
Peebles came out on top of a rip-roaring semi-final, beating Tranent Colts 7-5 to book their place in the final of the Belmont Vauxhall Cup, where they will face Spartans Whites.
Peebles had control at 3-0 at half time and 6-1 after 57 minutes but they lost their grip slightly as Tranent managed to pull it back to 6-4. They clinched it with Keith Kitching’s fifth of the day before Tranent scored again with the last kick, making it an incredible 5 goals scored in the final 13 minutes.
The home side started like a train and opened the scoring after three minutes having already missed two glorious chances.
Fraser Whyte was unfortunate after Rory MacDonald had won the ball and fed him – Jamie Archibald parried his first effort and the ball would not sit nicely for him afterwards.
They came close again when Jordan Sykes’ corner was turned just wide by Kitching.
But the breakthrough was on acquired when Frey MacIver drove down the left flank and what looked like an intended cross ended up in the far corner of the net.
Logan Ritchie could have levelled it up when he beat the keeper but his low effort trickled agonisingly wide.
That was all the more galling for Tranent as they fell further behind on nine minutes. Kitching got off the mark when he collected Lewis Scrimger’s throw in the inside right channel, got into the box and fired a shot across Archibald and in.
Liam Henderson was impressive for Colts and he was almost in after good combination play from Mackenzie Scott and Cameron Sharp but was stopped by an offside call.
It was 3-0 after 20 minutes, Thomas Pickburn finishing well with his left foot after Kitching had slipped him in.
The game opened up and became a real end to end battle, with Tranent desperate to find a lifeline and Peebles still pushing to get another.
Kitching fired wide after a good run forward and at the other end Henderson’s effort from the edge of the box went just wide.
The Tranent push continued in the second half and Henderson remained central to it, a surging run down the left ended with a strike which was held by Oliver Gray.