Football often throws up strange little stories, and this Jim Harvey Cup tie had one before the match had even settled.

When Kieran Irwin arrived late at the ground, it wouldn’t have gone down well in the Lokomotiv dressing room. Turning up late on a cup day is never ideal, especially when every player knows how important these games can be.

But as the match unfolded, the focus soon moved from the late arrival to what happened on the pitch.

The Match: A Seven-Goal Thriller

The game against Rosebank United turned into one of the most entertaining ties of the round. Goals arrived at both ends throughout the match, with neither side able to take control for long.

By the closing stages the teams were level at 3–3, with the tie looking as if it could be heading for extra time.

The Graded Performance

Irwin didn’t just come on and score. His contribution helped change the tempo of the game for Lokomotiv in the final stages.

• Work rate: From the moment he came on he was active, closing down defenders and putting pressure on the Rosebank back line.

• Energy late in the game: His movement and pressing gave Lokomotiv a lift at a point when the game had become stretched.

• The winning moment: In the 82nd minute Irwin took his chance and finished well to make it 4–3, sending Lokomotiv into the next round of the Jim Harvey Cup.

“Sometimes redemption only takes one goal.”

Why It Matters

Arriving late could easily have become the main talking point of the morning.

Instead, Irwin’s late goal changed the story. His finish secured the win for Lokomotiv and sent them through to the next round of the Jim Harvey Cup.

What started as a difficult build-up ended with the moment that decided the tie.

Full Time: Lokomotiv 4 – 3 Rosebank United.

Man of the Hour: Kieran Irwin.