Deadly Dale seals Rose’s derby delight
Hat-trick hero ensures cup defence continues
Dale Baxter was the derby hero as he fired home a hat-trick in Linlithgow Rose’s 4-2 cup win over Broxburn Athletic.
The emphatic treble ensured the Rose’s East of Scotland Qualifying Cup defence continued after notching up a fourth round victory over their near-neighbours.
Gordon Herd’s men got the ball rolling as Baxter fired home his first in the early stages of the game, only for the hosts to peg them back through Errol Douglas on 18 minutes.
The Rose, however, are top of the East of Scotland Premier Division for a reason and showed their ability in front of goal after the break.
Baxter restored Linlithgow’s lead on 56 minutes before completing his hat-trick from the penalty spot 10 minutes later.
Conor McKenzie wrapped the contest up on 80 minutes as the visitors extended their lead, but Athletic showed fighting spirit and pulled one back four minutes from time thanks to Gary Brass.
While it was a defeat for Steve Pittman’s side they produced a much more spirited display than their 5-1 home league defeat at the hands of Lothian
Thistle Hutchison Vale at the weekend.
Douglas gave them a secondminute lead with a fine header, with the Brox controlling much of the game in the opening stages.
However, a stunning equaliser just after the halfhour mark from Richie Miller as he thundered home a halfvolley from 30 yards completely changed the momentum of the game.
Hutchie took the lead just six minutes later thanks to Louis Signorini before a dominant second-half display saw them net a further three times.
Signorini made it 3-1 on 62 minutes before Anthony Muir was twice left with far too much room on the edge of the box as he swept the ball beyond Shaun Donoghue to complete the scoring.
While Athletic went down 5-1 at home, West Lothian neighbours Blackburn United suffered a worse fate at the Purdie Worldwide Community Stadium as they lost 6-1 at the hands of Musselburgh Athletic, with Laurie Devine netting a late consolation from the spot.
The weather put paid to plenty of the weekend fixtures but two Third Division derby clashes were able to go ahead.
Fauldhouse United caused an upset with a 3-2 home win over title-chasing Armadale
Thistle with goals from Clark Rankin, Tyrone Core and Stuart Thompson for the Hoose, while Stuart MacLeod and Jayden Muirhead bagged the goals for the visitors.
Gordon Wilson’s impressive start to life in the Bathgate Thistle hotseat continued with a 3-1 away win over Livingston United.
Jordan Devine bagged a brace with James McCullagh also on the scoresheet for the Jags.
Steven Jackson and Alistair Morgan scored second-half goals to send West Calder United into the third round of the King Cup at the expense of EoS Second Division outfit Tweedmouth Rangers.