THERE were excellent performances from Dundonald Bluebell and Crossgates Primrose on league duty, while Hill of Beath Hawthorn and Kelty Hearts made the last eight of the South Challenge Cup.

Lochgelly Albert had a fine away win, beating South Division high flyers Newburgh, but Lochore Welfare have now gone six weeks without a game due to the weather.

Kelty Hearts 2 Stirling University 0

HEARTS eventually got through to round five of the South Challenge Cup but the students made them work hard for it.

Kelty were going forward strongly but could not make the breakthrough and just before the break the uni went close with a shot which crept inches wide.

Goalless at the break, Hearts had a good chance in 53 minutes when a foul in the Stirling penalty box saw the referee point to the spot but the visiting ‘keeper made a fine save.

The away side were getting pushed further back as Kelty came again but kept their shape and for a spell, as the last quarter began, started to threaten.

Hearts weathered the storm and won the game in the last 10 minutes.

In 82 minutes a low shot was blocked and the ball came to Cammy Russell who blasted the ball home.

Still the students weren’t for giving up and it took Hearts until the 87th minute to get the killer second when Dylan Easton fired home to seal the win Hearts wanted.

 

Hill of Beath Hawthorn 1 Cumbernauld Colts 1 (after extra-time, Haws won 4-2 on penalties).

A DRAMATIC South Challenge Cup tie where the Haws were taken all the way by the Lowland League side.

The opening stages saw the defences produce some good work to keep the attackers in check but both sides had openings.

Hill of Beath started the second-half well and took the lead in 55 minutes when Joe Kinninmonth made a good run and set up Calum Adamson whose low ball across the face of the Cumbernauld goal was swept home by Lewis Elder at the far post.

Colts came back and levelled soon after when an angled 25 yarder flew over Stuart Hall.

No-one could get the winner and into extra-time there were chances for Hill of Beath and young Jake Mitchell saw his header hit the net but the referee chalked the goal off .

Adamson then saw his effort denied by an excellent save by the Colts ‘keeper.

On to the penalty shoot-out and things looked black for Haws when Elder failed with their first penalty but Colts also missed, and four conversions from Adamson, Lewis Payne, Lee Reid and Lyle Kellichan, added to two Hall saves, saw Haws through to the quarter-finals.

Boss John Mitchell was pleased with the performance: “It was a really good tie with chances being created.

"We had the better of things for the most part but were denied by a couple of great saves from the Cumbernauld ‘keeper, but in the shoot-out the lads kept their cool and it is good to be in the last eight.

"We have a busy spell with another cup-tie on Wednesday night and then a league derby with Dundonald on Saturday."

 

Dundonald Bluebell 6 Newtongrange Star 1

A SUPERB result for the ‘Bell and it turned into a personal success for Moorside striker Calum Smith who hit the target four times.

The Nitten are always doubty battlers and in the first period, on a heavy surface, they fought hard and while the home side had the bulk of the ball the visitors defended bravely.

There were chances for Dundonald but they fired some wide and were denied by a couple of good saves. The first goal arrived in 39 minutes when the ball was played across the face of the Newtongrange goal and Smith was waiting to bundle the ball home at the back post.

Only the one goal separated the sides at the interval but 12 minutes into the second period another cross into the box was converted by Smith’s header and it set his team on the winning path.

The striker completed his treble in 55 minutes with another header and as Star started to run out of steam Mikey Ness added a fourth.

Bluebell were playing some great stuff and Smith struck again with a good finish from another great ball into the box to send the hosts nap.

There was no let up from Dundonald and Chris Gay hit number six. Credit to Star, they kept battling and got one back in the last minute when a corner wasn’t properly cleared.

The result has ‘Bell on 19 points in fifth spot, and poised for a tilt at the top four.

Said manager Lee Dair: “I was very happy with the performance and the result was just what we needed.

“We looked solid defensively and were very dangerous going forward."

 

Crossgates Primrose 3 Whitehill Welfare 1

A GOOD all round performance from Primrose to move themselves away from the lower end of the East of Scotland Premier Division.

Whitehill set out to make life difficult for Crossgates and the home team needed an early goal to open things up. And it came after just 14 minutes when the dangerous Archie Campbell latched onto the ball in the box and clipped it past the ‘keeper.

Welfare were shocked and started to make a lot of mistakes but they survived to the half hour when Primrose scored again. James McAteer was the marksman with a nice finish to really give the visitors a lot of problems.

They did not really test Henderson in the home goal and Crossgates were still looking the better team. When they got number three with 12 minutes to go the game was over.

Campbell was again the marksman and while Whitehill pulled one back with two minutes to go the win has Crossgates in eighth place with 13 points, five clear of the bottom two sides.

 

Newburgh 2 Lochgelly Albert 4

THE Berts swept second top of the South Division ‘Burgh aside on Tayside with a superb performance.

Lochgelly’s James Gunn went close as they started the game strongly and they took the lead in 21 minutes from Euan Robertson’s free-kick and Pat Armour powered a header into the net.

Newburgh broke forward and Shaun Hunter made a fine save but soon after the ‘Burgh defence was prised open again by the sharp work of the Albert and Stephen Stark provided a great finish from 20 yards.

The away team netted a third eight minutes from the break when a fine Berts move saw Declan Boyle cross and with Gunn waiting a home defender put the ball in his own net.

After the break Lochgelly’s Stephen Stark fired just over then in 55 minutes Gunn was fouled in the Burgh box and the striker converted the penalty to make it 4-0. Newburgh rallied and pulled one back on the hour and then got another eight minutes later.

The Berts kept looking for more goals and sub Sami Mitchell fired just over and then Declan Boyle saw the ‘keeper made a great save from his shot .

Lochgelly are now on 17 points and in sixth spot.

Boss Andy Healy said: “That was the best performance of the season from the lads, we created so many really good chances and should have scored more. We have a big game this Saturday against Rosyth and if we can win it we will be close to third top.”

 

Wednesday’s fixture, Football Nation Cup second round, CSS Strollers v Hill of Beath Hawthorn (7.45).

Saturday, Lowland League, Kelty Hearts v Edinburgh University (3pm). East of Scotland League Premier Division, Hill of Beath Hawthorn v Dundonald Bluebell (2.30), Sauchie v Crossgates Primrose (2.30). McBookie.com, South Super League, Lochore Welfare v Bathgate Thistle (1.45pm). McBookie.com South Premier League, Lochgelly Albert v Rosyth Recreation (1.45).