Portobello cruised into the InspireSport Scottish cup fourth round in a dominant display against a brave Campsie side who refused to lie down despite the inflated scoreline.

 

It was a very cold, crisp morning at Bingham Park, but that didn’t stop the hosts, who were in dreamland from the word go, and inside eight minutes they were 3-0 up on their visitors from the west.

 

Campsie showed fight at the end of both periods, although nothing to show for it at half time as they went in 7-0 down, but managed to snatch a couple of late consolation goals in the final minutes of the second half, to at least give the visitors something to cheer about.

 

Portobello had already hit the crossbar through Luke Griffiths when they took the lead on two minutes through Lucas Martin. The midfielder calmly guided the ball out of goalkeeper Euan Greig’s reach and into the top right corner from the penalty spot.

 

Mathias Martinez added the second on five minutes. The ball was edged into the winger’s path by Griffiths and he controlled before looping the ball over the helpless Greig for 2-0.

 

The goalkeeper, who made numerous good saves on the day, was then caught out in possession and Euan Walker made him pay as he caressed the ball to the goalkeepers left for Portobello’s third.

 

A brilliant double save from Greig kept the score at 3-0, firstly to deny Griffiths in a one on one situation and then to keep out a header moments later.

 

Campsie did manage the occasional breakaway, and were most threatening through Kai Grimes in the first half although the visitors one clear-cut chance fell to Rhyan Coll following Grimes’ pullback, but the strike was well off target.

 

Finally Yule slotted away the fourth for Portobello as he defied the offside trap before calmly rounding Greig and rolling in from an acute angle, despite the best efforts of Owen Barr trying to keep it out on the line.

 

Greig continued to stand in Portobello’s way, denying Frazer Robertson from a corner. Campsie then brought out a good save from the home side’s goalkeeper Rory Comerford, who rushed out to smother the ball at the feet of the advancing Grimes.

 

Walker would add his second and his sides fifth as he received the ball on the left and aided the ball into the net. Number six came soon enough from Stevie Renton’s corner, which looked to go through everyone and straight into the net, although Griffiths may claim it, as all poachers should.

 

Greig was once again there to save the visitors but only for a matter of seconds this time. The keeper beat away Renton’s low drive but as the cross came in from Martinez on the rebound, Yule leapt highest to power home the seventh. 

 

Campsie came close with three free kicks in quick succession. Aidan Kelly curled a lovely cross into the middle but there were no takers and the ball was scrambled clear. Ben Brackenridge then fizzed a right footed free kick inches wide of the far post a minute later.

 

The third was straight off the training ground. The ball played into the feet of Mark Hale who was unmarked as he sent a swerving delivery into the mixer but Brackenridge couldn’t convert inside the area as the half time whistled sounded. A half dominated by the home side buy Campsie showing sign of life in the later stages.

Portobello didn’t easy up in the second half and within just three minutes of the restart, Martin bundled the ball into the net despite the heroic efforts on the line, for his second of the match.

 

The floodgates were soon to swing open once again: Campsie keeper John Cavanagh found himself kicking the ball straight out to the feet of Yule who got there before his intended target. Yule did the rest from the left corner of the box to complete his hatrick, bending the ball round the stranded Cavanagh.

 

A combination of Martinez’s endeavor and the defenders boot helped the ball past Cavanagh for the wide man’s second goal of the day, before Walker completed a hatrick of his own having picked up the ball from Robertson, he then turned and lashed home from well outside the area.

 

Lucas Davidson was the next to get in on the action. He picked up a loose ball in midfield and weaved his way past the defenders in his wake before neatly clotting the ball away and out of the reach of Cavanagh.

 

Campsie’s first chance of the second half came on the 51st minute. The ball fell to the feet of Kelly after some good build up play, but the long distance strike was a few inches too high.

 

More goals followed: Walker took his tally to four after sweeping in the rebound from Yule’s saved shot and Griffiths rounded off his sides scoring by waltzing around the outside of the defence and poking the ball in at Cavanagh’s near post.

 

Chances would come Campsie’s way, the first of which saw Logan Andrews, who played well since his introduction to the game, roll an effort right at Cailean Club in goal for Portobello.

 

However a minute later and Campsie would get there goal. A corner swung into the box and somehow found its way into the net, Daniel Gourlay led the celebrations although whether he got a touch, only he will know.

 

One goal clearly wasn’t enough for the visitors and Aidan Kelly thundered in their second with a magnificent 25 yard free kick slightly right of centre and well out of the goalkeeper’s reach.

 

Campise could’ve had their third when Andrews sent Grimes through on goal, but Club was off his line fast to block his effort, clattering into Grimes in the process and resulting in the attacker leaving the park injured moments before the final whistle sounded in a game largely bossed by Portobello although Campsie never led their heads drop and more than deserved their two late goals, even if they were just consolation.