Dunipace 6-5 St Andrews United 

South Challenge Cup 3rd Rnd

There are games you win, games you lose, and then there are games like this. St Andrews United travelled to Dunipace for the third round of the South Challenge Cup and somehow managed to score five goals, lead three times, score a hat-trick, equalise twice in the second half and still leave empty-handed after an extraordinary 11-goal afternoon. Football, as ever, remains a simple game.

Saints made the perfect start after just four minutes. A superb diagonal ball found Kavanagh, whose first touch was excellent as he drove into the box before firing a low diagonal finish beyond the Dunipace goalkeeper. Dunipace 0-1 Saints. The home side enjoyed plenty of possession after the opener but, despite having the ball, struggled to create any clear chances. On 15 minutes, Simpson embarked on one of his trademark mazy runs and was eventually wiped out for his trouble. A free-kick was awarded, although remarkably no booking followed. We can only assume the referee was saving his cards for something more dramatic.

On 21 minutes, Dunipace found an equaliser. A 25-yard effort from the home side was blocked by Simpson, but unfortunately the ball fell straight back to the same player, who made no mistake second time around, rifling the ball into the top-left corner. 1-1. Four minutes later, Dunipace turned the game around, scoring with their first real chance of the afternoon to make it 2-1. The Saints responded almost immediately, with a long throw turned into the six-yard box and deflected home, Kavanagh appearing to get the final touch to bring the scores level once again. 2-2. Moments earlier, Dunipace’s goalkeeper had dropped a long free-kick and the ball had been knocked into the net, only for the linesman’s flag to go up. It didn’t matter in the end.

With the score level, Saints also decided that half an hour was a reasonable amount of time to trial the 3-5-2 before reverting to a more familiar 4-4-2 formation. The tactical adjustment didn’t prevent another goal, however. On 38 minutes, a flat diagonal ball found a Dunipace player running in behind Wright. He brought it under control with his chest and guided it past the goalkeeper to put the home side back in front. Dunipace 3-2 Saints. And that was how it stood at half-time. Five goals, few chances. Quite how that worked remains unclear.

Saints started the second half brightly and were level again after just two minutes. Sneddon beat two players before reaching the byline and sending a cross towards the back post. Penman’s header was cleared off the line, but Kavanagh was on hand to tap home the rebound. 3-3 – and a hat-trick for Kavanagh. The momentum was now with Saints and, on 54 minutes, a Dunipace attack broke down and the Saints countered at pace, finding themselves three against one. Kavanagh picked out Berry, who kept his composure to fire home. Dunipace 3-4 Saints. Surely, surely, the game would settle down now. No.

Two minutes later, Dunipace were awarded a penalty for handball against Cunningham. The home player converted, the effort going underneath the goalkeeper, and it was 4-4. Eight minutes later, Dunipace were ahead again. An up-and-under from around halfway caught Saints napping. The ball was prodded across goal and eventually knocked home. 5-4. It was a poor goal to concede. Saints responded once again, with Wright rising highest at the back post from a corner on 67 minutes to head home and make it 5-5. At this point, the match had abandoned any pretence of being sensible.

With 15 minutes remaining, there was still plenty of time for something else to happen. Judging by the previous 75 minutes, there was also plenty of time for another four goals. Dunipace threatened on 79 minutes when a dangerous attack ended with a flashing shot across goal being cleared over the bar by Thomson. A mazy run and effort narrowly past the far post followed a minute later, before Robertson was called upon to tip a cross-shot over the bar on 85 minutes. Saints then had their own opportunity, but despite a huge stramash following a corner, they couldn’t force the ball over the line. A minute later, Lumsden caught a shot flush, only for the Dunipace goalkeeper to produce an excellent save.

Into injury time, and then came the final twist. On 91 minutes, Dunipace delivered a cross into the box. Robertson couldn’t hold it, the ball fell kindly to a home attacker and it was fired into the net. Dunipace 6-5 Saints. There was still time for a brief hope of another equaliser, but this time the Saints couldn’t produce one.

A sickening way to lose. St Andrews scored five times away from home, Kavanagh claimed a hat-trick, the team came from behind twice in the second half and led 4-3 with 36 minutes remaining. It still wasn’t enough. Credit to Dunipace for taking their chances when they came, but from a Saints perspective, there will be plenty to reflect on after conceding six goals in a game that could have gone either way.

An extraordinary afternoon, an 11-goal thriller and a heartbreaking way to bow out of the South Challenge Cup. After five goals, countless twists and a game that swung one way and then the other, it was Dunipace who march on to the 4th round