CAMELON JUNIORS (Carmuirs Park)

SCOTTISH JUNIOR CUP SEMI-FINAL 1ST LEG, CAMELON JUNIORS 2-1 GLENAFTON ATHLETIC, ATTENDANCE: 1,200 (est)

It was a journey North of the Border today as I made my way to the Forth Valley for the semi-final first leg of the Scottish Junior Cup.

Camelon Juniors FC are based in Camelon, a district of Falkirk (about 2 miles west of Falkirk itself) and play in the East Region Super League.

Camelon, Junior Cup winners in 1995, were taking on Glenafton Athletic for the right to play either Hurlford United or Irvine Meadow in the final in May.  This is a competition that is taken very seriously in these parts and are usually blood and thunder affairs that tend to attract decent crowds. Today was no exception.

There were over 1,000 fans present and Glenafton brought a fair few up to the game. It was the Glens fans who made most of the noise and provided the spectacle of regular pyro displays before and during the game!

The match itself was an absorbing encounter with both teams playing some good football, especially given the conditions were awful with a strong wind blowing from one end of the pitch to the other and persistent heavy rain throughout the 90 minutes.

The visitors from Ayrshire started the strongest and took the lead after 4 minutes when Cameron Marlow burst through the home defence, rounded the 'keeper and fired the ball home from a very acute angle.

Camelon worked their way back into the game and were level after 26 minutes when a corner kick into the box fell to the feet of Colin Leiper who prodded the ball home from a few yards out.

After an even opening 45 minutes, Camelon, with the wind at their backs, had the better of the second half exchanges. They eventually scored their second goal after 77 minutes when Craig Menzies headed the ball into his own net. In the celebrations that followed Camelon's Andy McGown was shown a straight card for gesturing to the travelling Glenafton fans.

Overall though there was nothing between the teams and the game is set up nicely for next Sunday's second leg in New Cumnock. I'll be honest, I can't predict the eventual winner......

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC (Loch Park)

WEST OF SCOTLAND CUP SEMI-FINAL, GLENAFTON ATHLETIC 3-2 ARTHURLIE, ATTENDANCE: 281

As seems to be the norm, the last few weeks of the season can be stretched out with visits North of the Border, as the Junior season complete their usual backlog of fixtures. This year is no exception and, with fixtures scheduled for the next three Saturday's, season 2012/13 can safely be extended into June.

Today was a trip to New Cumnock, in Ayrshire, recently 'voted' as Scotland's most dismal town http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-21955916 though I found the views around this former mining town rather pleasant in the late May sunshine.

Formed in 1930, the club played on a colliery pitch until moving to the purpose built Loch Park in 1960. The ground is situated on land close to where the "Afton Water flows gently" into the River Nith.

The ground is just off the main road in the town and has a large main stand and rest is terracing, though most of this is overgrown, giving a sense of age to what is not, in football terms, a very old ground.

Both Glenafton and Arthurlie compete in the West of Scotland Superleague Premier Division, finishing the season in 4th and 6th place respectively. Three points separated the teams in the final table and Arthurlie won the league encounter at Loch Park back in September.

However Glenafton were not to be denied today and they won through to the final by the odd goal in five, despite playing the second half with 10 men.

Glenafton took control from the kick off and Ryan Millar gave the homesters the lead after six minutes before Ross Robertson doubled their lead after 12.

James Marks headed home after 42 minutes to halve the deficit, then right on the stroke of half time Jack Steele was given a straight red card for a challenge on 'Lie goalkeeper Kevin Macklin.

As expected with a  man advantage, Arthurlie came out for the second half all guns blazing and it was no surprise when Stephen McKeown equalised after 55 minutes. However rather than being the catalyst for a 'Lie victory the game swung back in favour of Glens and they created the better chances. With ten minutes remaining Gus Cochrane blasted home to book Glenafton's place in the final.

With "pit stops" in Dumfries and Auldgirth, it was a great day out, spent in great company.