Langlee Amateurs and Duns through to cup semi-finals after 3-0 last-eight wins on road at double

Table-toppers Langlee knocked out neighbours Gala Fairydean Rovers Amateurs, currently in pole position in the association’s B division, and the second-placed Dingers added to already-relegated top-flight basement side Hawick Waverley’s woes by disposing of them too.

That paves the way for a potential rerun of 2024’s final, a 4-3 win for Duns versus Langlee at Greenlaw’s WS Happer Memorial Park.

That was the sixth time they’ve won that cup, their prior victories having been in 1997, 1998, 2004, 2007 and 2023. Langlee have won it twice, in 2019 and 2022.

Another meeting is on the cards for Langlee and Duns whether or not that final rematch comes to pass as they’ve got a Border Cup last-eight tie lined up for this Wednesday, with the former – its current holders after beating Langholm 5-2 in last May’s final in Hawick and two-time winners all together – at home and kick-off at 7pm.

Langlee’s scorers in Melrose at the weekend were Des Sutherland at the double – taking his tally for the season in all competitions to 50, only three short of his tally for last term but 23 shy of the record of 73 he set with Gala Rovers in 2012 and 2013 – and Colin Jeffrey.

On the scoresheet for Duns at Hawick’s Wilton Lodge Park were Kieran Burns, Gregor Watson and Liam Demarco.

Langlee and Duns will both be at home come the semi-finals, the former to Tweeddale Rovers and the latter to Earlston Rhymers.

Dates have yet to be fixed for those last-four ties but one has been set for the final to follow – Friday, May 30, in Greenlaw, with kick-off at 6.30pm.

Earlston – also in action on Saturday, playing out a 3-3 A division draw at home to Greenlaw, with Scott Rice, Jimmy Bell and Danny Simpson on target for the hosts and William Smillie and Alex Gibbs for their visitors, helped out by a 90th-minute own goal – made it to the last four by beating Selkirk Victoria 4-1 and Tweeddale booked their place with a 5-1 knockout of Tweedmouth Amateurs, both at home and both on Saturday, March 22.

Another two knockout ties were contested by association outfits on Saturday, both semi-finals.

One was a 4-3 Forsyth Cup penalty shootout success for Jed Legion hosting Chirnside United after ending open play tied at 1-1 and the other was a 4-2 South of Scotland Amateur Cup knockout for Berwick’s Highfields United away to Lanark’s Kirkfield United.

Jed go on to meet Langholm Legion in this year’s final at Earlston’s Runciman Park on Saturday, May 10, with kick-off at 2pm, their Dumfries and Galloway opponents having booked their place with a 2-1 last-four win at home to Highfields on Saturday, April 5.

Kirkfield will be up against three-time winners Duns in their final in Hawick on Saturday, April 26, at 2pm.

Three further Border Cup quarter-finals are lined up for this coming Saturday, all 2pm kick-offs, and they see Chirnside at home to Eyemouth United Amateurs, Langholm hosting Earlston and Greenlaw away to Tweedmouth.