a lot of good performances from the lads against a good Northern Irish team, they finished third in their league last year so they’re a good side.”

A key moment in the contest was United’s Garry Wood having an attempt cleared off the line just before Glenavon’s second goal.

Anderson added: “Garry has done everything right, but the defender got back and made a great clearance.

“They go up and score and then the third goal was on the break which can happen when you have to go chasing the game at 2-0.

“We’ve beaten Livingston colts and Peterhead in this competition, we’ve had an enjoyable run.”

The game started at breakneck speed. In the first two minutes United keeper Kevin Main saved Josh Daniels’ header and at the other end Graeme Rodger shot just wide from 15 yards.

Soon after Wayne MacKintosh’s long through ball put Wood in the clear, but former Northern Ireland international goalie Jonny Tuffey made a fine diving save.

In the 13th minute Glenavon took the lead when Patrick Burns’ inswinging free-kick from the right was spilled by Main and DANIELS turned the loose ball home from close range.

In reply Gary McGowan’s shot from the edge of the box deflected off Burns and crashed off the bar, McGowan curled in the corner that followed, but again it hit the bar.

Before the break, Daniels had a glancing header from Andrew Hall’s corner hacked off the line by Kieran Lawrence and Main thwarted James Singleton who was through one on one.

The second half didn’t have the same chances as the first, nine minutes after the break Glenavon striker Andrew Mitchell fired over from just inside the area.

The tie was decided with 20 minutes left. A fine Formartine move culminated with Scott Lisle’s cross from the right finding Wood at the back post, but Aaron Harmon got back to clear off the line.

Glenavon went straight up the other and Jack O’Mahony’s delivery from the right was headed home by Rhys MARSHALL.

Sub Connor McCLOSKEY raced through and netted a third via the crossbar with seven minutes left.

Formartine assistant manager Russell Anderson said: “That was a perfect of example of when you are playing against a team from a higher level why what happens in the final third makes all the difference.

“We missed some really good chances at important times and I felt the goals we conceded were soft.

“It looks like a heavy defeat, but I didn’t think there were three goals in it. They were more clinical, but there’s a sense of what might have been.”