A SUPERB three point haul for Dundonald Bluebell was the highlight of Saturday’s junior programme.

In the Conservatory Converters Fife and Lothians Cup there were wins for Kelty Hearts, Hill of Beath Hawthorn and Lochgelly Albert.

Musselburgh Athletic 1,

Dundonald Bluebell 2.

A VERY important three East Super League points for the Bluebell which moves them up into the top half of the table.

This trip to Olivebank was one which posed a few big questions for the Moorsiders.

Burgh have started the season well and were in the top half of the table before kick-off and unbeaten at home, so it was a game which provided a difficult task.

But Dundonald battled back from being a goal down at the break to make it back-to-back league wins.

Musselburgh opened the game strongly and Bluebell worked hard as a unit to make sure they did not break through and chances started to appear for the visitors and Lewis McKenzie went close.

Musselburgh strung together some good moves down both flanks and they got the opener on the half hour.

There was no panic in the Dundonald ranks and they got to the break one down and squared the game in 47 minutes when McKenzie produced great finish to give the Burgh ‘keeper no chance.

Thereafter it was all about Bluebell having the better quality possession and McKenzie twice threatened to put Dundonald ahead.

Burgh still posed a threat at times but as the game went into the closing quarter it was still the Moorsiders who looked the likelier team to get the winner.

And two minutes from time it came when Meikle was lying handy to guide the ball into the net and spark great celebrations among the travelling fans.

The visitors calmly held out to collect the win which pushes them on to 15 points and into sixth spot, but more importantly 11 points clear of the bottom two sides.

Bluebell boss, Stevie Kay, was delighted with what he felt was three very important points: “It was always a difficult game but the lads applied themselves well and we were a bit unfortunate to be a goal down at the break.

“We made a change at half-time bringing on Ross Drummond and got the goal we needed within a couple of minutes of the re-start and after that we had the better chances and kept at them.

“It was a great result which moves us several places up the table and that is Lewis having scored in the last five games from midfield.

“An important win but we have to build on it when Broxburn come to Moorside this Saturday.”

Stoneyburn 0,

Kelty Hearts 8.

AS comfortable a Fife and Lothians win for Hearts as the score suggests and the tie yielded a hat-trick for striker Archie Campbell.

The foot of the table South Division side were always struggling to contain the Super League leaders and it was no real surprise when the visitors grabbed an early lead when under pressure a home defender put the ball into his own net.

Stoneyburn were really on damage limitation duty already and they tried hard to limit the space Kelty were getting but shots started to rain in on their ‘keeper and Scott Dalziel was lying handy to add number two.

Kelty ‘keeper Kyle Marley seldom saw the ball and the goals kept coming at the other end and Campbell got his first with a clever finish.

And before the break it was 4-0 when Brian Ritchie fired home.

Stoneyburn kept on working hard in the second period but the goals kept on coming and number five saw Dalziel on the spot to finish well and number six came from Campbell.

Hearts’ superiority saw chances flow and more goals had to come and as the game went into the closing stages number seven came from substitute Jordan Moore.

There was little Stoneyburn could do to stem the tide and number eight finally came from Campbell to complete his treble.

Hill of Beath Hawthorn 2,

Oakley United 0.

OAKLEY, under new boss Lee Richardson, have been posing problems for the league leaders in the South Division, but they found the Super League side a different proposition in this Fife and Lothians tie.

Haws started the game well and Tam Hampson was determined to make an impact on the tie and he threatened in the early stages.

Then with 22 minutes on the clock he opened the scoring when his snapshot was blocked by the ‘keeper and Hampson reacted quickest to fire in the rebound.

The former Rosyth front man was posing a real threat to United and he struck the bar with a fierce effort, then Keith Connors saw his shot cleared off the line before Aaron Hay went close.

Only one in it at the break and United still had hopes of a shock although Stuart Hall in the Hill of Beath goal had little to do.

Haws started the second period in determined mood and Lee Reid’s 25 yarder came back off the ‘keeper and Greg Smith shot wide from a good position.

The second goal came in 72 minutes from a Smith corner, which the Oakley defence failed to defend properly and Reid powered a header into the net.

United never gave up though and in the closing stages Hall made two good saves but it was Haws in the hat for round two.

Hill of Beath boss, Bobby Wilson, was delighted with the result: “We created a lot of good chances in the first-half and should have been well ahead at half-time.

“One goal is a narrow margin and while we did not create as many after the break we still were in charge and it is good to make the next round of a prestigious competition.”

Whitburn 0,

Lochgelly Albert 1.

A TREMENDOUS result for the Berts in West Lothian which shows the quality of the Gardiner’s Park squad, and they also showed plenty of character playing half an hour in this F and L tie with ten men.

The South Division Albert opened the game well and the Premier League side had to defend well to stop the visitors going ahead.

But in 20 minutes the opener came when Ian Miller’s long throw posed the Whitburn defence problems and Martin Rennie raced in to stick the ball away.

Whitburn were struggling to pose Lochgelly too many problems but in 34 minutes Berts’ ‘keeper Lee Wilson made a fine save.

From then until the break Whitburn had plenty of the ball but Wilson was seldom bothered.

The second period saw a similar story with the home side seeing a lot of possession but creating few chances but on the hour Albert’s Craig Paterson was booked for a hard tackle having been yellow carded for kicking the ball away earlier, and was sent to the showers.

The Lochgelly defence closed the door on the hosts with some excellent work then with ten minutes remaining Whitburn had a man sent off for dissent and that shut the door on their hopes.

In the last minute John Ferguson made a great run into the Whitburn box and found Lewis Elder but before he could finish a last ditch tackle took the ball away. Nonetheless a great result for the Berts.

Arniston Rangers 2,

Crossgates Primrose 1.

A REALLY battling performance from Primrose at Premier League Arniston in this Fife and Lothians tie.

Nothing in it in the early stages with Crossgates defending solidly and the home side struggling to create many openings.

Primrose had a few half chances but neither ‘keeper was overworked and it looked as if the first period was going to end goalless.

However, in 40 minutes Arniston got through and opened the scoring but a minute from the interval whistle brilliant work by Liam Forbes saw him grabbed the equaliser for Crossgates.

The second period saw Primrose pose Arniston loads of problems but in 67 minutes came the key moment when a foul in the Crossgates box gave the hosts a penalty which was converted.

Primrose kept battling hard and there were two decent chances to get level but time ran out on them.

Lochore Welfare 0,

Newtongrange Star 6.

THE Super League side ran out good winners but in the first period they struggled to break down hard working Welfare.

Newtongrange have had difficult season but they came to Crosshill confident of winning this Fife and Lothians tie although they struggled in the early stages.

Lochore’s midfield and defence were on their game while at the other end the hosts had a couple of half chances.

The breakthrough came on the half hour and then before the interval whistle Star grabbed a second.

A third goal three minutes into the second-half settled the visitors and they eventually started to force holes in the Welfare cover and added three more goals.

SATURDAY’S fixtures: McBookie.com East Super League, Jeanfield Swifts v Hill of Beath Hawthorn, Dundonald Bluebell v Broxburn Athletic, Camelon v Kelty Hearts. McBookie.com South Division, Lochgelly Albert v Pumpherston, Livingston United v Crossgates Primrose. McBookie.com North Division, Newburgh v Lochore Welfare (all games 2.30).