BEITH JUNIORS (Bellsdale Park)

SCOTTISH JUNIOR CUP SEMI-FINAL 1st LEG, BEITH 3-0 KILWINNING RANGERS, ATTENDANCE: 1,451

I received a text message in the week asking if I would be interested in a trip to watch the Scottish Junior Cup Semi-Final tie between Beith and Kilwinning. Well it would have been very silly to refuse such a kind offer!


The North Ayrshire towns are just 9 miles apart so the cup tie had massive local interest, and a large crowd was expected, as Beith attempted to reach the Scottish Cup Final for the first time ever and Kilwinning for the first time since they won the competition in 1999.

Beith Football Club were originally formed in 1875 and were members of the Scottish Football League from 1923 to 1926. When the club folded, Beith Juniors were formed in 1938 as a junior successor to the senior side.

Bellsdale Park has been home to football in Beith since 1920, and this was the ground used during the years in the Scottish Football League.

The ground currently has three separate covered stands alongside either side of the pitch, with hard standing behind both goals and also a grass bank behind the goal at the top of the slope. Yes, that is one thing you notice about Bellsdale Park as soon as you see the pitch, there is a very pronounced slope. I am not sure though if it is a steep as Chard Town's, but it certainly isn't far off! 

Beith found themselves in the national spotlight in 2010 when, as the West of Scotland Premier Division League Champions, they entered the Scottish Cup at the first round stage. After defeating Linlithgow Rose (2-0) and Glasgow University (8-1) they faced Second Division Airdrie United, at the Excelsior Stadium, in the third round and, with 10 minutes to go in the tie, they led 2-0 before being pegged back. Beith lost the replay 4-3 at Bellsdale Park.

Back to today's cup exploits, and it was a cagey first 45 minutes but Kilwinning had the best of what chances there were, Ben Lewis guilty of missing an absolute sitter, when it was probably easier to score.

Kilwinning also started the second half brightly but it was Beith who took the lead when the ball was played into box and, after a scramble, the loose ball fell to Andy Reid (52) who smacked it home.

The Buffs were given a chance for an immediate response when they were awarded a penalty kick just two minutes later, but a tame effort from Lewis was easily saved by Stephen Grindley.  A pivotal moment in the tie.

A well worked move led to Beith's second goal. After an an exchange of passes, the ball was back-heeled into the path of Darren Christie (73) who smashed it home at the near post. Buffs goalkeeper Adam Strain got hands to the ball, but the shot was powerful enough to squirm over the line and into the net.

A corner kick in the 80th minute was powerfully headed home by John Sheridan to make it 3-0 and give 'The Mighty' one foot in the Scottish Cup Final for the first time in their history. The second leg will take place at Abbey Park, Kilwinning, next weekend.

Highlights can be found by clicking here

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......

BENBURB FC (Tinto Park)

SCOTTISH JUNIOR CUP 4th ROUND, BENBURB 2-3 WHITLETTS VICTORIA, ATTENDANCE: 190 (h/c)

It was to Scotland I headed today for my first new ground of 2014 and what a ground it was too. Today's trip was in order to see Benburb's iconic Tinto Park, before it is buried under a housing estate in the not too distant future. The ground is in Govan, Glasgow, in the shadow of it's more famous neighbour, Ibrox Park.

There can't be many grounds of it's type left in Britain as Tinto Park is dominated by a steep, large covered terrace down the side of the pitch.

Unfortunately it has long seen better days when large crowds used to gather to cheer on The Bens (the record gate at Tinto was around 10,000).  The rest of the ground is mostly overgrown, but it is very easy to imagine Tinto in it's pomp.

The local vandals have unofficially begun to demolish the ground as, after torching the old social club, they have turned their attentions to inside the ground and, for instance, the dugouts have no cover and there are signs of fire damage on the terraces. There are also large gaping holes in the terrace roof and empty lager cans strewn across the overgrown grassed areas.

It is due to the ongoing problems with the vandals that the club will not confirm the actual leaving date (as they don't want to indicate that the ground will be vacant to give the vandals  free reign) but it will be before the season is out. The club plan to ground share with Renfrew (another ground that is on the way out) in the interim, before moving to a new purpose built ground yards from their current home.

I was not the only 'groundhopper' who was visiting Govan today and there were plenty of familiar faces milling around the ground, plenty of time have a chat and a catch up, which made the day even more pleasurable.

I must confess to be slightly panicked on the journey North as it rained incessantly from Cumbria to Glasgow but upon arrival the pitch looked heavy, but perfectly playable.

As well as the incentive of seeing Tinto Park, the game was also a cup tie. Scottish Junior Cup games are usually full blooded affairs and this game was no exception. The visitors to Govan were Ayrshire-based Whitletts Victoria and the the game was a fine advert for junior fitba.

After carving out the best of the early chances, The Vics raced into a two goal lead thanks to Shaun Allan (35) and Tony Balfour (47) which sent their travelling contingent into raptures, no doubt also helped by a few swigs of the old commotion potion.

However, with seemingly nothing to lose, The Bens went for it and got level thanks to goals from Andrew Wright (62) and Peter Lovering (78).

Neither side were happy to settle for a replay and it could have gone either way but with seconds remaining on the clock Whitletts strikers both broke clear and the ball was squared to Balfour for a simple tap in to book The Vics place in round 5. Very Harsh on Benburb who I felt deserved another crack of the whip, but sometimes football is a cruel game. 

A most enjoyable afternoon at a most friendly and welcoming club. There was also a tinge of sadness as it is always a shame when a classic 'proper' ground is set to disappear. For anyone who has not been to Tinto Park I would urge you to get there ASAP.

For more on the history of Benburb, including a picture of The Bens most famous supporter with his boyhood hero, click on this link: http://mygovan.com/html/benburbfc.html