Lowland League Cup: Strollers storm into last four

Ian Ballantyne, left, scored for Civil Service Strollers

Civil Service Strollers 6

Preston Athletic 2

Strollers reached the semi-finals as three goals in a ten-minute spell put this tie well beyond the Panners. On the half hour, an in-swinging corner saw Craig Newall tap in unchallenged from close range, then striker Stephen Froude’s cutback found Ian Ballantyne unmarked at the back post to double the advantage. Andrew Mair dispatched a free-kick from 20 yards under the diving Craig Pennycuick into the net. Moments into the second period and Froude latched onto a defensive mistake to make it four. Preston’s Gavin Stevenson had a hat-trick of chances that all went close before substitute David Churchill headed Strollers’ fifth. Greg Binnie pulled one back for the visitors then Jason Young added a second soon after. Jonathan Watson completed the scoring late on as the Strollers marched on.

Civil Service Strollers: Burnside, Newall, Mair, Smith, Laird (Dingwall), Cunningham, Downie, Clapperton (Churchill), Froude, Ballantyne, Boyle (Watson). Subs: Brown, Greenhill.

Preston Athletic: Pennycuick, Law, Inglis, Keane (Binnie), Cowan, Conway, J Cochrane (Lawson), Turkington, Young, Jardine (Neto), Stevenson. Subs: McMahon, Reid, Carter.

Spartans 1

East Stirlingshire 0

A SECOND-HALF strike from Ross Allum sent ten-man Spartans into a semi-final clash at Gretna 2008 next weekend. Dougie Samuel’s outfit had to fight for the win as, with just 75 seconds on the clock, Chris Townsley was red-carded for a ‘last man’ challenge. The breakthrough came on the hour when Allum despatched an effort towards the goal that, despite the valiant attempts of a Shire defender under his own crossbar, found the back of the net.

Spartans: Carswell, Turnbull, Maxwell (Saunderson), Herd (Corbett), Tolmie, Greenhill, Beesley, Allum (Dawson), Dishington, Stevenson, Townsley. Subs: Comrie, Gilpin.

East Stirlingshire: Barclay, Grant, Ramsey, Oliver, Greene, MacGregor (Hogg), Rodgers, Ure, Brisbane, Sludden (White), Glasgow (Allison).

BSC Glasgow 3

Edinburgh University 2

Early chances fell to the home side but it was the University who took the lead after 20 minutes when a Ritchie corner from the left was headed home by Callum Irvine from six yards. Calbacho and Collins had chances to extend the Edinburgh lead before the break, but failed to convert. On 48 minutes, Edinburgh’s Ross Guthrie made a strong run forward and released Bertie Collins, who slid the ball home past the advancing Wilton. BSC Glasgow responded immediately with Aidan Ferris scoring from close range. The Edinburgh defence was repeatedly stretched but, just when it looked as though they might hold on, BSC Glasgow put in a powerful finish, with David Smith sending a well-placed Duncan cross into his own net on 88 minutes and then Ferris scoring the winner on 90 minutes from close range.

BSC Glasgow: Wilton, Bowers, Traynor, Bell, Toner, Bembo (Woods 75), Corrieri, Duncan, Lyons (Jones 68), Ferris, Brown (Redpath 55). Subs: Niven, Mansoor, Keys, Barr.

Edinburgh University: Tait, Smith, McMillan, Irvine, Verkaik, Daniels-Yeoman, Swan, Ritchie, Guthrie (Scott 67), Calbacho, Collins (Maskrey 73). Subs: Matthew, Davison.