There was to be no repeat of last season’s heroics at Clydebank, this time Athletic were the team defeated 4-3 as The Lok ran out deserved winners in the televised match at Newlandsfield Park in Glasgow’s Southside.
An early Shaun Fraser strike was cancelled out by Robb McCartney, but ex Annan loan man Darren Christie thundered Pollok back in front before the break.
In the second half, Fraser Mullen and Stuart McCann both added to the Glasgow side’s tally.
And McCartney and Cameron Williamson clawed back goals for the Galabankies.
A Charlie Barnes header right at the death, which would have brought the game level and forced extra time, went agonisingly wide. And the curtains fell on Annan’s cup campaign at the first hurdle.
Speaking to the Annandale Series after the match, manager Peter Murphy said: “The performance wasn’t good enough at all, we knew we were coming to a team that’s going to put you under pressure.
“We didn’t start the game quick, they did, they were a hundred miles an hour and caught my players by surprise.
“Then conceding an early goal in the first five minutes again, that’s got to stop.
“We did well to get back into it, but conceding the goal in the way we did on the 45th minute means we’ve got a mountain to climb in the second half.
“They started the second half again, really quick, putting us under pressure.
“The third goal is criminal, and the fourth goal our player should just hook it clear.
“I’m really disappointed with basic errors and mistakes we made to concede the goals.
“But on the other side of that coming back into it, the fight that the players have, sticking together and getting three goals, I thought was brilliant.
“We could have nicked it right at the end to get the draw for extra time, but if that had of happened it would have been very harsh on Pollok.”
‘Gutted’
ANNAN Athletic striker Robb McCartney scored his first goals of the season in the tie, but they were not enough to overturn the scoreline.
The former Carlisle City forward said: “We were gutted in the changing room to be honest, we’ve tried to get ourselves back in it.
“There is a few mistakes that if we can cut out then we have a chance to get through.
“We’re not starting matches too well, we’re finding ourselves behind and then it’s a mountain to climb from.
“From the start we need to be better.
“It’s my first goals of the season.
“I’m obviously happy to get them, hopefully there will be a lot more going forward, but overall we are gutted.”
