Bluebell fire blanks and now face a replay

In the East Super League Hill of Beath Hawthorn were shocked at home by Sauchie while in the East of Scotland Cup Kelty Hearts eased through against Blackburn United.

Dundonald Bluebell 0, Yoker Athletic 0.

BLUEBELL should have no need to go to Glasgow this weekend after dominating this tie at Moorside for long spells.

Yes the Yoker ‘keeper pulled off some breathtaking saves but there were enough good chances for Dundonald to have won by a convincing margin.

The first period saw Bluebell dominate possession and inside the first ten minutes Derek Wallace shot over then an Orrick effort missed the target.

Ian Lally was next to have a go before Jamie Gilfillan tested the ‘keeper but in a rare Yoker raid Bluebell ‘keeper James Lennox pulled off a good double save.

Bluebell kept piling forward and Aiden Hendry saw the ‘keeper make a fine save but towards the interval it took a fine tackle by Murray Carstairs to prevent Dundonald from going behind.

The second-half saw Dundonald continue to have the balance of play and Lee Duffy saw the ‘keeper save well before Gilfillan went close again.

The heavy surface was posing both teams problems and leading to defensive errors and in one fine Dundonald move Wallace set up Hendry and his shot beat the ‘keeper but then went inches wide.

Yoker were very dangerous on the break and Lennox had to come to the rescue late on as the visitors worked space in the home side’s box but as the clock ran down and the heavy pitch took its toll on the players the game petered out to a draw so it is all to do for the Moorsiders this weekend.

Bluebell committee man Drew Davidson feels they can still make round four, “It was a good tie with plenty of attacking moves from both teams but we should really have got the goals to make the next round.

“If we can produce the same sort of performance and take our chances we can get through although no one is kidding themselves that it will be an easy task.” Hill of Beath Hawthorn 0, Sauchie 2.

ANOTHER day when Hill of Beath’s marksmen left their shooting boots at home.

Sauchie came with a plan to frustrate Haws in this Super League fixture and in the first-half they defied everything the home side could throw at them.

However, their tactics seemed to be blown out of the water when Greg Smith rounded the ‘keeper and seemed certain to score but then missed.

No goals at the break but Haws started the second period looking to get in front and Aaron Hay came close before a Smith chip almost did the needful.

Still Sauchie hung on but they had to thank their ‘keeper for pulling off a good save from Adam Moffat and then Calum Adamson came close.

In 71 minutes the visitors got their noses in front when the ball was forced over the line after a goalmouth scramble.

Then ten minutes later Sauchie struck again but in the Haws reply Lyall Shaw went clean through but could not get the ball in the net.

Haws boss Jock Finlayson was bitterly disappointed with the result, “It was a lot better than the performance at Armadale and we created so many good chances but just could not finish.

“It has become something of a pattern recently and we need to sharpen up our finishing.” Rosyth Recreation 2, Lochgelly Albert 2.

THIS was a South Division game Albert should have won but a late fade cost them dear.

Rosyth have being having a good season in the division and have held top spot for long spells, but Lochgelly went into this game in the middle of an unbeaten run and started confidently.

They pushed Rosyth back at times and Michael Perrie was posing the hosts plenty of problems and he and Brett McGuire both went close to opening the scoring.

At the other end Lee Wilson had a couple of good saves and at the break the scoresheet was blank.

Albert started the second period well and took the lead in 49 minutes when Perrie completed a fine run with an expert piece of finishing as the home defence back pedalled.

On the hour mark Berts introduced their new signing from Ballingry Rovers, Craig Bateson, and within three minutes the visitors were two up.

Greg Colquhoun was pulled down in the box and Stevie Brown made a good job of converting the penalty.

Things were looking really good for the Berts fans but in 67 minutes Rosyth managed to pull one back when a corner caused the danger and the ball was headed home at the back post.

Still Albert were looking comfortable but with three minutes to go Rosyth squared the game as the visiting defence switched off when a free-kick was needlessly given away and the ball was despatched into the top corner of the net to give the home team a point they did not look like getting.

Stoneyburn 1, Crossgates Primrose 1.

A WELCOME point for bottom of the South Division Primrose but it sculd have been all three.

Albeit the equaliser only came for Primrose late on but they created enough chances during the match to have collected a much needed win.

The opening 45 minutes saw both teams create openings but the finishing was sub-standard but seconds from the interval a penalty decision gave Stoneyburn the chance to go ahead.

The second-half saw Crossgates defend solidly and they got forward well at times but the finishing touch was missing until Steven Stark netted with seconds left to end a six game losing run.

East Craigie 4, Lochore Welfare 2.

LOSING a player to a straight red card after only ten minutes was too much of a handicap for Welfare to overcome in this North Division encounter on Tayside.

The incident happened when Paul Duncan got involved in a tussle with a home player and the referee adjudged him to have raised his hands aggressively.

The dismissal handed East Craigie the initiative and they took the lead with a header, then Lochore had chances but could not fashion a goal although Brian Donnelly twice went close.

A second Craigie goal before the break made life even more difficult for the visitors but they started the second-half well and Donnelly pulled one back.

Lochore were looking for more goals now and had East Craigie on the defensive but the hosts fashioned a third goal.

Welfare immediately came back and Donnelly made it 3-2 and the visitors went in search of an equaliser, but were shocked when Scott Renton picked up a second yellow and was dismissed.

The nine men kept working hard but lost the fourth with seconds to go.

Welfare coach John Cusick felt the team responded perfectly after losing Paul Duncan so early in the game, “The lads competed really well and in the second-half could have got level before Scott Renton picked up his second yellow.

“If they show the same approach in the weeks ahead we will climb up the table.” Kelty Hearts 5, Blackburn United 0.

THIS D J Laing East of Scotland Cup-tie was dominated by Kelty’s Mr Goals, Stuart Cargill.

He scored two and in general gave the United defence a torrid time and there was no doubting the winner of the tie at any stage of the game.

Hearts started strongly against a team who have been doing well in the South Division but found that the Blackburn strategy of soaking up pressure and hitting on the break to be a successful one.

They held out well and there was 44 minutes on the clock when Conrad Courts at last broke the deadlock.

Blackburn were finding the swift moving Hearts front men a real problem and Cargill struck to make it 2-0 early in the second period and then added another.

When he added number three it was clear that Blackburn were now on damage limitation duty and although they created a couple of half chances they did not really bother Kyle Allison in the Hearts goal.

Kelty always looked like scoring and Shaun O’Neill, who was continually pressing forward into the United box, added number four.

As the visitors started to tire there were plenty of chances appearing for the home side and O’Neill added number five.

Saturday’s fixtures,Scottish Junior Cup third round replay, Yoker Athletic v Dundonald Bluebell. McBookie.com East Super League, Linlithgow Rose v Kelty Hearts, Camelon v Hill of Beath Hawthorn.

McBookie.com South Division, Lochgelly Albert v Livingston United, Crossgates Primrose v West Calder United. McBookie.com North Division, Lochore Welfare v Lochee Harp (all games 1.45pm).