Dunbar United hunting for cup silverware after shootout drama

Dunbar United and Stirling University could not be separated after 120 minutes of football last Tuesday. Instead, it took a penalty shootout to determine which side would reach the last four of the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup.

The scores were locked at 9-9 when Brennan stepped up and sent his rival the wrong way for the decisive kick.

Manager Haynes said: “I was confident, funnily enough.

“You turn round and look over at training on a Thursday night and he will be taking penalties into Shea Dowie [the club’s other goalkeeper].

“I did not have any issues with that.

“I was really, really confident he would save a few.

“Sean, Shea and myself have a gaffer-versus-goalie competition for penalties at training. I was very confident he was going to save some at some stage, as would Shea.”

The shootout success marked the second time that 27-year-old Brennan had found the net this season.

The goalkeeper was goalscorer in a league contest with Hill of Beath Hawthorn earlier in the campaign.

Now, Dunbar have a semi-final clash with East of Scotland Football League (EoSFL) First Division frontrunners Dunipace to look forward to on March 23.

Dunbar United manager Kevin Haynes

Haynes stressed that it would not be an easy tie, despite Dunbar playing in the tier above their opponents.

He said: “On paper, it is the lowest-ranked team in the competition, with the other three teams [Dunbar, Broxburn and Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts] being in the Premier League.

“Dunipace are a good side and they are going to win the First Division – I’m pretty confident of that.

“We played them in close encounters last season and they have a decent side.

“It will be a really hard game.”

Before then, Dunbar face another away trip – a dozen miles west to the Millfield home of Haddington Athletic.

It brings a reunion for Haynes and Haddington boss Scott Bonar, who played together at Dunbar.

The New Countess Park manager was looking forward to the derby.

He told Courier Sport: “People in Dunbar, supporters, will have family, friends, whoever in Haddington and can have their wee bit of banter and wind each other up, I imagine.

“For me, it is another game.

“As a manager, I know my ex-team-mate has got a good side.

“It is a hard fixture but it is good it is close and adds a wee bit of needle.”

The Seasiders sit fifth in the EoSFL Premier Division with 10 league games left and the manager said it was all about looking at the teams above them and seeing how high they could finish.

He said: “It is just trying to catch the people above us. Can we catch Musselburgh? Can we catch Jeanfield Swifts, Hutchison Vale or whoever?

“We are looking above us and we are not at a stage to look below us.

“Hopefully, we have done enough throughout the season going into the final third to be in a safe position.

“We said at the start of the season the aim was really to try to make some progress in the cup this year.

“If we can progress in the cups that is something we have never done in my time here.

“We are on track to do that as well.

“If we beat Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts next Tuesday, we will have bettered every cup competition we played in last season.”