Amateur football: Edinburgh Uni dent Rose's title hopes

Edinburgh University were in impressive form against the league champions at Peffermill

The reigning league champions were looking to make it three league wins on the bounce after their 7-0 win over East Linton the previous weekend.

But it was the students who were quick to settle, Joe Boyle threading a pass through to Conor Scott whose attempted lob was blocked by Rose keeper Mark Scally.

Uni broke the deadlock on 22 minutes, Kyle Brown sliding the ball across the face of goal for Boyle to slot home.

Uni keeper Scott Hainey made a good save from Stuart Morrison at his near post, but Rose did find an equaliser after 39 minutes through prolific scorer Liam Frost.

However, it was the University players who refused to let their heads drop and they regained the lead right at the start of the second half through a wonderful dipping shot from Boyle.

Rose tried to find another equaliser with Craig Stewart shooting over the bar, before Frost was denied by a good save from Hainey with Jordan Easton looking to slide in on the rebound.

But Uni effectively put the game to bed on 78 minutes when Boyle scored his hat-trick, having made a lung bursting run through the middle and dispatching the ball past Scally.

Jonathan Robertson had a snap shot for Rose soon after but his effort went over.

• Tollcross Thistle ensured there will be an all LEAFA East of Scotland Cup Final on Friday April 14, after a 3-2 semi-final win over Stenhousemuir Community Amateurs at Ainslie Park on Friday night.

Although the visitors were backed by a vociferous travelling support, the Capital side silenced them after just three minutes when Graham Nisbet headed in from a Steven Milne corner.

After 30 minutes, Tollcross doubled their lead when Chris Reid finished off from inside the penalty area after a neat one-two involving Scott Millar and Chris Cairns.

John Nisbet made two important saves for Tollcross before the break before they took a three-goal lead on 51 minutes when Stewart O’Neill confidently stoked away his penalty after Nisbet was felled.

However, Stenhousemuir Amateurs deserved credit for fighting their way back into the tie with Graeme Baird netting a double to ensure a nervous last 20 minutes for Tollcross.

But Thistle held on for the victory and will face either Craigshill Thistle or Salvesen FC in the final to be held at Livingston’s Toni Macaroni Stadium next month.

Both those sides were victorious at the weekend, Craigshill joining Barca Milton 97 in the quarter-finals of The Scottish Amateur Cup after their 2-0 replay win over Dunblane Thistle thanks to goals from Bryan Jaconelli and Kallum McCaullay.

Salvesen were 7-1 winners over Edinburgh South Amateurs in the Centenary Cup quarter-finals with James Davidson and Matthew Duncan both netting braces.

Barca Milton 97, who will face Oban Saints AFC in the Amateur Cup quarter-final in two weeks, defeated Hermiston Vale 7-2 at Saughton in the LEAFA Championship with Lee Cairns netting four goals.