Amateurs: The Spartans continue their Logan run

The Spartans march on into the fourth round after defeating Hermiston Vale

Despite just one win in ten in the league, Spartans didn’t seem like a team lacking confidence and they quickly stormed into a 3-0 lead.

Kamil MacDonald took his chance in the box to break the deadlock before Cartwright scored another 15 minutes in with an ambitious lob from 30 yards which looped in over Vale goalie Patrick Hutton. Then, half an hour in, Jamie Campbell picked out the bottom right corner of the net to make it 3-0.

Dale Horribine thought he had given Vale a chance with a blistering free-kick at the end of the first half, but Cartwright struck again in injury time to ensure Saprtans’ three-goal cushion remained intact.

After the break Spartans ran away with the game despite an improvement from Vale. Rory Russell and Tom Connor got in on the act to extend the winning margin. Then, late on, Cartwright converted from the spot for his hat-trick and substitute David Campbell slotted in one-on-one to give the Premier Division’s basement club a much-needed morale boost.

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South Gyle dig deep to defeat Sandys

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South Gyle fought hard to secure their place in the Scottish Cup fifth round as they defeated Sandys 4-3 at Castleview Centre.

After a pulsating 2-2 draw in December, the replay promised another close contest and it didn’t disappoint. Sandys took an early lead thanks to a composed finish from Tam Crease but quickly Gyle equalised when Scott Riddell converted from the spot.

Keen to take the initiative in the cup tie, Sandys again looked to get ahead and they did so in spectacular style when Connor Spowart sent an overhead kick in from 18 yards. It again provoked a reaction from Gyle and Sandys’ goalie Graeme Lennie was called into action to deny Johnnie Niven. Building on that, Sandys extended their lead in the 35th minute when Spowart netted again with a tidy finish.

It looked an uphill task for Gyle but they showed they were up to it when Niven’s free-kick on the stroke of half-time picked out the net, albeit with a heavy deflection past Lennie.

Into the second 45 and it was anyone’s game but Gyle took their chances in front of goal to separate the sides. Gordon McCreadie nodded his side level midway through the half for 3-3. Then, despite some good reaction stops from Lennie, McCreadie beat the man between the sticks again with another good header.

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Salters down Rob Roy

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Salters Athletic booked their spot in the last 16 of the Sunday Scottish Cup with an impressive 3-1 win away against Kirkintilloch Rob Roy at Kilsyth 3G.

Despite creating an abundance of chances the Edinburgh side went into the break at 0-0. However, after the interval they soon began to show some composure in front of goal to go ahead. Drew Calladine’s cross into the area picked out Nicky Byrne and he stuck the ball away to give Athletic a more than deserved lead.

Soon after breaking the deadlock, Athletic found another. Byrne again was in the right place at the right time as he latched onto a down-field pass before steering the ball home when through on goal.

The Dunbartonshire side were huffing and puffing in a bid to come back into the cup tie but they could do little to stop Athletic in their tracks. A third goal that seemed inevitable finally came to fruition near the end of the game. Ryan Curran showed composure in front of goal as he picked up Calladine’s pass to put the result beyond any doubt.

Stephen Brown pulled a goal back for the home side but it was too little too late with the Midlothian outfit dominating the cup tie.