El Clasico is on after Kirrie are swept aside

While Haws were winning Kelty added yet another three points to their increasing Super League tally but Dudonald Bluebell lost another goal packed game.

Kirriemuir Thistle 1,

Hill of Beath Hawthorn 4.

HAWS had their place booked for the derby fourth round Ethx Energy Scottish tie by the half hour mark at Kirrie.

In the first minute Haws grabbed the lead when Calum Adamson supplied the cross and when Greg Smith’s shot was blocked Tam Hampson sent the ball into the net.

Seven minutes later the visitors doubled their lead. It was Hampson who again did the damage with a fine run which took him past two defenders then he fired an unsaveable shot into the net.

North Division Kirriemuir were being run ragged by the Super Leaguers and in 28 minutes the tie was dead. A Smith corner was perfect for Lee Reid to bullet home.

There could have been more before the break but Hill of Beath were happy to turn around three up and while they found Kirrie tougher opposition the home team seldom bothered Stuart Hall in the Haws’ goal.

Aaron Hay’s header produced a tremendous save from the Kirrie ‘keeper and this inspired the hosts to pull one back with eight minutes left.

But there was no recovery and in the last minute Adam Moffat’s cross was headed home by Colin Wilson to bring the tally to four.

Haws boss Bobby Wilson was delighted to see his team set up the derby but he pointed out that there is a lot of hard league work to be done before the cup match: “We started the game superbly and some of the play was first class and Tam Hampson took his double well to put us on the road to victory.

“It was one of these ties which could have been a banana skin because Kirrie have been winning games well in the league and are full of confidence but the three early goals killed the tie.

“The Kelty derby is one to look forward to but before then there is an awful lot of important Super League work to be dealt with.”

Kelty Hearts 3,

Fauldhouse United 0.

THIS top v bottom Super League clash ended predictably but for long spells the West Lothian team put up quite a battle.

Fauldhouse have found wins hard to come by this term and they were under early pressure from Hearts but managed to keep them out.

The home pressure eventually paid off when Stuart Cargill rounded the United ‘keeper and held off three challenges before firing into the net from close in for his 13th goal of the season.

United kept working really hard and Kelty were made to work hard to carve out chances and it took to well into the second-half for the key second goal.

After good build up in 70 minutes from Hearts Jordan Moore found space to fire a 12 yarder into the net.

Five minutes later Moore added a third with some neat work inside the United box and cleverly clipped the ball home from about eight yards.

Hearts player/boss Thomas Courts was delighted to see the lead over Bonnyrigg Rose increased to 16 points: “Fauldhouse worked hard to deny us space but the lads used the ball well and the goals came.

“I could not have asked for a better start to the programme and the consistency has been excellent.”

Commenting on the news that Haws had won their tie he added: “The rivalry between the clubs makes it one that the fans will look forward but there is a lot of football to be played between now and the tie.”

Dundonald Bluebell 2,

Carnoustie Panmure 3.

A DISAPPOINTING result for Bluebell and a chance blown to move into a comfortable position in the Super League table.

Panmure came to Moorside having had a good run of results but they found themselves under early pressure and Paul Quinn went close for Bluebell then Derek Wallace brought out a fine save from the Carnoustie ‘keeper.

Then the visitors were reduced to ten men when Lewis McKenzie was the victim of a bad foul and a Callum Rarity header from a corner put Dundonald ahead.

Things were looking good for Dundonald but on the interval whistle a bit of slackness by the hosts allowed Panmure in to level.

Bluebell started the second period positively and Ross Drummond was denied by a good save but James Lennox made a fine save to keep his team level.

Then came the turning point in the match. Firstly a tackle from behind in the Bluebell box was adjudged a penalty which was converted, then minutes later another foul in the box saw Moorsiders 3-1 down.

Dundonald got back into the game when Barry Sibanda hit the target and there were a couple of close things around the Carnoustie goal but they held on.

Bluebell’s disappointing day was complete when Rarity was sent off late on.

Bluebell manager Stevie Kay was unhappy at the way his team lost their way in the second-half: “We were in charge in the first-half, went ahead but on the interval whistle lost a bad goal.

“Then in the second-half made two challenges that cost penalties and against ten men found ourselves 3-1 down. We got one back and had chances to get level but it was a opportunity lost to secure three points.

“We have to stop shooting ourselves in the foot.”

Edinburgh United 1,

Lochgelly Albert 1.

A DISAPPOINTING second-half show saw the Berts drop another two points behind in the South Division title race.

Lochgelly started the game well and Stevie Murray saw a shot cleared off the line before Martin Rennie went close.

The opener eventually came for Albert when a long throw posed United problems and Murray converted.

Just before the break Rennie saw a shot cleared off the line and at the break Albert were just one goal up.

Things changed after the break and Edinburgh became more prominent and in 54 minutes they levelled with a header which slipped into the net.

On the hour mark John Ferguson’s shot went over but soon after United hit the woodwork before Lee Wilson made a great double save for the Berts.

Both teams were reduced to ten late on with Stuart Gibson being the Lochgelly man to go but in the closing moments Albert mounted a late surge but could not get the winner.

The result saw Albert go ten points behind leaders Blackburn United with a game in hand.

Crossgates Primrose 6,

Livingston United 0.

PRIMROSE gave struggling Livi a real going over in this South Division game at Humbug Park.

Although the opening 10 minutes was tight Primrose had most of the ball and when they got the breakthrough in 13 minutes through a Liam Forbes finish things looked black for United.

Forbes made it 2-0 in 18 minutes as the visiting defence started to really struggle and 20 minutes later Ethan Anderson made the points safe with number three.

Forbes completed his hat-trick before the break and more goals had to come in the second period.

As it happened Livi defended well for a spell and the fifth goal did not come until the 77th minute when Stephen Stark converted a penalty and in the closing minutes Crossgates got their sixth with a good finish from Greg Pearson.

The result takes Primrose on to 12 points from 11 games.

Thornton Hibs 4,

Lochore Welfare 1.

WELFARE gave the top four side in the North Division a hard time of it in the first period.

Indeed, it was Lochore, with four trialists in their starting 11, who took the lead through Kevin Brown and looked pretty solid in the first half hour of the game.

There were a couple of other chances for Welfare but before the break Thornton hit back to draw level.

The second-half saw Hibs take over and they got their noses in front early in the period and this gave them extra confidence.

Welfare kept working hard but eventually the pressure told and two late goals made the final score 4-1, the last one being a clearance which took a deflection into the net.

Saturday’s fixtures: McBookie.com East Super League, Hill of Beath Hawthorn v Boness United, Musselburgh Athletic v Kelty Hearts, Penicuik Athletic v Dundonald Bluebell.

Mcbookie.com South Division, Lochgelly Albert v Kirkcaldy YM, Dunbar United v Crossgates Primrose (all games 1.30pm).