East of Scotland League Cup Group J – Saturday 12th March 2022
Blackburn United 1 (Allison 14)
Dalkeith Thistle 1 (Leslie 71)
It was Burnie who dominated this match for long spells but were unable to add to their early opener and were caught with a Dalkeith sucker punch.
Liam Allison opened the scoring on the quarter hour mark after Jack Garrad set Laurie Devine clear of the defence, and he drew Dowie in the Dalkeith goal before squaring to Allison to slot home.
It was a half of few clear-cut chances but just before the break, a ball over the defence by Daryl Meikle saw Laurie Devine run clear again but his angled shot just crept past Dowie’s far post.
Just after the restart, Jack Garrad saw a shot blocked by Dowie for a corner, from which Devine then tried a cheeky back-heel which crept past. As Burnie applied the pressure a number of corners saw the ball headed goalwards but miss the target.
Burnie were dominating and a Callum Heath effort was blocked by Dowie before Liam Allison fastened onto the ball from a corner but skied it over from the penalty spot.
In their first real foray forward of the second period, Dalkeith were handed a equaliser when Garrard, under pressure from Cameron Leslie, played the ball back to Craig Saunders from quite close range and his rushed clearance kick cannoned off Leslie into the net.
With ten minutes remaining, Allison headed over from a Hutton cross, and then in the dying minutes a Mildren clearance was flicked on by Campbell and Michel Browne bore down on Dowie but again the Dalkeith custodian blocked the effort and secured a point for the visitors.
Blackburn United: Craig Saunders, James Mildren, Kyle McClung, Fergus Owens, Marcus Millar, Daryl Meikle (Michael Browne 65), Calum Heath, Jack Garrad (David Howe 75), Laurie Devine (Danny Campbell 65), Richie Hutton, Liam Allison. Unused subs: Dominic Kane, Lyall Cameron, Baley Ferris, Ryan Kidd.
Dalkeith Thistle: Shea Dowie, Ross Aitchison, Ronan Clelland, Michael Lennie, Steven Woods, Michael Fairnie (Jordan Mackie 66), Darren Leslie, Connor Dyet (Cameron Miller 45), Cameron Leslie (Josh Davidson 90+1), Darren McTernan, Jack Morgan. Unused subs: Matthew Johnston, Greig Callaghan, Szymon Merwa, Steven Ferguson.
Referee: Andy Gamble Assistants: Josh Heggie, Stuart Robertson