After a week’s delay due to weather conditions, Jeanfield Swifts welcomed Lochee United to the Riverside in a thrilling encounter that left fans on the edge of their seats.

Lochee United started brightly, pressing high and capitalising on mistakes. Their approach paid dividends in the 15th minute when Jeanfield lost possession on the edge of their own box. A sharp strike hit the underside of the bar and found the net, giving the visitors an early lead.

Jeanfield responded with a series of dangerous corners and crosses that teased an equaliser, but frustration grew as the ball refused to go in. This frustration boiled over, with three Jeanfield players receiving yellow cards in quick succession.

Disaster struck again in the 30th minute when another attempt to play out from the back went wrong. Lochee's striker unleashed a 25-yard shot that the Jeanfield keeper initially parried, only for the ball to bobble into the net, doubling the visitors' lead. Despite some late first-half pressure, Jeanfield went into halftime trailing 2–0, with Lochee the better side in the opening 45 minutes.

Manager Mark Alison made tactical changes during the break, and they had an immediate impact. Just seven minutes into the second half, a deep free kick found A. Abboud at the back post, who cleverly headed it back across goal for Kros Brown to score, reducing the deficit to 2–1.

Jeanfield’s momentum was short-lived. On a Lochee counter-attack, K. Sime, already on a yellow card, brought down a breaking striker. The referee had no choice but to issue a second yellow and a red card, reducing the Swifts to 10 men.

As Jeanfield scrambled to reorganise, Lochee struck again in the 57th minute. A quick free kick caught the Swifts napping, and the Lochee striker finished clinically from close range to restore their two-goal cushion at 3–1.

Despite the uphill battle, Jeanfield fought valiantly. In the 70th minute, Lochee were also reduced to 10 men after one of their players picked up a second yellow. Jeanfield continued to push, and their persistence paid off in the 92nd minute when Kros Brown’s pinpoint cross found A. Abboud, who headed home to make it 3–2.

As Abboud retrieved the ball, he was fouled by a Lochee player, who was shown a straight red card. With just two minutes remaining, the Swifts poured forward in search of an equaliser. Their final chance came with a cross that flashed agonisingly across the face of goal, but A. Philips couldn’t make the crucial connection. Moments later, the referee blew for full-time, leaving Jeanfield heartbroken.

Fulltime
Jeanfield Swifts AFC 2
Lochee United AFC 3

Kros Brown ⚽
A. Abboud ⚽

Rian Shilian stood out as Man of the Match with a tireless performance from right back and right wing, showing exceptional energy and determination throughout the match.

A tale of two halves, this match could have ended differently if Jeanfield had started with the same intensity they showed after halftime.

Best of luck to Lochee United in the next round of the competition!