Bowhill Rovers one win away from dream Hampden final

Bowhill Rovers have reached the Scottish Amateur Cup semi-finals.

The Kingdom Caledonian League side travelled through to Kilmarnock on Saturday for a quarter-final tie against former holders Hurlford Thistle AFC.

The home side were strong favourites, however Bowhill are currently on a fantastic run having not lost a league or cup game since September last year, with 17 wins and one draw in their last 18 competitive games.

The game was played in front of a large crowd at Grange Academy and the home side started well.

A cross from the left found Sanderson alone in the penalty area, however the header looped over the bar.

Bowhill almost took the lead after 12 minutes when a cross from the left from Jamie Gay was laid off by Conner Paterson into the path of Sami Mitchell whose shot was well saved at close range by the Hurlford ‘keeper.

Then on the half hour, after a mix up in the Bowhill defence, Sanderson went through on goal but his shot was high over the bar.

The second half was a hard fought midfield battle, as was the first, but Mark Kinnell and Darren Gribbin for Bowhill took control.

And on 62 minutes when a long ball was played into the Hurlford box, Sami Mitchell out muscled the defenders, before turning the ball into the net to give Bowhill the lead.

The goal rattled Hurlford and they could not cope with the pace of Bowhill after Jamie Leslie and Darren Aitken came on to replace Mitchell and Paterson.

The visitors doubled their lead on 67 minutes when Gay found David Thomson on the edge of the box, and his deflected shot went high into the Hurlford net.

Hurlford tried to put Bowhill under pressure, with high balls into the box, however they couldn’t trouble ‘keeper Dale Wotherspoon in the Bowhill goal, who commanded his area brilliantly.

With nine minutes left Bowhill went 3-0 up when a though ball from Gribbin found Aitken, who went through on the goalkeeper and he found the net superbly to put Rovers through into the semi-final.

Bowhill now face the winners of the replay between Southside AFC and Craigshill AFC who play again this Saturday after they drew 1-1.

The date and venue for the semi-final is still to be announced by the SAFA.

Manager Jim McGuinness said “It was a great day for the club on Saturday, especially as we were the underdogs going up against one of the cup favourites. We will now go and enjoy the occasion in the semi-final.”

Bowhill Rovers: D. Wothersoon, D. McLaren, S. Eastough, B.Grieve, S. Donaldson, M. Kinnell, D. Gribbin, D. Thomson, J.Gay, C. Paterson, S. Mitchell. Subs: J.Leslie, D.Aitken, J. McLaren.