CRACK Ayrshire outfit West Kilbride were added to the ever-growing list of top sides to be toppled out of the Soccer World Scottish Amateur Cup by Leith Athletic when the Capital combine booked their place in the seventh round, courtesy of a 3-1 win at Leith Links.
On a glorious afternoon, the local amateur side matched the weather with an outstanding opening spell of passing football during which Leith Athletic stunned their visitors by scoring three goals without reply by the 28th minute to virtually seal ano
ther magnificent triumph.
West Kilbride could, possibly, have gone ahead in the first minute of this exciting game, but the ball was cleared out of the home goalmouth up the left wing where Jamie Lauder showed great control and he burst past his marker to get to the corner before delivering a great ball across the West Kilbride goal where the waiting Rory Stewart wasted no time in planting the ball in the back of the net – in just the second minute of the game.
The fired-up home outfit continued to make tracks towards the West Kilbride goal, with Lauder again firing in another good effort followed by an even better chance for Steve Radzynski, but the Leith striker hit his shot straight at young Ryan Moore in the visiting goal.
But it was not long before Leith were celebrating their second goal and it came from a free-kick 20 yards out, given by match official Roddie Lambie when Andy Penman was pole-axed in mid-flight as he raced in on the West Kilbride goal. The West Kilbride wall proved to be no obstacle for Lauder and he sent his low free-kick into the corner of the net to make it 2-0 with only 14 minutes on the clock.
It was heady stuff indeed for the home fans to savour and more was to follow, with Moore deflecting another great effort from Lauder away for another corner.
The visitors started to make an impression on the game and Alan Stewart broke on the left to hammer a shot just wide of Iain Gordon's goal.
There was no stopping Leith Athletic and they went 3-0 up in the 28th minute with Andy Fraser setting Radzynski free on the right with a glorious header and the quick-moving Leith No.9 lashed a great low shot past Moore for the home side's third goal.
The Ayrshire side played good passing football to take the game to the Leith end of the pitch but the brilliant Gary Young and his equally good colleagues in the home defence were in no mood to give anything away and when the play was switched back to the other end, it was Radzynski, again, who tested Moore once more with a powerful header.
A pulsating first-half of non-stop action and excitement ended with Chris McVeigh sending a screamer of a free-kick just over the top of Gordon's goal.
The second-half started with Leith holding a commanding 3-0 lead and it proved to be decisive in a much more even second period.
It was the turn of the Leith defence to work hard to keep out the determined West Kilbride attack force and Gordon was tested by a long-range shot at his goal from Ricky Wardrope. Then Gordon produced a save of outstanding quality when he somehow managed to tip over a great flick on from James Bennett for a corner.
West Kilbride did manage to breach the well-organised Leith rearguard when a massive throw-in from the right across the home goal was touched over the line by Wardrope to reduce the deficit to 3-1. The home side survived a couple of near things in the thumping exchanges but indiscipline resulted in one of the visiting players picking up a second yellow card and he was sent off.
Radzynski set up another great opportunity to score again, but he elected to pass rather that have a shot himself and the ball was cleared.
Leith Athletic coach Stuart Churchill said: "We did the damage in a great first-half display and the three goals we scored were more than enough to win the game for us."
On a day when every Leith player played to the top of his form, great credit must be given to club official Tam Currie who was out at 7.30am on his tractor rolling the pitch, marking the lines and setting up the advertising banners that helped to create a great atmosphere.
Leith Athletic: Iain Gordon, Gary Young, Dougie Thom, Michael Stewart, Martin Wallace, David Connor, Jamie Lauder, Rory Stewart, Steven Radzynski, Andrew Penman, Andy Fraser, Grant Fairbairn, Matthew Hutchison, Stuart Hunter, Dale McCall, Andy Milligan, Scott McAuley.
West Kilbride: Ryan Moore, Callum Adam, Martin Collie, Ricky Wardrope, Craig Moore, Willie Hughes, Gerry Canavan, Stuart Whitehill, James Bennett, Chris McVeigh, Alan Stewart, Derek Lamb, John Boyd, Stuart Reid, Steve Breen, Claes Lsingemyr.
Referee: Roddie Lambie (Fife).
• THE two other Scottish Amateur Cup ties involving Capital clubs scheduled to go ahead at the weekend were postponed. However, the sixth-round replay between Redhall Star and Lothian Thistle at Redhall Park and the seventh round tie featuring Newcraighall Leith Vics against St Joseph's at Newcraighall will, hopefully, be played this Saturday at the same venues.
