Celts to the fore for Dick
The fans turned out in force and Celtic turned on the style to mark Winton Rovers veteran Dick Malcolmson's well-deserved testimonial at the Ardrossan club ‘s ground on Tuesday night (28 July 1992). Both teams provided a guard of honour as Dick, who has been ten years with the club, ran on to the pitch and he went on to produce a typically hard-working performance - and there was an additional reason tor celebration in the Malcolmson family on Dick's big night. Son Scott, who is following in dad's footballing bootsteps, was eight on the night and he was given the thrill of joining his father, Rovers' captain, in the centre circle prior to the start. Winton showed off the latest of their pro-season recruits, Billy Armour from Craigmark and Jimmy Boag, signed minutes before the kick-off from Dalry Thistle – and there were several of Malcolmson's old pals including Jimmy Murray (Cumnock), Jackie Conway (Saltcoats), Hugh Houston (Craigmark) and former Winton favourites Paul Halley and Jimmy Montgomery in the squad to boost the occasion. At the end of the day, the result did not matter. Celtic won 4-0. It was a special night for a special Winton Rovers servant. For the record, the goals for a highly skilled Celtic outfit were scored by Simon Donnelly, Brian Smith, Billy Dolan and Mark Donaghy.
WINTON ROVERS 6 – DALRY THISTLE 0
Boag blasts Winton into last eight
Winton knew they were taking part in a numbers game on Saturday (22 August 1992) and they set about their task like men possessed. The aim was to score as many goals as possible and the prize was a place in the quarter-finals of the Jackie Scarlett Cup. Three goals would have sent them through but they gave their fans double that number. They started in determined fashion - winning a comer after only sixty-six seconds - and just over a minute into the match Ted O’Rourke tested ex-Winton keeper Gary Murgitroyd for the first time with low curling shot. On this occasion, Murgitroyd handled well. The rain-battering Winton Park caused real problems and acted as something of a leveller early on. Indeed, Wlnton’s first goal was due, in part, to some slip-sliding away in the box. O’Rourke gave them their initial chance from a comer but there was a lot or scrambling about before the ball squirmed past Murgitroyd after Jlmmy Boag had got a boot to it. Boag had the chance to put his side two up after eleven minutes but, with only the keeper to beat, he seemed to stumble over him as he released his shot and could only watch as it went wide. Gary McInally had to look sharp twice in the space of two minutes to keep Dalry in touch. With a quarter of an hour gone, he headed off the line from Peter Monan and two minutes later he kicked a Billy Armour effort off the line. Ardrossan continued to press for goals and Ian McHarg and Stuart Beattie both had good chances but with thirty-four minutes gone, it was Boag who got his chance to do some more damage. The ball came through to him from Campbell Clark and he made no mistake from point-blank range - and Wlnton added to Dalry’s misery with only three minutes of the half remaining. Once again it came from an O’Rourke corner but this time, Monan got down low to head past Murgitroyd. Dalry had a let-off a minute later when O’Rourke’s shot was cleared off the line by Steven Holmes. There were protests that the bail had crossed the line before it was booted away but referee Charlie McLaughlin gave the decision Dalry’s way. If Dalry thought Winton would let up in the second half, Boag taught them otherwise after only ninety seconds. Winton had placed the Thistle goal under attack since the second-half whistle went - and just as Dalry thought they were getting a chance to clear their lines, in ran Boag on a solo mission. His sights were fixed on his hat-trick and he made no mistake notching up his third, and Winton’s fourth, with a low drive into the bottom left corner. On Dalry’s side, there was little to write home about until well over an hour had passed. A Joe Creamer corner looked dangerous but, as the ball came across, Robert Hamilton stretched out his arm among a crowd of players and curled the ball towards him. Six minutes later, Craig McCallum struck out for goal fifteen yards out but once again Hamilton was sharp and got down well to save his clean sheet - and two one-handed saves from Dalry substitute Stewart Pattison and almost immediately afterwards from Alastair Graham, further added to Hamilton’s credit. But as it Dalry hadn’t suffered enough, referee McLaughlin awarded a penalty against them for hand ball. O’Rourke stepped up and netted easily from the spot. Dalry’s Mick McGachey forced another fine save from Hamilton in seventy-nine minutes but, to be honest, a team of his coalmining namesake’s allies couldn’t have done much worse for Dalry! And, with only seconds remaining, O’Rourke brought Winton’s tally to six with a beautiful lob from eighteen yards.
The teams were:
Winton Rovers – Hamilton, Armstrong, Armour, McCutcheon, Beattie, Clark, Boag, Malcolmson, McHarg, O’Rourke and Monan with substitutes Poole and McFadyen
Dalry Thistle – Murgltroyd, Graham, Mclnally, McLaughlin, Holmes, Buchanan, Gorman, McGachey, Tracey, McCallum and Creamer with substitutes Pattlson and Gaffney.
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 28 August 1992