CUMBERNAULD UNITED left their manager frustrated and furious after requiring extra time to overcome Bellshill Athletic 3-2 in the Challenge Cup.

The Premier Division side needed the help of referee Ryan Lee, whose last-gasp dismissal of home-team midfielder Drew Lyndsay in normal time allowed them to go on and dominate the extra 30 minutes and even more crucially sap the energy out of Bellshill, who had overcome a 2-0 half-time deficit and had looked on the verge of bringing about a calamitous Cup exit for the visitors.

“I’m happy to win, happy to be in the next round, but totally frustrated by our performance out there,” said United boss Kieran McAnespie, whose use of substitutes contributed in no small way to his side coming out on top.

“The game should have been out of sight at 2-0 but we have made the criminal error of allowing Bellshill to get back into things so we need to be a lot smarter in how we go about our business.

“That’s not to take anything away from what is a strong Bellshill team containing some very good players whose confidence is high on account of being on a winning run. But our own slackness enabled them to put us under pressure. We ended up having to dig deep for a victory that should have been in the bag after 45 minutes.”

United’s commitment to throwing bodies forward from the whistle had brought an early reward. With just 14 minutes on the clock, Connor Stevenson’s fiercely struck 25-yard free-kick forced Bellshill goalkeeper K.P. McAllister into a full stretch diving save only for the loose ball to be pounced upon by United front man Dale Fulton - grandson of legendary Junior striker Norrie - and he rifled home a low shot.

The visitors doubled their advantage on the half hour when a powerfully struck Fulton corner-kick was missed by McAllister and rebounded into the net off the face of United player/coach Colin McMenamin, who was standing almost on the line.

A tongue lashing from team manager Derek Wilson stung Bellshill's players into action and they halved the deficit shortly after the re-start when a driven Matty Clarke corner-kick was fumbled into his own net by United goalkeeper Michael McGhee.

Seasoned hit-man Sean McKenna was posing all manner of problems for United’s beleaguered backline but their goal remained intact until the 62nd minute when Clarke’s dead-ball expertise proved invaluable again and his well-struck 22-yard free-kick found the net despite the best efforts of McAllister.

Bellshill continued to look the more likely team to score again until McAnespie introduced the pacy Ryan Murney and Kane Paton from the bench which was to have a telling effect right on the final whistle. Hesitation in Bellshill’s central defence saw Murney race clear only to be sent crashing just outside the penalty area by a despairing Lyndsay tackle from behind that saw the referee reach for his red card.

Extra time brought a further bodyblow for Bellshill as Paton's jinking run down the left flank ended with him cutting the ball back for Murney to score with a low drive past McAllister.

A disappointed Wilson said: “We shot ourselves in the foot, not once but twice, with very poor defending in the first half and it was so unlike us to give the ball away as we did.

“Yes we were a completely different team second half but it shouldn’t take a kick up the backside from myself to get us playing as we can and I’m frustrated that we didn’t go on and win the tie in normal time.

“Going a man down for the entire extra time period was a huge handicap and particularly against a side of Cumbernauld’s quality but my players certainly showed they can play at a higher level and our aim now is to get there as soon as possible.”

Rossvale were another top-flight side to encounter difficulties. They were away to Kilsyth Rangers who twice took the lead at Duncansfield through Scott Upton and Ryan Deas but their goals were cancelled out by Connor Bradley and Lee Roulston.

A 2-2 scoreline prevailed after extra time and it took a penalty shoot-out save from goalkeeper Owen Stott to clinch a 5-4 success and the Bishopbriggs men’s passage into the next round.

Reigning trophy holders East Kilbride were also given a fright at McKenna Park where St Anthonys recovered from falling behind to Darren Smith’s opener with Njabulo Ndlovu levelling matters. The Ants then passed up a glorious opportunity to take the lead when Evariste Bembo’s spot-kick was saved by goalkeeper Jacob Kean. It was a costly miss as substitutes Lewis Kidd and Craig Malcolm netted in the closing stages to secure a 3-1 victory for East Kilbride.

Not so fortunate were the losing finalists, Bonnyrigg Rose, who were beaten 3-0 by Renfrew with Ciaran Divers scoring twice and one from Scott Morton on a day when Cup upsets were few and far between.

St Rochs had a Kieran Daw penalty and brothers Dean and Dan Kindlan to thank for a 3-0 triumph at Kennoway Star Hearts, while St Cadocs also won on their travels as Chris Dallas, two from Dylan Dykes, Mick McCann and Kieran Woods scored in a 5-1 defeat of Glenrothes.

Richie Stewart bagged the winning goal as Vale of Leven won 3-2 away to fancied Annbank United.

A late winner from Jojo Gillespie saw Johnstone Burgh to a 2-1 triumph over Maryhill, for whom Jay McInally's third goal in three games had cancelled out a Rikky McArthur penalty score for the Burgh, but there was nothing close about Greenock’s 3-0 defeat of Vale of Clyde thanks to Jamie Black, James Marks and Gary Fleming scores.

Elsewhere, Neilston are the new leaders of Conference League B after a Conor Bulger hat-trick and a debut goal from loan-signing Adam Forde saw the Farmers Boys run out 4-1 winners at home to a battling Wishaw side that had briefly led through a Kieran Campbell strike.

The only other league match, in Conference C, brought a sensational first game in charge for newly-appointed Lanark United manager Jamie McKenzie as he oversaw an 8-4 defeat of Glasgow Perthshire at Keppoch Park.

SOCCERSHOP CHALLENGE CUP, first round: Thornton Hibs 1 Rutherglen Glencairn 0. Second round: Annbank Utd 2 Vale of Leven 3, Ardeer Thistle 0 Tranent 12, Bellshill Athletic 2 Cumbernauld Utd 3 (aet), Broxburn Athletic 0 Irvine Meadow 3, Craigmark 2 Bonnyton Thistle 2 (aet Craigmark won 4-3 on pens), Darvel 3 Easthouses Lily 2, Eyemouth Utd 1 Muirkirk 3, Forth Wanderers 4 Threave Rovers 2, Gartcairn 6 Inverkeithing Swifts 3, Glasgow University 0 Hill O’Beath 1, Glenrothes 1 St Cadocs 5, Greenock 3 Vale of Clyde 0, Hurlford Utd 4 Civil Service Strollers 1, St Anthonys 1 East Kilbride 3, Johnstone Burgh 2 Maryhill 1, Kennoway Star Hearts 0 St Rochs 3, Kilsyth Rangers 2 Rossvale 2 (aet Rossvale win 5-4 pens), Largs Thistle 2 Dalbeattie Star 1, Linlithgow Rose 2 Kello Rovers 1, Newton Stewart 1 Yoker Athletic 3, Renfrew 3 Bonnyrigg Rose 0, Troon 3 Preston Athletic 4 (aet), Heriot Watt University 3 Drumchapel Utd 2, Whitehill Welfare 2 Carluke Rovers 0.

WOSFL Conference League B: Neilston 4 Wishaw 1. WOSFL Conference League C: Glasgow Perthshire 4 Lanark Utd. 8.