Hill of Beath Hawthorn win South Challenge Cup tie at Linton Hotspur

On a day that the card was hit by the weather - Dundonald Bluebell's East of Scotland Qualifying Cup, third round tie at Bathgate Thistle was postponed - the Haws made it through, but Lochore Welfare were knocked out.

In league action, Lochgelly Albert stretched their lead at the top of the East of Scotland League, Third Division, against Ormiston Primrose.

Linton Hotspur 1 Hill of Beath Hawthorn 2 (after extra-time), South Challenge Cup, third round.

THE Haws were given a run for their money before they edged out East of Scotland League, Third Division, Linton Hotspur in their South Challenge Cup tie.

Premier Division Hill of Beath opened the game strongly as Dan Watt hit a Hotspur post, and then the home goalkeeper produced good saves to deny Ronan Hall, John Smith and Brandon.

Linton, who have been having a good season in the third tier, where they sit fifth, kept working hard and created a few openings, but it was the Haws who opened the scoring shortly before the interval, when Jake Mitchell powered home a header from a set-piece.

After the break, the hosts continued to put up stiff opposition, and with five minutes to go, they levelled.

Hill of Beath's Dan Baur was judged to have fouled a Linton forward inside the box, and the resultant penalty was converted.

That took the tie into extra-time and, in its first period, Mitchell got on the end of a corner and his header restored Haws' lead.

They had chances to get a third, but some great work by the Linton goalkeeper kept the hosts in the game but, in the closing stages Hill of Beath number one, Blair Penman, made a fine save to guarantee his team’s spot in the fourth round of the competition.

Haws boss, Robbie Raeside, was pleased with the overall performance from his team, commenting: "Linton were a very decent team and defended well throughout the game, but we created some very good chances and should have won it in normal time.

Robbie Raeside's men needed extra time against their Third Division opponents. (Image: David Wardle.)

"However, we won through and that was the main thing, and during the match we were able to give players who have been out of action recently valuable pitch time."

Cumnock Juniors 2 Lochore Welfare 1, South Challenge Cup, third round

FORMER Scottish Junior Cup winners Cumnock Juniors provided stiff opposition for Lochore Welfare in their South Challenge Cup third round tie.

However, in the opening 45 minutes, there was little to choose between the sides, with both carving out opportunities, and the visitors squandering a couple of decent chances.

It was goalless at the break, and anyone's tie, but the West of Scotland Football League, Premier Division hosts made the break through six minutes after the restart when the Welfare defence failed to deal with a corner.

That lifted Cumnock's confidence, and they started to fashion some good openings, which paid off in the 75th minute when they grabbed a second goal, when a defensive error was capitalised.

Lochore, though, came back at the hosts and, after Gregg Page was denied by a fine save from the home goalkeeper, they pulled one back with seven minutes left.

Calum Murray was hauled down in the box, allowing Scott Small to score from the penalty spot, and although they went all-out in search for an equaliser, Cumnock squeezed through to round four.

Welfare manager, James Adam, commented: "We posed Cumnock plenty of problems and really paid for a little bit of slackness which cost us two goals.

"We came close to an equaliser in the closing minutes and overall it was a good performance."

Ormiston Primrose 2 Lochgelly Albert 3, East of Scotland League, Third Division

A BATTLING win for Lochgelly Albert at Ormiston Primrose put them nine points clear at the top of the East of Scotland League, Third Division.

The visitors made a fine start, with Jens Moret watching a shot come back off the bar, and took the lead with 20 minutes on the clock when Kieran Boundy's shot was blocked by the Primrose goalkeeper, and he slotted in the rebound.

A few minutes later, a Calum Bennell free-kick posed problems for Ormiston, and a home defender put the ball into his own net trying to clear the danger.

However, the hosts came back and, five minutes before the break, the Lochgelly defence failed to clear a long ball, allowing their opponents to pull a goal back.

Then, five minutes after half-time, the game was level as the visiting defence again got into problems, but, before the hour mark, the Berts went back in front when Dylan Geddes played a fine pass to Boundy, who finished well.

There were chances for Lochgelly to add to their tally, but their opponents also created a couple of good openings in the closing minutes, with a fine save from goalkeeper, Adam Shaw, ensuring their victory.

Lochgelly sit nine points clear, with 25, at the top, ahead of Fauldhouse United and Hawick Royal Albert, after 10 matches played.

Albert committee man, Derek Patrick, felt the team 'won ugly' on the day, and said: "We opened the game well and grabbed a two goal lead but then made a few errors which allowed Ormiston back into it, but the lads showed a lot of resolve to edge them out.

"I suppose it could be said that in a way it was about winning a little ugly."

Wednesday's fixture: East of Scotland League, Premier Division: Hill of Beath Hawthorn v Luncarty (7.30pm).

Saturday's fixtures (kick-offs 2.30pm): East of Scotland League, Premier Division: Dunbar United v Hill of Beath Hawthorn, Haddington Athletic v Dundonald Bluebell. First Division: Crossgates Primrose v Kinnoull, Lochore Welfare v Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts. Third Division: Edinburgh United v Lochgelly Albert.