Newtown 4 - 2 Gordon

GIANT-killing Newtown boss Neil Macvicar believes his team can go all the way in this season’s Waddell Cup.

The new gaffer, who took over the reborn village club in the summer, has already won the third-tier Collie Cup and sits joint top of Division C.

But the former Leithen Rovers player is confident his side can also go close in the all-division Waddell competition.

He said: “The league is our priority – we want to get out of the C Division this season – but we feel we can go far in the Waddell Cup.

“We have a good bunch of players and I think the team is getting better with each match.”

Gordon are rightly considered favourites to win the Division A title this season.

And they dominated early play in this first round match on the 3G surface.

With the wind at his back player-manager Craig Livingston managed to round keeper Glen Murray in the ninth minute only to shoot a fraction wide from the angle.

Strike partner Kevin Utterson delayed his shot long enough to allow Paul Scott to make a goal-saving challenge just seven minutes later.

And when the A Division side finally found their accuracy on 24 minutes with a powerful Livingston volley, Murray produced an outstanding one-handed save to push the ball over the bar.

Despite playing into the wind Newtown did create a couple of chances approaching the half hour. Scott Leitch weaved his way into the area only to shoot over, and Stephen Swanston was denied by a brave block from Elliot Turnbull as he found space to race into the area.

Gordon broke the deadlock on 36 minutes from the penalty spot.

There were no complaints as player-boss Macvicar handled inside the area and Euan Brown slotted the ball beneath Murray from the spot.

Macvicar’s team responded well with Darren Blacklock and Andrew Crawford both going close before the break.

The Division C side were rewarded for their efforts five minutes after the interval with a penalty of their own.

Referee Frank Campbell judged Graeme Redpath’s challenge on Matthew Scott was a foul, and Crawford blasted home the equaliser from the spot.

Gordon enjoyed their best spell of the match leading up to the hour with Livingston forcing a great save from Murray and Brian Tait rattling the bar with a shot before they finally regained the lead.

Utterson collected a perfect through ball to rifle a tremendous shot into the corner of the net from the angle.

But within four minutes Newtown were level again.

Turnbull’s sliding clearance rolled out to Swanston who calmly steered the ball into the net from 25 yards.

A poor goal kick from the Gordon keeper three minutes later gave Newtown the lead for the first time. Turnbull’s effort went straight to Leitch, who stormed into the box to drive a low shot into the net .

The upset was completed on 82 minutes as Blacklock headed home Crawford’s corner at the back post.

Although Newtown’s strikeforce will take much of the credit for toppling Gordon, it was the villagers’ defence who deserve even more credit for an almost faultless performance.

Something the manager acknowledged. Macvicar added: “It’s the first time some of our defenders have played together and I thought they did really well.

“They gave little away and I’m really pleased with how all of them played.”

Newtown. G Murray, P Scott, D Richardson (N Todd 8), S Tuddenham, M Matheson, S Swanston (C Paterson 87), N Macvicar, D Blacklock, A Crawford, S Leitch & M Scott.

Gordon. E Turnbull, G Redpath, G Gillie, G Brown, E Brown, N Burrows, J Bell (J Milner 37), G Porter, K Utterson, C Livingston & B Tait.