Strabane........................................0

Trojans...........................................1

Strabane's interest in this seasons League Cup ended on Saturday last when they lost out to Derry club Trojans in the final minute of this match at Melvin Park. This was the Strabane club's first match at Intermediate level in Melvin since 1979 season when they played in the arena pitch. In fact it was their first match ever on Melvin No 1 pitch since they left the junior ranks in the N West League in 1978.

As it turned out it was not a winning start. The game was a close enough affair with each side having their moments. Adrian Nelson should have put Strabane in front early in the match when he was through with only the keeper to beat from eight yards but he shot over the bar. Strabane had a claim for a penalty in the first half when a Trojans player appeared to handle the ball, but the referee waved play on. The visitors tested McLaughlin in the Strabane goal with a few shots, but on his debut McLaughlin saved well. Strabane lost striker Michael McDaid after twenty minutes with an injury and was replaced by Tommy Moore. At half time the match was scoreless.

Five minutes after the restart Strabane wre reduced to ten men when S Conroy was sent off for disputing the award of a decision against him already on a yellow card. The referee sent him off for a second offence. This lack of discipline meant that his team mates had to battle the harder to repel Trojans who were starting to get on top with the wind behind them. Referee Marshall certainly did not endear himself to the Strabane players and spectators when he awarded a penalty agaisnt Barry McCay when he and an opponent fell whilst going for the ball. A very harsh decision indeed. Justice was done when the penalty kick struck the post and re-bounded to the taker who shot again with McLaughlin parrying the ball to another Trojans player. The referee boobed here as, as when the ball came back off the post to the taker who played it for a second time. An indirect free shoujld have been awarded to Strabane. Under the laws of the game the penalty taker cannot play the ball a second time until it is played by another player. Following this the game settled into a struggle between the Trojans attack and the Strabane defence and at times the Strabane goal seemed blessed with shots coming off the woodwork on several ocasions, in saying that, Strabane in breakaways could have got a couple of goals with Moore and young Aaron Brennan missing good chances late on in the game.