AMATEUR LEAGUE REVIEW: Pherson’s Barn throw away two-goal lead

Barn boss Jim Pherson said: “It’s a lost opportunity. We should have got something out of it; we were two up inside the opening 25 minutes.

“Their second goal, just before half-time, looked yards offside and that was the turning point. We’re just not getting the breaks at the minute, especially in the league.

“Early on, there was a great shape to the team, pressing high, but Dundonald did have the better of the second half; they used the pitch better, their movement was good, finding spaces, whereas we lost our good tight shape, chasing the game.”

Barn opened the scoring on 15 minutes when Alan McCune gobbled up an undercooked back-pass, rounding the stranded keeper.

United extended their lead seven minutes later with a close-range header from Matt McDonald.

However, ‘Donald broke their duck on the half-hour, scoring at the third bite of the cherry, after two fine saves from Dean Haggan before levelling matters with that controversial second goal.

The Duns had the better of the second half with two further goals, but Barn could have salvaged something had Keith Anderson and Andy Kane not smacked shots straight at the keeper.

On Saturday, it’s the Intermediate Cup where Barn entertain 1A stablemates 1st Bangor OB, who were 2-1 league winners at Haslett Park back in August, thanks to a last-gasp winner.

Mossley, meanwhile, face Championship 2 opposition in Sport and Leisure Swifts, while the 2004 beaten finalists Larne Tech travel to Newry City and Nortel are at Lisburn Rangers.