CUMBERNAULD United secured a place in the Euroscot Eng Central League Cup quarter-finals last night with a 5-3 penalty shoot-out defeat of Petershill following a regulation time 1-1 stalemate.

But the scoreline in no way reflected Guys Meadow events where Petershill dominated the home side for the most part but failed lamentably to take advantage of their territorial advantage - they even missed a penalty-kick when United's stand-in goalkeeper Stevie McGuire brilliantly saved a well-struck Kieron Daws spot-kick.

And centre-back Danny Boyle - playing with a strapping to protect a broken-toe injury - was the game's integral figure after his own goal, when horribly slicing an attempt to clear a driven Liam Cusack cross into his own net, gave the visiting Peasy a 1-0 lead.

That slender advantage ensued until four minutes from time when Boyle got on the end of a free-kick to head home and take the game to a spot-kick conclusion where the unfortunate Daws missed from 12 yards for a second time.

United boss John Queen admitted: "Petershill have good cause to feel hard done by tonight but I couldn't be happier for my players for sticking it out when all seemed lost.

"Once it went to penalties I felt a lot more confident as we haven't lost a shoot-out since I came to the club some seven years ago."

Cumbernauld now face Vale of Clyde and the reward for the eventual winners is a semi-final tilt away to Thorniewood United who ran out 3-1 winners in their last-eight clash with St Roch's.

Thorniewood stormed out of the blocks and were 3-0 up just 16 minutes in through Brendan Smith, Brian Johnston and James O'Hara counters with a shell-shocked Candy Rock's response a solitary second-half score from Baboucarr Mussa.

And congratulations are in order for Blantyre Vics after Kyle Lochhead and Fraser Malcolm were on the mark as the Central First Division side clinched back-to-back promotions with a 2-1 defeat of Benburb.

Delighted boss David Greig said: "We didn't play well on the night but our sheer will to win got us over the line and I'm so proud of every single player."

LAST NIGHT'S RESULTS: Euroscot Eng Central League Cup quarter-final: Thorniewood Utd 3 St Roch's 1.

Third Round: Royal Albert 0 Dunipace 3, Cumbernauld Utd 1 Petershill 1 (Cumbernauld win 5-3 on penalties).

Stagecoach League Central First Division: Benburb 1 Blantyre Vics 2.