Sauchie win could mean tasty semi

Meanwhile Hill of Beath Hawthorn were picking up a valuable Super League point and Lochgelly Albert made it six South Division wins in a row.

Sauchie Athletic 0,

Kelty Hearts 3.

AN emphatic win over the Clackmannanshire side has given Hearts a possible golden tie in the semis of the D J Laing East of Scotland Cup.

Certainly the opening stages of the game were very tight with chances few but Hearts did have a couple of good openings and took the lead in three minutes when Stephen Husband turned the ball into the box and a home defender fired the ball past his own ‘keeper in trying to clear.

Husband was always prominent for the visitors with his probing passes and near the half-time whistle Archie Campbell went close.

Sauchie stuck to their game plan and posed a few problems for the Hearts but Kelty always looked dangerous pouring forward as a unit. However, midway through the half Sauchie hit Kyle Marley’s left hand post with a fierce shot.

Some great defending and a few poor misses kept it tight until the 85th minute when Husband was on target to tie the match up with a right foot 12 yarder.

Then four minutes later the link man struck again, cleverly beating a defender and firing a left foot shot into the net from 14 yards to give Hearts a possible semi-final tie with old rivals Bonnyrigg Rose if they beat Carnoustie Panmure in the quarters this Saturday.

Meanwhile Hearts must turn their attention back to the Super League this weekend with a big home game against Boness United.

Camelon 2,

Hill of Beath Hawthorn 2.

A USEFUL East Super League point for the Haws as they battle for results to ensure they are not dragged in to any relegation play-off problems.

The Falkirk side found themselves under the cosh for long spells in the match but the defended pretty solidly and Hill of Beath could have done better with some of the chances they had.

However, it was the home team who took the lead in 10 minutes after the Haws’ defence was caught out but the visitors kept their shape and in 25 minutes they levelled when Lee Bryce was perfectly placed to shoot home.

There were other chances for Haws as the interval whistle approached but the visitors found the home ‘keeper in good form and Calum Adamson went close.

The start of the second period saw Hill of Beath dominate possession and again create a few decent openings but Camelon are a disciplined lot and they soaked up the pressure and hit Haws with a sucker punch to retake the lead.

Haws came back at them and there were a few close things before Greg Smith hit the equaliser with 20 minutes left.

It set up a grandstand finish and it was the Haws who had the better chances and Smith hit the post before Aaron Hay saw his finish go close and late on Rikki Dair was unlucky to see his header hit the joint between post and bar and stay out.

The Haws have 28 points from 25 games and need another two wins to ensure they keep clear of third bottom spot.

Hill of Beath manager Bobby Wilson felt his team should have won the game: “To twice go behind was disappointing but we fought back well although there were a couple of bad misses and Rikki Dair was very unlucky not to score at the end.

“We need a few more points and that will be the target in the coming few weeks but we must convert more of the chances we are creating.”

Lochgelly Albert 4,

Stoneyburn 0.

THE Berts racked up their sixth successive South Division win to give themselves a chance of finishing in the top three.

Albert started the game very positively and put Stoneyburn under real pressure and a 20 yarder from Stevie Brown hit a post before Martin Rennie put Lochgelly ahead after 27 minutes when he took a pass and ran in and slotted the ball past the ‘keeper.

Scott Murray hit the woodwork with a header soon after as the home side took a firm grip of the game then Andy Watt went clean through but dragged his shot wide.

Four minutes from the break the second goal came when Rennie scored a remarkable goal. He collected the ball on the half-way line and beat several Stoneyburn defenders before finding himself in the box and then he dummied the ‘keeper before slotting the ball home.

On the break whistle Rennie was hauled down in the box and got up to take the spot-kick only to shoot wide from the penalty.

The second period saw Andy Watt twice go close to grabbing number three but before the hour mark home ‘keeper had to make a top notch save from a fierce header to maintain the two goal lead.

The Berts needed a third and it came in 69 minutes when Watt latched on to a defence splitting pass and ran in to beat the ‘keeper.

In the closing minutes Craig Bateson fired in the fourth, after the Stoneyburn ‘keeper blocked Watt’s shot.

Albert have five games left and need to win them all, including beating Pumpherston at Gardiner’s Park, to finish in third spot.

Rosyth Recreation 6,

Crossgates Primrose 2.

ANOTHER very ordinary Crossgates Primrose performance against South Division mid table Rosyth.

The home side started the game on the front foot and created a few openings and in eight minutes grabbed the opener.

Primrose managed to settle after that blow and started to create a few chances and could have been level by the half hour mark.

However, two minutes from the break Rosyth grabbed number two and that left Crossgates with a mountain to climb.

Five minutes into the second-half they were three down and ten minutes later the fourth arrived with the visiting defence now looking tired.

Rosyth went nap but credit to Primrose they came back at the Rec and Cameron Macaleavey pulled one back but Rosyth were not finished and they made it 6-1.

Primrose kept working away and a James McNeish penalty in the closing minutes made it 6-2.

Primrose remain in 12th spot with 17 points from 24 games.

Coupar Angus 3,

Lochore Welfare 1.

THIS was another very encouraging performance by the young Welfare side who only went down to two late goals.

Indeed, for well over an hour Lochore were very much in this North Division fixture and in the opening 45 minutes could have been ahead against the mid table hosts.

There were chances at both ends and the respective ‘keepers were equal to what was asked with the CA ‘keeper having several breathtaking saves.

The second-half started well for Lochore who took the lead in 51 minutes through a well taken goal from Scott Warrender.

They needed to hold it for 15 minutes if possible but within three Coupar Angus hit back to square the game.

It was anyone’s now but there were chances for both teams and in 76 minutes Coupar Angus took the lead for the first time.

Lochore kept battling and had chances to level but in time added on a third gave Coupar Angus a rather flattering 3-1 winning scoreline.

Saturday’s fixtures: McBookie.com East Super League, Kelty Hearts v Boness United, Bonnyrigg Rose v Dundonald Bluebell, Hill of Beath Hawthorn v Penicuik.

McBookie.com South Division, Lochgelly Albert v Edinburgh United, Crossgates Primrose v Stoneyburn. McBookie.com North Division, Lochee Harp v Lochore Welfare (all games 2.30pm).