The opening 20 minutes, however, had given no hint of the nightmare that was to come as the Aberfeldy side put together some neat football on a park that would have been better suited to the set of Watership Down.

The front pairing of da Silva and Price looked particularly sharp and opened up the home defence with a neat interchange of passes. The final ball just eluded Price, but Chucky Carr was on hand at the far post to finish off the move and put the visitors into a deserved lead.

Somehow, though, Breadalbane followed this with a collapse of Northern Rock proportions as Bridge of Earn ran their First Division opponents ragged - scoring three goals in a calamitous 10 minute spell for the visitors. .

Manager Robertson reorganised his shell shocked troops at half-time and they set about the task of retrieving the tie with a renewed sense of purpose. However, mid-way through the half disaster struck once more. MacAdam pulled down the Bridge of Earn winger on the edge of the box and a penalty was awarded. A tight call it may have been, but Carson made no mistake from the spot to increase the home side’s lead.

Carr gave the visitors a glimmer of hope with a sweetly struck free kick from 25 yards, but any thoughts of a comeback were extinguished with 10 minutes remaining. A perfectly executed counter-attacking goal against a sorely stretched Breadalbane defence tied up the game to give Bridge of Earn an emphatic and deserved victory.

Breadalbane:
Jacobs, I Robertson, Thomas, McAdam, Cromb (Macaskill), McBride (D Robertson), Klatschak, Veitch, Carr, G Price, da Silva

Subs (not used): C Price, MacDougall