■ Callum Paterson (left) heads home Tynecastle's third goal in a frantic opening 20 minute spell at Saughton

Tynecastle's U15 side did just about enough to comfortably progress through to the semi-final of the Scottish Cup in a scrappy tie at sunny Saughton. All four goals were scored in the first 20 minutes. Three directly from free kicks (including one penalty) and the other a free header inside the 6 yard box.

The home side controlled things without overly dominating, whilst Armadale made a good fist of things in the second period but were restricted to long range efforts at best. At no time did you feel Tynie would concede and it was the home side that created the best chances and probably should have won by a wider margin.

This is another brilliant achievement for this young and exciting side and they will surely fancy their chances of progressing through to the final in May.

The Tynecastle "groundstaff" had worked wonders to get the pitch looking perfect for this quarter final tie. A bit of rolling and spiking doing the trick even if the route to the pitch was like wading through farmland!

A big crowd had turned up lining both sides of the big pitch with a large travelling contingent there to cheer on the boys from Armadale. And they were all treated to a blistering opening 20 minutes in during which all four goals in this match were scored.

Just two minutes were on the clock when Jamie Forsyth stormed into the Armadale box only to be upended by Jack Stewart and a clear penalty was awarded.
 

Not the perfect start for Armadale and it got worse when they watched Tynecastle captain, Josh Riddell, dispatch the kick into the bottom left hand corner of the net past the diving Connor Shaw. The big Armadale keeper was a shade unlucky not to get his hands to the ball.

But it was to get worse for the Armadale number one when he allowed Tynecastle to double their lead on 8 minutes. A free kick was awarded out on the far right hand side. Robbie McIntyre was the player to take the kick and he floated the ball in towards the right hand post. It looked like a fairly soft attempt but the ball bounced in front of the goalkeeper and, perhaps distracted by movement in front of him, it slipped between his legs and into the net.

A cricket score looked on the cards. Tynecastle hadn't even got started yet and they were 2-0 ahead. But Armadale were having none of it and they scored a fabulous free kick of their own on 14 minutes with the goal of the game.

This time the kick was awarded 22 yards out on the left side of the box. Tynecastle set up a four man wall but the ball was brilliantly steered past it by Dylan Chisholm and high into the top left hand corner past the despairing hands of Lyle Sloan.

Suddenly it was game back on. 14 minutes gone and three goals. All from dead ball situations.

Most of the play was heading in the direction of the Armadale goal with Tynecastle starting to force things on the right hand side with Josh Riddell, Fergus Lockhart, Dale Finnie and Callum Paterson seeing lots of the ball. In one of these forays the home side were awarded a corner on the right hand side. Another dead ball situation. The kick was floated into the 6 yard area where it was met by Callum Paterson, unchallenged, and he powered his header downwards past the helpless Connor Shaw to restore the two goal margin.

Tynecastle had another opportunity moments later when the impressive Josh Riddell bombed forward down the right again, stepped inside, and sent a blistering shot inches past the juncture of post and bar.

The home side were beginning to turn the screw with lots of attacking play but chances were at a premium. Armadale were looking stretched at the back and found it difficult to properly clear their lines. At the other end Alasdair Robertson and Steven Brown were getting nothing out of the Tynecastle back four despite the promptings of flame haired Alan Lawson who had a fine game in midfield for the visitors.

The only remaining shot on target came on 38 minutes when the referee cleverly trapped a vicious looking clearance in an area that make mens eyes water! Much to the unsympathetic amusement of the spectators surrounding the pitch.

Half Time 3-1

The second half by contrast was lacking in excitement. Almost boring by comparison to the opening period. Tynecastle seemed content to hold their lead and kept Armadale at bay for the entire 40 minutes. The visitors were encouraged forward at every opportunity by Billy Watson and his coaching team but Tynie were in control and Armadale didn't really create a single clear cut chance of note.

Indeed it was the home side that could have extended their lead in their patchy attacking threats. On 49 minutes Robbie McIntyre almost made it four when his well taken free kick from 30 yards crashed back off the bar and rebounded onto the onrushing knee of Jamie Forsyth but fell inches wide of the post.

Forsyth then almost got on the end of a fine sweeping move from right to left that involved Fergus Lockhart, Liam Fletcher, Connor McDonald and finally Robbie McIntyre whose low cross into the 6 yard area was only just missed by the outstretched boot of the Tynecastle number 11.

Forsyth then bore into goal himself on the right before unleashing a thumping shot from 10 yards which was well saved and turned around for a corner at the front post by Connor Shaw.

That was more or less it in what was an insipid second half. Tynecastle rarely looked in trouble and they now have a great chance to take the club to the final in May and Scottish Cup glory.