Bluebell dream ended by Hurlford organisation

However, there was a fine win for Ballingry Rovers in the East Super League and Fife and Lothians wins for Kelty Hearts and Hill of Beath Hawthorn.

Dundonald Bluebell 0, Hurlford Utd 3.

BLUEBELL’S Scottish Junior Cup dream is over but a massive crowd at Moorside on Saturday saw them give their Ayrshire opponents a better game than the scoreline suggests.

Their hopes were given a dent on Thursday night when former Cowdenbeath top scorer, Paul McQuade, picked up a training injury which has put him out for the season.

But Dundonald made a bright start to the tie in a red hot atmosphere and Derek Wallace hit the bar but it was the visiting fans who were celebrating after 12 minutes.

Bluebell ‘keeper Lee Wilson’s punch did not go far enough and the ball was whipped into the net by Hurlford.

Bluebell kept working hard and Craig Morrison threatened to level things but then the hosts were dealt another blow when a shot took a wicked deflection and totally wrong footed Wilson.

That was the score at half-time but Bluebell came out for the second-half looking lively and top scorer Morrison had a couple of good efforts which bothered the United ‘keeper .

Dundonald forced several corners but could not get a goal back and a third goal killed the tie.

Bluebell committee man, Drew Davidson, was disappointed at the final scoreline, “There really was not that gap between the sides but losing the likes of such an experienced player as Paul McQuade was a big handicap for the tie.

“It was a great day for the club though, with a big crowd of around 700 and it was a campaign to remember.” Ballingry Rovers 2, Newtongrange 1.

A GREAT result for Rovers which keeps them very much in the picture to avoid the Super League relegation play-offs.

Star have been one of the success stories of this season and led the table for a long time so Ballingry, short of four experienced campaigners, knew it would be a tough game.

But the young Rovers players went about the task with style and scored in 58 seconds when Craig Wilson broke through to get the opener with a 30 yard drive.

Star were stunned but Rovers kept working the ball well and could have scored another before Wilson grabbed number two in 15 minutes after a Gavin Gray assist..

Newtongrange were out of the picture but gradually worked their way back into the game and pulled one back in 33 minutes.

The strong wind made life tough for both sides and in the second period Ballingry kept their discipline well and defended solidly.

Star forced a couple of decent opportunities but Rovers kept them out to take their tally to 20 points and only a couple of wins from climbing into the pack above the bottom three.

Manager Stevie Kay was delighted with the way his team tackled the challenge, “We had some of our most experienced men missing but the lads performed really well and the result keeps us in the mix to move out of the third bottom slot”.

Bonnyrigg Rose 1, Hill of Beath Hawthorn 1 (Haws win 4-3 on penalties).

A GREAT win in the DFT Fife and Lothians Cup for Haws who are still on course to win this famous old trophy.

The strong wind did not make life easy for the teams but the first period saw Rose take the lead with a 30 yarder which was wind assisted.

But Hill of Beath were looking dangerous and Barry Smith saw a header booted off the line and then Gareth Wardlaw’s shot suffered the same fate and at the break the home side still led.

The second-half saw Haws again put Bonnyrigg under pressure but it took them until the 69th minute to get the equaliser with a 25 yard free-kick from Craig Smart.

Haws then went looking for the winner and Smart hit a defender on the line after a Callum Adamson cut-back and then Wardlaw went through but instead of going himself he gave the chance to James Adam who failed to convert.

It was on to penalties and Haws’ ‘keeper, Stuart Hall, made two excellent saves and conversions from Darren Wright, Calum Adamson, Scott Renton and Craig Smart put them through.

Hill of Beath manager, Jock Finlayson, was delighted with the result, “It was our first game for four weeks and the lads played some good stuff.

“We maybe should have won it in normal time but overall it was a really good performance.” Whitburn 1, Kelty Hearts 4.

HEARTS, like Haws, moved nicely into the latter stages of the DFT Fife and Lothians Cup with this comfortable win.

The visitors got a dream start when Stuart Cargill latched on to the ball after a good Kelty move down the left and finished well and soon after Clark Kay went close with a free-kick and then Brian Ritchie headed wide when it seemed easier to score.

Whitburn had a couple of half chances but it was mainly all Kelty and Mark Forbes and Neil McCabe should have added to the tally before the break.

The home side started the second-half well and squared things before the hour mark but soon after McCabe restored the Hearts lead.

Mark Morrison and Ritchie came close before the killer third goal came in 80 minutes when a nice cross from the left was converted by Cargill and then in the closing seconds Ross Philp broke away and rounded the ‘keeper to slot home number four.

Hearts player/boss Thomas Courts commented, “I was a bit worried about having to take this game on at an astro surface but we adapted quickly and always looked like scoring.

“That is us in the last eight and it would be nice to progress further but we need more wins in the league first.” Tranent 3, Lochgelly Albert 2.

A DRAMA filled South Division clash in East Lothian with most of the goals coming in the last quarter.

The first period saw the sides create chances but both ‘keepers made good saves and at the break there were no goals.

However, a minute after the restart Tranent took the lead but it did not take Albert long to respond with Greg O’Hanlon firing in the leveller after 51 minutes.

The game ebbed and flowed with both sides going close but in 87 minutes the home side got back in front from the penalty spot.

But their advantage did not last long as Lochgelly’s Andy Watt fired home from the spot two minutes later after the defender who had committed the foul was red carded.

But in time added on Tranent got the verdict as they nipped in to get the key third goal from yet another penalty kick.

Crossgates Primrose 0, Falkirk JFC 3.

THE Bairns were just too strong for Primrose and left Humbug Park with three South Division points.

Crossgates did create some openings but the strong Falkirk defence kept them out and grabbed the lead with a well worked move.

Primrose needed a goal to get back into the picture but despite some good work they could not break through.

Two further goals really emphasised the superiority of the visiting side.

Blairgowrie 3, Lochore Welfare 1.

A VERY disappointing result for Lochore but they were denied what looked from behind the ropes a stonewall penalty at a key time.

Welfare only had 11 fit players for this North Division clash but they still they dominated possession and John Ferguson was unlucky to see his lob beat the ‘keeper and then get held up in the wind finally coming down to hit a post.

Despite Lochore’s efforts it looked like the first-half was going to end goalless when Blair got a penalty which was converted shortly before the break.

In 50 minutes Blairgowrie stretched their lead with a free header following a free-kick, but Ferguson latched on to a poor clearance and pulled one back.

Then Kevin Goodwin went clean through and was pulled down by the ‘keeper but the whistler awarded a throw-in with the Welfare players claiming a spot-kick!

Goodwin missed another good chance before Blair broke clear and grabbed a third.

Welfare boss John Wylie was unhappy to lose the game, “We had enough chances to win it despite being short of bodies.

“The penalty incident cost us dear because we could have squared the game and it would have seen us with all the momentum.

Saturday’s fixtures: McBookie.com East Super League, Ballingry Rovers v Broxburn Athletic, Hill of Beath Hawthorn v Armadale Thistle, Kelty Hearts v Musselburgh Atheltic. McBookie .com South Division, Crossgates Primrose v Haddington Athletic, Lochgelly Albert v Falkirk JFC, Dundonald Bluebell v Edinburgh United. McBook.com North Division, Lochore Welfare v Dundee North End (all games 2.30pm).