Edinburgh Rose bloom while others wilt

Both sets of players deserve credit for what was an entertaining encounter in near-arctic conditions but it was Rose who proved to be the more clinical in front of goal.

Rose now face an away trip to the winners of Fernieside or Whitburn Bluebell in the last eight of the competition.

Rose’s Craig Stewart got the home side off to the perfect start when, in the fifth minute, the midfielder collected the ball 20 yards out and struck a low-driven shot into the far corner of the net.

Rose were beginning to stamp their authority and Jon Laidlaw seemed destined to make it two from a David Brogan cross but Michael Welsh pulled off a terrific block in the Musselburgh goal to keep the score at one.

Laidlaw then turned provider as his teasing cross from the left was met with real power from the stretching Raymond Walker but the No.10 couldn’t direct his effort on target as the ball sailed wide of the right-hand post.

However, the visitors found themselves back on level terms after 30 minutes when some slack defending in the Rose rearguard allowed Scott Gourlay a clear run-in on goal, and from the edge of the area the little winger lifted the ball over the advancing David Sorley for a well-executed finish.

Within 60 seconds though, Premier Division 1 title-chasers Rose were ahead once again as Walker found space on the right side of Windsor’s penalty area and from 16 yards, drove the ball across Welsh’s goal and into the left corner. The hosts almost made it three before the break as David Meenan’s fierce drive from the edge of the area forced Welsh into a great one-handed save to turn the ball past his right post. From the resulting corner, Walker rose above the defending pack to head his header off the top of crossbar as the Windsor players breathed a sigh of relief.

Rose moved 3-1 in front five minutes after the interval as Stewart drove down the right side before cutting the ball back to Laidlaw who slammed his shot in from close range via the underside of the bar.  Despite this two-goal advantage, though, Windsor remained very dangerous on the break and should have been awarded a penalty when Barrie Arthur was tripped by the trailing leg of Euan Bisset, but referee Gordon Clarkson waved play on. It was Rose, however, who added to their goal tally and sealed their passage into the next round when Walker struck his second of the match as he got on the end of  Meenan’s free-kick to prod the ball in from eight yards.

Edinburgh Rose secretary Les Woolard paid compliments to his side’s opponents in what was a hard-fought cup tie but is looking ahead to an important period for the club with silverware very much within his players’ grasp.

Woolard said: “We knew what to expect from Musselburgh Windsor as we’ve  already played them in another cup this year and needed extra-time to beat them 2-1 so they’re a tricky side. But I think we deserved it overall and got our goals at the right time. We’re still at the top end of the league and are involved in four cups so we’ve got a real exciting few weeks ahead.”

Edinburgh Rose: David Sorley, Scott Wallace, Jamie Stewart, Euan Bisset, David Brogan, David Meenan, Jon Laidlaw, Raymond Walker, Scott Brown, Craig Stewart, Paul Dunlop, Mark Young, Murray Milne, Gary Hill, Ryan Kane, Gavin Cattanach.

Musselburgh Windsor: Michael Welsh, Michael Slater, Darren Gourlay, Ross Blair, Daniel Welsh, Cameron Olton, David Glynn, Paul McCusker, Gareth Kerr, Barrie Arthur, Scott Gourlay, Jonathon Morrice, Paul Finlayson, James Carlyle, Adam Cohen, Daryl Pitt.