Kello Rovers lined up at Rosebank Park hoping to put their well publicised troubles behind them, but Lugar was in no mood to roll over and make it easy for them. Kello kicked off in the spring sunshine but it was the home team that was first on the attack, Andy Rae turning smartly in the box but his shot was cleared for a corner by Kello’s centre half Terry Thomson.

Kello goalkeeper, Scott Cochran, was going to be the busiest man of the afternoon and it started by him clearing the corner despite the close attentions of Rae. At the other end Ronnie Davis, Lugar’s keeper, was seldom troubled, but he did have to react smartly to save a Liam Fleming long range free kick. The action returned to the Rovers’ half of the park and Cochran produced a wonderful save from a Nicky Faulds’ overhead kick that looked netbound. Kello were defending well as Lugar laid siege to the visitors’ goal, John Anderson, David Clapperton and Michael Rutherford had chances but it was an ex-Kello player that was to provide the opener in the 20^th minute. Stephen Auld was a constant thorn in Kello’s side and following another foray down the right wing, he sent in an inviting low cross to an unmarked Clapperton. Kello’s Jordan Mullen intercepted the pass but only succeeded in diverting it into the net for an own goal.

Lugar continued to press but a second goal was to prove elusive, despite more efforts from Rae and Anderson especially. Kello’s attacks were few, Scott McQuade tried a free kick but he slammed it into Boswell’s defensive wall and Steven Nisbet broke forward on his own but his former team-mate, Craig Muir, snuffed out the opportunity with ease.

Half-Time Lugar 1 Kello 0

If the first half was mostly played in Kello’s half, the second was to be even more so. In fact if Davis had stayed in the dressing room at the break, I doubt if anyone would have noticed he was missing. One goal kick and a pass-back was about all he had to deal with during the second period. Cochran on the other hand was kept very busy, dealing with efforts from Muir and Clapperton. Then with 55 minutes played Auld was brought down just inside the box by Kello’s Trialist right back and referee, Calum Scott pointed to the spot. Anderson took the kick and fired low to the corner of the goal, but Cochran guessed right and pulled off another fine stop and pushed the ball away to safety.

Two minutes later and Kello survived another scare as Rae went tumbling in the box due to the close attention of Thomson. Referee Scott decided it was simulation however and Rae earned himself a yellow card for it. More efforts, this time from Auld, Muir and Faulds were dealt with by Cochran, but he could only delay the inevitable for so long. The second goal eventually arrived on the 62^nd minute, Clapperton ran onto a Craig Fisher through ball and slotted home from close range.

Five minutes later and if it wasn’t already all over as a contest, it was after a long throw-in from Auld allowed Jamie Baird to sneak in at the near post to turn the ball in for number three.

Lugar continued to press but there was to be no more goals, the action wasn’t over though and tempers boiled over at one point and Lugar’s Anderson and Kello's McKie, who had only just come on as a sub, had a bit of a spat that ended up with red cards for both players. This seemed to take the tempo out of the game and both teams played the game out without further incident.

Full Time – Lugar 3 Kello 0