Laird end Senior Cup run as Marine falter

Dec 10 2009 by Our Correspondent, Crosby Herald

MARINE’S participation in the Liverpool Senior Cup was ended on Tuesday night with a 2-0 Arriva Stadium defeat at the hands of Cammell Laird.

The Crosby club have won this competition seven times in their illustrious history but never looked like extending that record against a determined Lairds side, with the Mariners struggling for consistency after recording a good win on Saturday.

Former Mariner Shaun Tuck came closest to opening the scoring early on with a good run down the right culminating in a cross shot which went narrowly wide and from a corner Stuart Jones saw his snap shot saved by Jamie Speare in the home goal.

Steve Owen cleared the bar with a long range effort and then Speare had to be alert to keep out a looping cross, backpedalling to turn the ball over the crossbar.

Marine had passed the ball quite sharply in the opening 20 minutes without breaching the Lairds rearguard but had a good chance midway through the first half, Liam Rushton heading in to the path of Jamie Rainford only for the club’s leading scorer to drag his shot wide of the far post.

Rainford had another chance as half time beckoned, going through on goal but being challenged in the process of shooting, Jones doing enough to force the Marine striker to fire over the top.

The visitors were in the lead inside two minutes of the second half, Joe McMahon’s clearance going straight to Ryan Wignall on the edge of the box, the winger turning past a tackle before steering home a low shot just inside a post.