Hill of Beath, Lochore and Crossgates progress in League Cup

However, there were exits for Dundonald Bluebell and Lochgelly Albert, though they were up against  top half of the Premier Division sides.

Hill of Beath Hawthorn 4, West Calder United 3.

ILLNESS meant that Haws had to take on this tie without manager Alan Moody, but the team responded by giving the Third Division leaders’ defence a hard time.

The hero for the Keirs Parkers was striker, Ross Allum, who hit a hat-trick, the first of them coming in 28 minutes when Stevie Day was the creator and the finish was perfect.

The second came when a pass-back was badly placed and the United ‘keeper couldn’t keep the ball out, and that was the difference between the sides at the break.

West Calder started the second-half really buzzing and pulled one back in 46 minutes, but it was not long before Allum was again on target.

In 51 minutes he took a long kick-out and again finished expertly, then he latched on to a good pass into the West Calder box and made it 4-1.

However, in 73 minutes a defensive blunder by Hill of Beath let West Calder back into the game and then in the 80th minute it was 4-3.

Haws defended solidly in the last ten minutes, though, to make the second round of the competition.

Coach, Ewan Baillie, said: “Ross Allum’s finishing was superb but we did hit a slack spell for 20 minutes which they took advantage of.

“However, we defended well in the closing phase of the game to get through to the next round.”

Crossgates eventually defeated Burntisland Shipyard after a penalty shoot-out. (Image: David Wardle.)

Burntisland Shipyard 3, Crossgates Primrose 3. (Primrose win 4-3 on penalties).

AFTER a difficult run in the East of Scotland Premier League, Crossgates got a positive result in Friday’s first round League-Cup tie at Burntisland.

The First Division side gave Primrose a hard game and the Humbug Park men had to work really hard to win the tie on penalties.

Yet Primrose made a great start to the match and Cammy Muirhead’s strike put them a goal up in three minutes, then Craig Henderson extended the lead in the 21st minute.

Shippy have been having a decent season in the second tier of the East of Scotland scene, and pulled one back four minutes from the break.

Then the hosts levelled seven minutes into the second period, but Crossgates came right back at the them and in 70 minutes Archie Campbell fired the Primrose ahead, and their hard work looked like taking them through to the second round.

But with seconds left on the clock Burntisland levelled the tie and took it to extra-time which produced no more goals.

It was on to a shoot-out and Primrose held their nerve to get through 4-3.

Sauchie Athletic 4, Dundonald Bluebell 1.

A REALLY poor first-half performance by the ‘Bell saw them lose heavily to the Clackmannanshire side and go out of the League Cup.

Dundonald made a poor start to the game and visiting ‘keeper James Lennox’s challenge on a Sauchie striker saw a penalty which was converted, but they hit back soon after through Finn Graham’s cross being converted by Barry Sibanda.

They were right back in the picture, but a horrible ten minute spell changed all that.

Slack defending saw Sauchie, who sit sixth in the Premier League, go ahead and then within another nine minutes, Bluebell were 4-1 down.

There were a few half chances for Dundonald in the second-half, but they could turn these into a come-back.

Bluebell manager, Stephen Husband, was very disappointed with his team’s performance: “We lost an early goal, but fought right back only to suffer for some poor defensive work in a ten minute spell.

“It was always going to be a difficult game, but our defensive work at times in the first-half was not good at all.”

Lochore Welfare 3, Dalkeith Thistle 2 (after extra-time).

TOP four Second Division side, Thistle, gave their First Division hosts a tough League Cup-tie at Crosshill.

Yet the Welfare made a great start to the game with a goal from Ethan Anderson in only 10 minutes, with him knocking the ball home following a corner,  and there were other chances for Lochore, the best falling to Lucas Reilly who went one-on-one with the Dalkeith ‘keeper but couldn’t beat him and at the interval they led by the single strike.

Dalkeith started the second period having a spell where they had the better of things and on the hour levelled the tie, then with 17 minutes to go the visitors went ahead.

Dalkeith were defending determinedly, but with three minutes to go, Anderson struck again to take the tie into extra-time, but before the final whistle, Logan Donaldson struck the Dalkeith bar.

The first half of the extra period saw neither side create good openings, although Thistle saw a man sent-off, and it took Lochore until the 24th minute of the extra-time to get the all important winner through skipper Scott Small, who converted from the spot, after the under pressure Thistle defence gave away a penalty.

Welfare boss, James Adam, was delighted to make round two: “We started really well and should have got more than one goal with our early play, but the longer the game went our match sharpness disappeared from our play, and we let Dalkeith into it.

“However, we started to dominate things in extra-time and were worth the win.”

Lochgelly Albert lost out to Musselburgh Athletic. (Image: David Wardle)

Lochgelly Albert 0, Musselburgh Athletic 2.

THE Berts, fresh from a fantastic unbeaten run in the Third Division, took on fourth top of the Premier Division, Burgh, in this League Cup tie and gave a good account of themselves.

Lochgelly had to make a couple of changes to their side which had managed a seven-game unbeaten run, including beating the leading two clubs in their division, and they opened well with Scott Russell bringing out a fine save from the Athletic ‘keeper.

There was little in the game but before the break Musselburgh forced a corner which saw the ball forced over the line at the far post.

However, there was still time before the whistle, for Calum Bennell to bring out a fine save from the Athletic ‘keeper.

In 55 minutes ‘Burgh got a penalty, when home defender, Dillon Fotheringham, was adjudged to have fouled at visiting attacker, but the penalty was fired wide.

Musselburgh finished the game strongly and hit the woodwork twice, and got their second with two minutes left when an inswinging corner flew straight into the net.

Albert committee man, Derek Patrick, was pleased with the way the young Berts side handled the tie: “The lads worked really hard throughout the game and it was only in the second-half that Musselburgh started to dominate possession.

“However, we still created chances and their ‘keeper had a couple of outstanding saves.”

Fixtures, Wednesday: East of Scotland First Division - St Andrews United v Lochore Welfare 7.30pm.

Saturday: East of Scotland Premier League - Crossgates Primrose v Sauchie Athletic 2.30pm, Hill of Beath Hawthorn v Kinnoull 2.30pm, Penicuik Athletic v Dundonald Bluebell 2.30pm. East of Scotland Third Division, Lochgelly Albert v West Calder United 2.30pm. King Cup third round - Heriot Watt University v Lochore Welfare 3pm.