A stunning red card delivered to Arniston's pivot Calvin Shand with more than half an hour left for play and with the scoreline blank arguably tipped the balance in Star's favour in this Scottish Cup second round tie.

From the resultant free kick Newtongrange grabbed what proved to be the only goal of the game at New Victoria Park on Saturday in front of a crowd of around 600 at Midlothian's "Match of the Day."

As last man Shand's challenge on Scott McCulloch who fell to the ground was adjudged by referee Gavin Ross to be illegal and Arniston's missed half chances came home to roost.

Both teams were sporting newly sponsored outfits for this big Scottish Cup occasion tie, Star sponsored by West Lothian Insurance and Arniston by Borders Rail.

Newtongrange started with some early pressure but once Arniston had found their feet by the sixth minute of play it was an evenly contested affair though lacking in goalmouth incidents to entertain the largely subdued crowd in a first half which was something of a damp squib.

Both keepers were seldom stretched as respective defences were on their toes but play was too nervous and hurried and passing went astray.

Arniston, without top striker Ubong away in London, had Scott Nisbet in the No.9 jersey but playing in midfield with Tadg Moriarty at left back.

This was never going to be a seven goal thriller of a tie with too many fouls and interruptions by referee Mr Ross keeping the crowd on edge with Calvin Shand defending well for the Rangers.

The faithful "Arnie choir" tried to rally the visitors after 15 minutes and Callum Martin responded with a fine shot from 20 yards that just clipped Chris Hill's crossbar.

Cautious play continued but in the 22nd minute a booking for Star's Paul Forbes for a foul on Mark Stevenson eventually led to the injured Arniston No.10 being substituted before the half hour mark by Jay Darling in a what was a low key Scottish Cup tie.

Nisbet then moved forward to fill the striker's gap as Arniston came closest in 33 minutes with a header over his own bar from Tom Britton leading to a twice taken Martin corner which was in and out, cleared off the line leading to another flag kick before being eventually defended safely by the hosts.

The half ended with a Nisbet header wide of Hill's goals then a shot from Moriarty useful but too high as the stalemate was no doubt well discussed over the half- time interval by both managers, McNaughton and Armstrong.

It was still "everything to play for in what turned out to be a gruelling second half but a string of bookings and a red card influenced the final outcome.

Newtongrange had substitute Alan Brown on for David Buchan on the restart as the yellow cards began with Arniston's Wayne McIntosh in the 50th minute for dissent then a long range shot by Nisbet, trying to rally the Arniston spirits, was too high.

Arniston forced a fruitless corner before, at the other end, McCulloch outstripped Moriarty only to be denied by a crucial tackle from Darling conceding Star's first corner of the tie.

This, taken by Swaney, was solidly headed by Tom Britton but just wide.
Then came the ordering off incident and the resultant free kick that hit the Arniston defensive line up only to squirt to the side where lurking Gareth Hutchison hammered the ball home for the decisive strike.

A goal down and a man down, Arniston moved Nisbet to his third position of the afternoon to centre half to cover for pavilion bound Shand.

With Newtongrange chasing a second goal o Arniston took time to dig deep and keep their Scottish Cup hopes alive but Star's McCulloch came close, heading over the bar from a free kick swung in from the left flank by Swaney.

But Arniston were then hit by four bookings from referee Ross — Jay Darling (63 minutes for dissent ) then Nisbet (disputing a free kick awarded against McIntosh), Moriarty for a hefty foul on Hutchison and Cunnison for a foul on Meaney as Arniston's fans groaned.

Twice 10 man Arniston were caught offside chasing the equaliser then a goalline clearance by Grant McNicoll denied Meaney who had successfully lobbed Baillie as Arniston arguably deserved a second chance.

Newtongrange, not at their best, did just enough in the circumstances to squeeze through finally as Arniston huffed and puffed in vain until the final whistle.

Newtongrange Star: Hill, Swaney, Buchan, Britton, Woodburn, Gielty, Hutchison, Forbes, McCulloch, Meaney, Roseburgh. Subs: Wilson, Brown, McNamara, McCallion, Burgess (gk).
Arniston Rangers: Baillie, Cunnison, Moriarty, McNicoll, Shand, Lucas, McIntosh, Noble, Nisbet, Stevenson, Martin. Subs: Boyle, Darling, Laird, Morris, Keeper Godfrey.
Referee: G Ross.

A minute's silence before the match for Arniston's stalwart supporter Bill Walker who passed away at the end of last week was perfectly observed by the big crowd. Bill's son, in attendance, is an Arniston official.