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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Eric McGowan

Scots referee has shootout howler as football team's cup win declared void

An Ayrshire amateur football team had their cup celebrations cut short after a referee wrongly sent a tie to penalty kicks.

Irvine AFC thought they'd sealed a spot in the third round of the Scottish Cup with a tense shootout win at home to Glasgow outfit Kings Park Utd on Saturday, after the sides fought out a dramatic 3-3 draw.

But match official Duncan Yuill bungled by allowing spot kicks in the first place. Cup rules state that ties ending in a draw after 90 minutes should result in a replay.

And Irvine's crestfallen players only found out their heroics were all for nothing as they supped celebratory post-match pints.

Gutted manager Jordan McMurtrie told Ayrshire Football News: "We scored really late on to make it 3-3 and initially thought it would be a replay.

"But when the ref insisted it was straight to penalty kicks we thought he must be right.

"All the boys were buzzing to win and we were all sitting in the club enjoying a drink when we got a message through that the result might not stand.

"We thought the referee's decision would be final but apparently not. We got official confirmation a few hours later that the game would have to be replayed.

"It's a bit of a gutter, particularly because it's the Scottish Cup, but these things happen.

"The ref's a good ref to be fair - and he had a great game. We just have to accept it."

McMurtrie is confident his players can finish the job once and for all in the replay this Saturday.

He added: "We were 2-0 up and we gifted them two silly goals. We should have been comfortable.

"But you always know anything can happen in the cup."

The Scottish Amateur Football Association has been approached for comment.

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