First Foot Slips Away

Benburb's opportunity to wish visitors to Tinto Park a Happy New Year will have to wait for another week as the first outing of 2011 was cancelled because of a snow covered pitch. Modern times means that the risk of injury to player and supporter from ice and snow is too great to allow games to proceed. The last thing a Junior treasurer wants in the cash strapped winter months is an insurance claim (or an injured player or supporter of course!).
Many with not too long memories will remember when Junior football wasn't automatically subject to cancellation from frost and snow. Up to the early 1980s, orange balls and trainers were in order to keep the game on with supporters ready to lend a hand clearing pitches and surrounds.
The Evening Times of 24 March 1980 reported such efforts at Tinto Park to get the game on- it was the Quarter-Final of the Scottish Cup mind you- under the headline: Benburb cup hopes soar.
'Hopes of Scottish Cup success soared in Govan after Benburb deservedly beat Bonnyrigg Rose 2-0 in the quarter-final at Tinto Park. It is 37 years since Bens last appeared in the final and 44 years since they won the cup.
Former Pollok winger Eddie McKim was the ace with both goals, the first in 26 minutes when he outjumped the Bonnyrigg defence to head home a Livingston corner.
Then two minutes from the end he connected with a McIntosh cross to net with a low shot.
Rose wasted a great chance to equalise when John Buckley (son of Paddy of Aberdeen fame) shot past from a penalty.
Bens now meet Lochee United in the semi-final at Dens Park, Dundee, on a date still to be decided.
Bonnyrigg were disappointing as they fielded four of the players who won the cup two years ago.
Bens' Stevie Whitehead, provisionally signed by Rangers, did well against the strong Bonnyrigg defence, shooting at every opportunity.
Supporters worked all out in the morning to clear the snow from the pitch. They did a great job and the playing surface was ideal for football and much appreciated by the crowd of almost 2000.
After the game a representative from Wigan Athletic spoke to right-back Ally Marshall. He is wanted for a trial at the first suitable date.'