James McKinstry slotting home a penalty kick for Vale of Clyde is nothing unusual ...

However, it's surely unique that the former Partick Thistle, Dumbarton and Ayr United defender then saved another three spot kicks to help his side win 4-3 in a sudden death shoot-out against St Anthony's.

McKinstry rolled back the years to serve up a virtuoso "they shall not pass" performance for all of five regulation minutes plus the time it took to take 12 penalty kicks after coming on as a goalkeeping substitute when Vale No.1 Jon Connolly was given his marching orders in 85 minutes for a second yellow card offence against one of his former clubs.

Actually, it might be more technically correct to say the big shotstopper's crimes were against whistler Alan Grainger, whose red card reaction to Connolly's loud verbals left the experienced keeper stunned.

He scoffed: "The referee said in the first half that he would send me off if I didn't shut up so he was only keeping his promise.

"But what sticks in my throat is the fact I was sent inside for foul and abusive language, yet I never directed any shouts whatsoever at the referee and my call was to team-mate Hashim Cole telling him to play to the whistle and not to be claiming for any decisions as we weren't getting any."

Connolly's dismissal came shortly after lively St Anthony's substitute Billy Stevenson had stolen round the back to convert a corner kick with the aid of a slight deflection and put the home side into a 2-1 lead.

It was no more than the Govan outfit deserved for battling back from going 1-0 down against the run of play to a close-range header by Vale full-back Gary McClymont in 31 minutes.

An equaliser arrived just three minutes later when Jamie Docherty, who had earlier missed an absolute sitter from no more than a yard out, curled a low shot against the far upright and following-up midfielder Scott McEwan netted from point-blank range.

The home side proceeded to pass up a further barrowload of scoring chances, none better than a 57th-minute penalty kick awarded for a push inside the penalty box, however Connolly intuitively kept out Thomas Miller's effort with his shins to keep the scoreline level.

Stevenson earning the Ants a slender advantage so late in the day could, and should, have secured passage into the New Coin Holdings West of Scotland Cup second round draw, but he and his team-mates made the mistake of taking their eyes off Vale top scorer Derek Hepburn, and he latched on to a searching ball down the left side in 89 minutes to fire a low shot across home keeper Johnny Duncan and into the net to clinch a 2-2 draw.

Thus the scene was set for a glory show from McKinstry, which began with the 35-year-old showing no nerves in stepping forward to convert the first shoot-out kick.

He then foiled Miller and a potential match-winning fifth St Anthony's spot-kick by Mark McCuish with the scores at 3-3 before his beating away Sean Cuddihy's attempt saw him engulfed by team-mates.

McKinstry said: "To save three kicks is fairytale stuff, though, in fairness, a strong wind was blowing in the faces of the kickers that made it difficult for them and helped me no end."

Jubilant Tin Pail boss Ian Currie admitted: "We rode our luck thanks to James."

Ants boss James McKenna woke up yesterday morning still finding it hard to believe his players had exited the West of Scotland Cup.

He blasted: "It's no exaggeration to say we should have scored seven or eight goals on the day."

The McKenna Park outcome was one of six drawn affairs with Blantyre Vics, Yoker, Kello Rovers, Greenock and Kilsyth Rangers (who knocked out last season's beaten finalists Troon) also profiting by the penalty shoot-out route.

Biggest shock of the opening round was undoubtedly Ayrshire District League strugglers Craigmark Burntonians' 3-2 triumph over Clydebank, while the biggest winning margin was Hurlford United's 12-0 thrashing of Muirkirk.

Cup holders Auchinleck Talbot blasted back to winning ways as Mark Campbell (2), Keir Milliken, James Latta, Graham Wilson, and Dwayne Hyslop were on target in a 6-0 destruction of fierce rivals Cumnock, while the same scoreline ensued at Hannah Park where new signing Salim Kouider-Assim, netted the opener as Shotts Bon Accord routed Neilston with further counters coming from Chris Walker, David Crawford, Ross Brash (2) and Jordan White.