SPFL Weekly Awards: Scottish Cup 5th round recap

Aberdeen saw off Celtic in the Scottish Cup this weekend. Picture: SNS

The top Award for this week is heading to Albion Rovers to mark the Coatbridge club breaking through an 80-year cup barrier.

Double award winners include Aberdeen and Brechin City with Rangers, Raith Rovers, Dundee, Queen of the South, Annan and Queen of the South all picking up gongs.

Good week for – Aberdeen - but Albion Rovers had a Great week...

In their last two games the Dons have reached the Scottish League Cup Final and defeated Celtic in the Scottish Cup at Parkhead. Two fine achievements, but both have both done before in the last 15 years.

The Coatbridge side’s progression to the last eight of the Scottish Cup has not happened for 80 years, with the Cliftonhill minnows reach the quarter finals with a 2-0 success over Stenhousemuir. A trip to Ibrox awaits!

Bad week for – Ross McMillan (Stenhousemuir) and Hibs

The Scottish Cup would not be the same without rickety coverage from the BBC at some ground well-removed from the Premiership. Saturday saw the cameras out at Albion Rovers’ Cliftonhill and it saw Stenhousemuir skipper Ross McMillan score a wind-assisted own goal.

The swirling breeze made attempting a clearance difficult, but misdirecting a header over your own goalkeeper and into the far corner of the net became all too possible.

As for Hibs, it’s yet another year without a Scottish Cup win after their 3-2 defeat to Raith Rovers at Easter Road. After reaching two finals in a row, losing at home to a team from the league below has to hurt.

Team of the week – Aberdeen

The Dons went into the Celtic Park lion’s den and gave away an early goal. Celtic had not conceded in 11 home games and the Dons may well have thought that was that.

However when Russell Anderson produces a scissor kick finish the signs are that something good is on the horizon. Peter Pawlett then came up with a second goal, and the Dons could now find themselves as double trophy winners for the first time since the days of Charlie Nicholas!

Manager of the week – Derek McInnes

McInnes needed a good season with Aberdeen after a disappointing time at Bristol City, and Aberdeen needed a good season with McInnes to re-ignite some passion in the locals for their football club.

A semi-final hoodoo was swatted away last weekend and now the Dons have won a big game in Glasgow again.

If you are unsure about how good a job McInnes is doing, think about how Aberdeen underachieved with Mark McGhee and Craig Brown at the helm.

Scottish Cup Player of the week – Dean Shiels (Rangers)

Any player scoring a hat-trick at this stage of a Cup competition deserves recognition, and Shiels wins the Scottish Cup Player of the Week Award for his treble against Dunfermline.

Shiels picked the pocket of the Pars defence to open the scoring on Friday night, before blasting home after a Jon Daly header had been blocked.

The third goal came when Shiels was again the first on the scene to put home a rebound from Lee Wallace’s effort.

Scottish Cup Goal of the week – Grant Anderson (Raith Rovers)

Anderson’s winner for Raith in their 3-2 success looked to be a bit of a curate’s egg however it was a magnificent header. Joe Cardle’s cross from the left was met by the striker who stunned everyone when he used his head to beat Ben Williams at his near post by adding purpose to the ball as opposed to just flicking it on.

Championship Player of the week – Martin Boyle (Dundee)

Boyle scored the winner as Paul Hartley’s first game in charge of Dundee got off to a winning start with a 1-0 success over fellow title chasers Hamilton Accies.

The former Montrose youngster netted early on and was then the attention of Hamilton players who had no choice but to use illegal means to stop him, with both Stephen Hendrie and Ziggy Gordon dismissed.

Championship Goal of the week – Gavin Reilly (Queen of the South second goal v Falkirk)

Queen’s super-sub Gavin Reilly was the difference as the Doonhamers defeated Falkirk 2-0 at Palmerston. Reilly headed in the first goal with 10 minutes left and he sealed the win 5 minutes later after a move that involved Kevin Holt and new signing Mark Kerr, as well as a cheeky back-heel from Derek Lyle.

League 1 Player of the week – Andy Jackson (Brechin City)

Only the one game in League One, and Andy Jackson was the star man as Brechin City defeated East 3-0 at Glebe Park. Jackson chipped in with the second goal, but it was his industrious approach to the game that sees him pick up the Award.

Jackson never let the Fifers settle and may just have laid the foundations for a promotion push from Ray McKinnon’s side.

League 1 Goal of the week – Robert Thomson (Brechin City)

Former Dundee United and Dunfermline striker Thomson grabbed his first goal for the Glebe Park side in fine style at the weekend.

With Brechin already two goals to the good, Thomson drifted past two defenders before spotting visiting goalkeeper Greg Paterson off his line and netting with a perfect lob.

League 2 Player of the week – Andrew Mitchell (Annan)

Defender Mitchell returned to Annan from Rangers for a second time at the beginning of 2014, and he showed his worth at the back in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Montrose.

The Northern Irishman is now a permanent player at Galabank after a loan spell, but full-time sides are already monitoring Mitchell’s form for next season.

League 2 Goal of the week – Michael Bolochoweckyj (East Stirling)

The Shire secured their second 3-0 win of the season over Elgin this weekend, and their two centre backs Chris Townsley and Michael Bolochoweckyj combined for their second goal.

Townsley lashed the ball across the face of the Elgin goal and Bolochoweckyj deserves a bravery award, let alone the Scotsman Weekly Website Award, for sticking his head on the end of it and netting from 8 yards out.