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Our Viaplay Cup campaign got off to a flyer as the team defeated Clyde 5-2 at Balmoral Stadium this evening.

It was a night for the attackers, with new boys Rumarn Burrell and Kyle Connell each grabbing a brace, and captain Mitch Megginson getting on the scoresheet late on too.

The manager started the game with Balint Demus in goal, with a back four consisting of Darge, Gillingham, Reynolds and Scully.

Tyler Mykyta, who signed just hours before kick-off, was handed his debut for the club on the right-wing. His ex-Formartine teammate Mark Gallagher played alongside him in central midfield, with Sena and Connell completing the midfield four. Megginson and Burrell led the line.

It was our newest arrival who had the opening chance of the game. The ball was fired into Burrell on the edge of the area, who did well to hold the ball up. With his back to goal, he teed the ball off to Mykyta who smacked a first time effort straight into the arms of Clyde goalkeeper Leighfield.

Balint Demus was then called into action in the 12th minute. Forbes tried to find the near corner with his tight angled free-kick, but Demus was alert, and got down well to tip the midfielder’s effort round the post.

The opener of the match came in the 11th minute, and it was a gift from our opponents. A long ball was played up the park, which initially looked like a waste. Clyde right-back McCulloch, under pressure from Connell, looked to nod back to Leighfield, but failed to realise the goalkeeper had also came rushing out to collect, heading beyond. CONNELL latched onto the ball in a flash, and had the simple task of tapping into an empty net from 10-yards.

Megginson looked to open his account for the season, smashing an effort from the edge of the area towards goal, but Leighfield held on this occasion.

Then came a quick flurry of goals, the first of which came from the Cove defence switching off momentarily. Clyde’s Forbes played a short corner to Scullion just inside the area, who played it back to the corner taker. As the Cove defence looked to quickly close down, Mykyta slid in, wiping out Forbes, leaving the referee no option but to award a penalty.

RENNIE stepped up and slotted past Demus, who dived the right way, but was unable to get his hand to it.

The team more than made up for the error, scoring almost instantly from the restart. From kick-off, the ball found its way to Kyle Connell on the left hand side. The winger looked up, and floated an inch perfect cross to BURRELL, who calmly controlled under pressure, and poked beyond Leighfield to restore our lead.

Mykyta, who looked lively throughout his debut, had another chance to score on his first competitive outing. After some really nice patient build-up play, the ball was slipped down the channel to Burrell. The striker whipped a cross in to the box, which was headed away only as far as Mykyta who took a touch and drilled goal wards, but much to Leighfield’s delight it was straight down the middle.

Just a minute later, our lead was extended. After winning a free-kick around 25 yards out, Connell stepped up and delivered a deep free-kick into the area. The ball looked to have evaded everyone, but Reynolds popped up at the back post, and slid the ball across the face of goal for BURRELL who was standing waiting to tap into the empty net from just a few yards out.

Connell continued to threaten as the half went on. In the 33rd minute, Megginson did brilliantly to slide in and dispossess Cuddihy of the ball, before playing wide to Connell. The number 11 drove forward and unleashed a shot, which took a wicked deflection, and forced Leighfield into a great save at his near post.

It was the visitors who finished the half strongest, with two huge chances to get back into the game. Firstly, Forbes swung a corner into the heart of the Cove box, and Grant, unmarked, headed way over the bar from just six yards out. Just one minute later, Clyde had an almost identical chance. Forbes again crossed into a good area, and this time it was Sula unmarked. The centre back’s header crashed off the crossbar, and the follow up effort from Cameron was sliced wide – a big let off before the break.

The away side continued to threaten early on in the second half, and had a few big chances to cut the deficit.

Just before the hour mark, Cameron struck the near post with a cross. Moments later, Connor Scullion received the ball on the edge of the box, and curled a shot just inches wide of Demus’ far post.

The team looked to take control of the game again, and in the 65th minute, we got the opportunity to do so. Mykyta picked up the ball on the right, and swung a deep cross into the box. As Connell chased down, he was dragged to the ground by McCulloch, and for the second time in the game, Gavin Duncan pointed to the spot.

Burrell stepped up, looking to net for the third time in the match, but his effort clipped the crossbar and bounced on the line before Clyde cleared. Despite appeals that the ball had crossed the line, the referee and linesman disagreed and play continued.

Neither side had any real chance from this moment, until Kyle Connell produced a moment of excellence in the 82nd minute to extend our lead even further.

CONNELL picked up the ball on the edge of the Clyde penalty box, and after dropping a shoulder, he cut inside on his right foot and whipped the ball delightfully into the far top corner. It was a spectacular strike from the striker on his first competitive start for the club.

The win was sealed just one minute later, when our captain got in on the goals. The ball was played from Burrell into Gallagher on the edge of the area. The midfielder looked as if he was going to shoot, however instead slipped the ball to his right, where MEGGINSON was standing unmarked. The skipper calmly slotted the ball into the bottom right corner.

That wasn’t the end of the goals, however. Clyde’s MULVANNY was played through on goal, and despite Demus doing well to block his initial shot, the substitute found the back of the net on second attempt to make it 5-2, which is how the game ended. It was an action packed night at Balmoral Stadium, and a great start to our Viaplay Cup Group C campaign.

COVE RANGERS (4-4-2): Demus; Darge, Gillingham, Reynolds, Scully; Mykyta (Vigurs 80′), Gallagher, Sena, Connell; Megginson, Burrell.

UNUSED SUBS: Suman, Ochmanski, Gaffney.

GOALS: Burrell (21′, 26′), Connell (12′, 82′), Megginson (84′)

CLYDE (4-4-2): Leighfield; McCulloch (Mulvanny 71′), Sula, Grant, Craig; Forbes, L. Scullion, Cuddihy, C. Scullion (Dunachie 74′); Cameron (Duncan 71′), Rennie.

UNUSED SUBS: Parry.

GOALS: Rennie (20′), Mulvanny (85′)

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