LOWLAND LEAGUE
CIVIL SERVICE STROLLERS are unbeaten in their last four home games after a 3-1 win over bottom side EDINBURGH UNI, who made them fight all the way.
Civil Service Strollers started the match very strongly and Robbie Cole shot over the University crossbar and Tom Findlay’s drive from 18 yards was tipped over the bar by the goalkeeper. Strollers finally opened the scoring on 30 minutes when Findlay cut in and curled his shot into the net. The University side fought back and were rewarded when a trialist finished off a long ball over the top. It was 78th minute, however, before Strollers got ahead again and this time it was a reverse ball that was slid into the path of Callum Yeats and he fired into the roof of the net. Goal No. 3 for Strollers came in the 82nd minute when Harry Girdwood fastened on to a through ball and slotted it into the back of the net.
The ALBION ROVERS v LINLITHGOW match was called off in the morning because of a frozen pitch.
CUMBERNAULD COLTS recorded a narrow 1-0 victory over DUNBAR UNITED in the fourth round of the South Region Challenge Cup thanks to a first-half goal from Luke Mccarvel and some stout defending in the second half of the match.
TRANENT booked their place in the fifth round of the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup after a 5-3 win over JEANFIELD SWIFTS, with Cammy Ross hitting a brilliant first half hat-trick. He put his side ahead after 11 min utes, but Fraser Smith levelled the score for the Perth outfit in the 25th minute and Dayle Robertson the putting Swifts into a 2-1 lead in the 30th minute. Ross and Lennon Walker made it
3-2 for Tranent and Ross deservedly completed his treble just before the half-time interval. Swifts pulled it back to 4-3 with a Gary Fergus goal, but Robbie Mcintyre got a fifth goal for Tranent four minutes from the end.
In the same competition, GALA FAIRYDEAN ROVERS disposed of LUNCARTY 3-1, with Jordan Hunter putting them ahead in the 18th minute and adding a second six minutes into the second period. Sean Fergus pulled one back for the Perthshire visitors in the 61st minute, but Danny Galbraith hit No. 3 in stoppage-time for the Borders outfit.
In the other games involving Lowland teams yesterday, GRETNA 2008, who have signed four new players in the last few days, had no trouble beating ST CUTHBERT WANDERERS, from the South League, 7-0 in the Southern Counties Challenge Cup. Lewis Bell put Anvil men ahead in the 11th minute and Iain Anderson added a second on the half-hour mark, then he made it 3-0 two minutes later. Debut player Danny Carmichael hit two goals in the opening three minutes of the second period, with Robbie Ivison and sub Zachary Hannah bringing the tally to seven.
West of Scotland Division Three side Threave Rovers were knocked out of the Challenge Cup by STRANRAER RESERVES, who moved into the second round with a 2-1 win after trailing 1-0 at the interval and hitting two second-half goals, including the winner, deep into stoppage-time.
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH RESERVES beat CREETOWN 5-2 at Palmerston, while five other games, including the CALEDONIAN BRAVES v WIGTOWN tie, were postponed because of weatherrelated problems.