Radient Rovers make South Cup final

SOUTH CUP SEMI-FINAL

Leithen Rovers gave a radiant show in booking their place in the final of the South of Scotland Cup with a clear cut victory.

On a park which was in remarkably good condition for this time of the season, Alan McMath had the ball in the net for Leithen in the 9th minute following a Simon Philbin free kick.

A goal was chalked off however, due to a foul on Hawick keeper Ali Willison.

Within two minutes of this though Rovers did go into the lead.

Taking a free kick 35 yards out, Hagen Steele unleashed a rasping drive that sailed past the diving Willison into the bottom corner of the net.

In the 24th minute Waverley drew level.

After running onto a through ball from Liam Lavery, Peter Gellaitry brushed off a John Couper challenge and ran in to place a shot out of the reach of Rovers number one Chris Watson.

Leithen came rallying back and Willison defused a dangerous move when coming quickly off his line to boot the ball clear when David Patterson was racing in to collect a Philbin pass.

Apart from Taylor Hope coming near to equalising with a header, the remainder of the first half brought about few goalmouth incidents or scoring opportunities.

With three minutes of the second period gone Rovers went further ahead.

Finding space down the left flank on being fed by a Steele pass, Tom Fleming whipped over a cross-cum-shot that found the target after sailing over the head of Willison.

Leithen had their tails up now and in the 56th minute struck again.

Fleming threaded a pass to the feet of Philbin who did a shimmy past a defender to fire home.

Minutes later Fleming almost notched a fourth with a powerful header from a Philbin corner kick.

Rovers were well and truly in the driving seat and it came as no real surprise when the Innerleithen side added to their tally in the 77th minute.

Andy Hardie floated a free kick high into the goalmouth with great precision and Couper bulleted the ball into the net with his head.

Six minutes from time Waverley reduced the leeway when Jamie Richardson produced the scoring touch in nodding a Luke Cooper corner kick at the far post.

Although the game was now as good as over Waverley battled away and in the closing stages Cooper and Lavery both blazed efforts over the bar.