13th win of season keeps Langlee Amateurs four points clear at top of Border Amateur Football Association’s A division

Wednesday’s victory at Netherdale in Galashiels took Langlee to 40 points from 16 fixtures, 13 of them wins, with second-placed Duns Amateurs, otherwise engaged on cup duty at the weekend but back in league action last night, beating Chirnside United at home by 2-0, on 36 points but with two games in hand.

Lewis Swaney and Des Sutherland were on target for Langlee versus fifth-placed Stow and Graeme Clark, Jack Hay and Sutherland got their goals against bottom-of-the-table Newtown, with Matt Scott replying.

Duns’ midweek win was their second against third-placed Chirnside in the space of four days, having beaten them 6-1 in their Waddell Cup semi-final on Saturday, thanks to goals at the double from Sean Phillips and Jonny Simpson and further efforts from Michael Stewart and Doug Brydon, with Robert Reid replying.

George Windram and Conor Devaney were their scorers last night.

The division’s other Wednesday evening fixture saw seventh-placed Hawick Waverley losing 2-1 at fourth-placed Greenlaw, with brothers Ross and William Smillie netting for the hosts and Evan Alexander for the visitors.

Duns’ derby win at the weekend sets up an all-Berwickshire final, Greenlaw having beaten Hawick Colts 5-2 on the road in their semi on Saturday, courtesy of a Ryan Mann double and other goals from Kai Robertson, Liam Demarco and Fraser Falconer, with Callum Hope and Ross Scott on target for their hosts.

That final takes place at Greenlaw’s WS Happer Memorial Park on Saturday, May 20.

A final countdown is under way for Langlee too, a date and venue having been confirmed for their South of Scotland Amateur Cup showdown against Lesmahagow Amateurs. It’s taking place at Innerleithen’s Victoria Park on Saturday, April 29, with kick-off at 2pm.

Langlee’s win was one of two A division fixtures played on Saturday, the other being a 5-1 win for third-from-bottom Tweedmouth Amateurs versus Newtown.

Three other league games were played at the weekend – a 1-0 home loss for Leithen Rovers to Biggar United in the B division and a 7-0 defeat for Jed Legion hosting Eyemouth United Amateurs, now confirmed as champions, and a 0-0 draw for Kelso Thistle at Berwick Colts in the C division – along with four other cup ties.

Those four cup matches were all quarter-finals, two in the Walls Cup and two in the Sanderson Cup.

The former were a 3-2 victory for Earlston Rhymers at home to Ancrum and a 3-0 derby win for Hawick Legion against Hawick United.

The latter saw St Boswells beating Lauder 6-0 at home and Gala Fairydean Rovers Amateurs knocked out 2-0 hosting Berwick’s Highfields United.

Danny Simpson twice and Jimmy Bell got on the scoresheet for Rhymers, with Kyle Finlayson netting both Ancrum’s goals.

Sean Clarke, Euan Gray and Gary Moffat were on target for Hawick Legion.

Jack Bell and Lee Macrae scored doubles for St Boswells, with Kai Macrae and Daniel Drane also netting.

On target for Eyemouth, now confirmed as champions, in Jedburgh were James Paxton with a hat-trick and Declan McCulloch with a double, plus Stefan Kennedy and Modestas Zilaitis.

Six league fixtures followed on Tuesday, three apiece in the B and C divisions.

The former were a 4-2 loss for Gala Hotspur at home to Coldstream Amateurs, a 3-2 win for Hawick Colts hosting Leithen Rovers and a 5-1 thumping for Selkirk Victoria at Hawick Legion.

The latter were a 4-1 home victory for Eyemouth versus Highfields, a 3-2 win for Kelso hosting Jed and a 5-1 defeat for Lauder at St Boswells.