Match Report: Ratho Athletic vs Mill AFC – East of Scotland Cup Round 2

Ratho Athletic’s East of Scotland Cup journey came to an end in the second round after a hard-fought contest against LEAFA Championship side Mill AFC. In a closely fought encounter, Mill edged to a 3-1 victory, with the game turning on a few decisive moments.

The opening 20 minutes were cagey, with Mill looking the sharper side, playing some impressive football and putting Ratho under pressure. Goalkeeper Jack produced a stunning point-blank save, tipping the effort over the bar to keep the scores level. However, from the resulting corner, Mill struck from the edge of the box to take the lead.

Ratho responded quickly, showing their fighting spirit. A set-piece led to a loose ball in the box, and Haydn Crane was on hand to pounce, smashing home the equaliser. The goal gave Ratho a lift, and they finished the first half strongly, creating chances and looking the better side. The teams went into the break level at 1-1.

The second half started with Ratho on the front foot, looking dangerous and pushing for a second goal. However, the game’s momentum shifted around the hour mark when substitute Scott Aitken was shown a red card for a high foot. With Ratho down to ten men, Mill took advantage, regaining the lead with another superb strike from outside the box.

Despite being a man down, Ratho threw everything forward in search of an equaliser, piling players into attacking positions. Unfortunately, this left gaps at the back, and Mill broke away late on to seal the victory with their third goal.

The referee’s performance was a source of frustration for Ratho, with several questionable decisions going against the team. However, despite the setback, the players showed great determination and commitment throughout the match.

While the result wasn’t what Ratho hoped for, they’ll take the positives and turn their focus back to their league campaign. We wish Mill AFC the best of luck in the next rounds of the competition.

Full-time: Ratho Athletic 1–3 Mill AFC