Rutherglen Glencairn AFC 5 – 1 Edinburgh South

Rutherglen, Saturday – Rutherglen Glencairn AFC booked their spot in the next round of the cup with a convincing 5-1 victory over Edinburgh South, transforming a frustrating first half into a joyous exhibition of attacking football after the break.

First Half Frustration Turns to Fireworks

The opening half, while controlled by Glencairn, was a story of missed opportunities. Smith finally broke the deadlock on the 30-minute mark, giving Rutherglen a deserved but slender lead.

Despite the dominance, Edinburgh South managed to carve out a couple of decent chances, keeping the tie finely balanced at 1-0 heading into the tunnel. The consensus among the Glens faithful was clear: the lead should have been by at least three goals.

Second Half Onslaught

Whatever was said at halftime worked wonders, as Rutherglen emerged with a renewed intensity that overwhelmed their opponents.

The floodgates opened with Henry netting in the 55th minute, swiftly followed by Hodge five minutes later (60 mins), putting the Glens in a commanding 3-0 position. The team was reported to be “playing some lovely stuff,” stringing together passes and creating chances with real flair.

Edinburgh South managed a brief reply, pulling one back in the 70th minute with a somewhat “poor goal” conceded by the home side. However, Glencairn’s immediate response extinguished any hope of a comeback. Stalker fired home in the 75th minute to restore the four-goal cushion, and an Own Goal (85 mins) capped off the scoring, sealing the emphatic 5-1 win.

Bennett Dominates Midfield

While the goals were spread around, the man who ran the show was undoubtedly Ryan Bennett. The Glencairn midfielder delivered a Man of the Match performance built on a blend of power and precision.

“Ryan Bennett was a stand out with his physicality plus his strong running power. Add that to his quality on the ball and it was a MotM performance,” noted a source close to the club.

Bennett’s dynamic display perfectly encapsulated the team’s strong overall performance, ensuring a professional and confident progression to the next stage of the competition.

Rutherglen Glencairn AFC now look ahead, confident in their ability to compete at a high level after this impressive outing.

HIGHLIGHTS

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