FOR the first time in some months Saturday saw a full local East of Scotland League card, and it produced some fine results for the five clubs.

Hill of Beath Hawthorn continued their good run, with an emphatic win, and Dundonald Bluebell are starting to look like top six material, while Lochgelly Albert thrashed bottom side in the Third Division, Livingston, and there was a useful Premier League point for Crossgates Primrose, with Lochore Welfare successfully starting their defence of the King Cup.

Hill of Beath Hawthorn 5 Luncarty 0

IT took Haws time to wear down the challenge of Premier League strugglers, Luncarty, but they took complete control in the second-half at Keirs Park.

Hill of Beath had the bulk of the first-half possession, but they struggled to break the stubborn Luncarty defence down, although the home cause was assisted by a second yellow which saw the visitors reduced to ten men.

Haws kept attacking and two minutes from the break they got the opener when Stevie Day appeared at the back post to beat the ‘keeper.

Two minutes into the second period they added to their lead, when Johnny Galloway latched onto a fine pass from Stuart Love, and fired home, then soon after Jordan Tosh sent a well-placed 18 yard header wide of the ‘keeper.

Ross Allum came on as a sub, and Tosh chested the ball down to him and he made a fine finish to make it 4-0, then before time-up Brandon Luke added number five.

The result takes Haws on to 30 points, from 19 games, and in to seventh spot in the Premier League table with manager, Alan Moody, delighted with the way his team kept working hard against stuffy opponents: “The lads showed a good attitude against a team who are battling for their lives, and eventually wore their challenge down.

“There is still a lot of work to do, and we have to look to keep this running going to finish the season well up the table.”

Crossgates Primrose 1 Glenrothes 1

PRIMROSE took on Glens in what was a Premier League six pointer, and really should have got the win they needed.

Crossgates started well enough, with Joe Kinninmonth’s trickery posing Glenrothes problems, but the visitors were determined opponents and defended solidly.

Then in 32 minutes the visitors grabbed the lead when the home defence was caught out and that was it at the break.

The second period saw Primrose search for the equaliser, and David Cross and Cammy Muirhead went close, then in 65 minutes Ross Philp struck and it was game on.

However, the Glens’ defence was working overtime and keeping the home side out, and despite several close things the visitors left Humbug Park with the point which keeps them one behind Crossgates, who are one place above the drop zone.

Lochgelly Albert 4 Livingston United 0

THIRD Division bottom dogs, United, were no match for the resurgent Berts at Purvis Park.

Lochgelly have been moving up the way, after a horrible start to the season, and the Lochgelly youngsters produced another good performance.

Livi had wind advantage in the first-half, and forced several corners, but Lochgelly kept them out and then the home side went ahead when Scott Russell shot home from a good position.

This gave them the advantage and soon after it was 2-0, when Declan Boyle latched onto a good cross at the far post.

That was the way it stood at the break, and three minutes into the second period Russell latched onto the ball close-in and made the points safe.

Then the striker completed his hat-trick in 55 minutes, with another excellent finish, to take the Berts on to 20 points from 19 games, a happily different story from losing many of their opening 12 games.

Berts committee man, Derek Patrick, said: “We handled facing the gale force wind well, and once we went ahead confidence flowed and we turned dominating possession into goals.

“We have moved up to seventh place, and it gives us a target of trying to keep adding wins in our remaining eight games, to try to get up into the top six.”

Dundonald Bluebell 3 Haddington Athletic 1

THE ‘Bell have moved into the fourth round of the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup with this emphatic win over Haddington, at Moorside.

In the first period Athletic produced the sort of form which has them well up the Premier League table, and home ‘keeper James Lennox made a couple of good saves, but Dundonald started to dominate possession, although creating chances was not easy for them.

Indeed, things got more difficult for them when a 25 yard rocket shot gave Haddington an interval lead.

However, things started to get better for the ‘Bell in 59 minutes, when a Jordan Orru cross was met by Lewis McKenzie and his header beat the ‘keeper.

Then a strange situation in 65 minutes put the ‘Bell ahead, when a pass-back deceived the Athletic ‘keeper and the ball rolled into the net.

Dundonald wanted a third to make the tie safe, and it came when a Billy Rogerson cross was met by Barry Sibanda, and his header back across the face of the Athletic goal, was turned home by McKenzie.

The result delighted Dundonald manager Stephen Husband: “We had to keep working hard against a good side, but we dominated possession and the goals came in the second-half.

“It was great to get the win, and we want to take that sort of form into the league matches coming up.”

Lochore Welfare 1 Edinburgh Community 0

THE Welfare opened their defence of the King Cup, won by them last spring, with a hard-worked victory over Third Division Edinburgh.

Lochore dominated possession and from the outset created chances, but missed a number of easy openings.

They also hit the bar three times, through efforts from Matty Christie, Cammy Bell and Logan Donaldson.

The longer the game went it looked like Community were going to take the game to the lottery of a penalty shoot-out, then as the pressure mounted, the harassed Community defence gave away a penalty.

After Gregg Page’s spot-kick was blocked by the Edinburgh ‘keeper, Ewan Sutherland, following up, fired the loose ball into the net to put Lochore into the second round of the competition.

Relieved Welfare boss James Adam commented: “We really dominated the game, but missed a lot of chances.

“However, we didn’t panic and got the winner, albeit late on the game, which was a good way to start our defence of the King Cup.”

Saturday’s fixtures: East of Scotland Premier League - Crossgates Primrose v Sauchie Athletic 2.30pm, Kinnoull v Hill of Beath Hawthorn 2.30pm, Dundonald Bluebell v Dunbar United 2.30pm.

East of Scotland Third Division - Livingston United v Lochgelly Albert 2.30pm.

King Cup Second Round - Blackburn United v Lochore Welfare 2.30pm.