Cabrera ignite their season with cup giantkilling of Lauriston

Cabrera Athletic were one of the few Capital clubs to book their place in the second round of the Scottish (Saturday) Amateur Cup, but did so at the expense of fellow Lothian and Edinburgh Amateur FA side Lauriston Thistle.

A total of eight Edinburgh sides fell at the first hurdle of the national event, but Cabrera and Redpath Albion, along with Liberton were still standing as four more LEAFA clubs contested replays earlier today.

Cabrera, who have endured an inauspicious start to their Edinburgh East league campaign, prepared for the contest with high-flying Lauriston as underdogs but were well worth their slender 2-1 victory at Saughton 3G.

Edinburgh West league leaders Lauriston took a tenth-minute lead with an excellent move involving Shaun Crichton and Lee McKintyre, but Cabrera equalised a quarter of an hour later and sealed their win with 20 minutes of the match remaining. Thistle's opener was perhaps the best of the game's three strikes, Crichton picking up the ball midway inside the Cabrera half before flicking the ball out wide with the outside of his right boot to McKintyre and pacing into the penalty area. McKintyre's perfect cross found the head of Crichton six yards out and he dispatched the ball past goalkeeper Steven Eccles.

Cabrera's mercurial midfielder Stephen Duke was the main artery of attack for the home side and saw a lot of possession early on, however he was unable to bypass a stubborn Lauriston defence.

That job was instead left to Athletic's Gordon Falconer on 25 minutes, who cleverly chipped the ball into the box following a corner and team-mate Lee Greenan rose to flick the ball over the advancing goalkeeper Kevin Newby and into the net.

Cabrera went on to dominate proceedings and duly assumed the advantage on 70 minutes. A sweet delivery from the left-hand edge of the penalty area by Duke was met by the head of substitute Kieran Proven, who leapt imperiously to outjump the Lauriston defence and nod the ball into the left-hand corner of the net.

Lauriston defender George Reid saw a long-range effort three minutes later fizz narrowly by the right-hand post of Eccles' goal, and Thistle keeper Newby left his goal at corner kicks to assist in his side's efforts to claw their way back into the game. It was all in vain, though, as Cabrera held out to claim a place in the next round of "the Scottish".

Elsewhere, Bank of Scotland Strollers, Pathhead, Edinburgh Rose, Bridgend United, Civil Service Strollers, Ratho Athletic and West Lothian all lost to out-of-town opposition, with Redpath Albion and Liberton the only sides to win against a team from a rival association.

Meanwhile, three LEAFA clubs were due to contest first-round replays this afternoon after Tranent Juniors tied 2-2 at Stirling Boys Club and The Spartans and Fernieside will shared four goals to set up a rematch at Peffermill. East Calder United's game at Dunfermline City was postponed last week and was scheduled to go ahead today in Fife.

Cabrera Athletic: Steven Eccles, Allan Plews, William Manson, Jack McGhie, John Paul Jamieson, Lee Calder, Tommy Weatherston, Stephen Duke, Jason Wood, Gordon Falconer, Lee Greenan, Kieran Proven, James Palmer, Stuart Mitchell, Colin Campbell, Chris Dodds.

Lauriston Thistle: Kevin Newby, Colin Morris, George Reid, Gary Crichton, Jason Thorburn, Liam Gartland, Mich ael Troy, Lee McKintyre, Scott McGill, Shaun Crichton, Ryan Howell, Craig Anderson, Gary Cowie, Richard Loanie, Martin Scott.