Leith Athletic 4
Hawick Royal Albert 1
EoS FIRST DIVISION
JOHN SLORANCE reports from Ainslie Park
LEITH made the early running, but despite having loads of possession and moving the ball about well failed to conjure up any scoring chances.
That was until Chris Barrie went close to breaking the deadlock with a well-struck drive that Hawick keeper Ross Taylor did well to tip round the post.
Hawick began to come more into the picture after this and Bobby Nwanze was just off target, blazing a shot inches wide, before Leith took the lead when Kyle Bogle rifled away a Lewis Tracey cross.
Minutes later, Taylor denied Athletic a second with a superb double save, firstly blocking a Tracey shot with an outstretched leg and then saving again from Tracey, who had met the rebound.
In the 42nd minute however Leith did add to their tally. Tracey floated over a cross from the right and Chris Beaton produced the scoring touch in finding the net with a header.
Leith began the second period in sprightly fashion and after Taylor had pulled off an excellent stop from Craig Hume, Lewis Cairns rattled the upright with a fierce shot.
Within two minutes of this, Cairns was robbed of a goal by the bar when heading in a Beaton cross.
Hawick continued to ride their luck for Athletic duly hit the woodwork for the third time in eight minutes, with Beaton this time being the unlucky one.
With the Albert on the back foot the capital men continued to rule and Neil Lawson got his name on the scoresheet in nodding home a Barrie free kick in the 79th minute.
Four minutes later Hawick reduced the leeway. Steven Drummond threaded a pass into the path of Nwanze, who cut inside and drilled a low shot out of the reach of Athletic keeper Iain Gordon.
Leith had the last say through a Beaton goal.
Hawick Royal Albert: R. Taylor, I. Zenati, R. Shepherd, A. Whitson, S. Russell, K. Fettes, J. Paterek, C. Beattie, (S. Drummond), P. Keenan (Trialist), B. Nwanze, D. Hogg.