Relichtie

Semi- Finals

October 7 1959         Third Lanark 3-0 Arbroath        League Cup

played at Ibrox Park, Glasgow.

Arbroath's league cup campaign for 1959 culminated in this match. For a part time club in the north east of Scotland to have to travel to play a Glasgow club in their home city on a Wednesday night hardly seemed fair, but the Scottish League had decreed that this was when the match would be played.

Arbroath had started off in section 6, with a 2-0  home win over Dumbarton, followed by a 3-2 away success at Stenhousemuir, before losing at home to Albion Rovers. The same sequence was repeated in the second round of matches, with a 1-0 home win to the Warriors, and a 4-3 success away to the Sons, before again losing to the Rovers at Cliftonhill by 4 goals to 1. Albion had slipped up twice against Stenny, and drawn once with Dumbarton, allowing Arbroath to win the Section.

Section 6

  P W D L F A Pts
Arbroath 6 4 0 2 11 12 8
Albion Rvs. 6 3 1 2 12 9 7
Stenhousemuir 6 3 0 3 9 8 6
Dumbarton 6 1 1 4 9 12 3

 A  quarter-final.  win over Raith Rovers followed, setting up this semi final.

Arbroath took the field in a white strip with blue facings, while Thirds wore amber jerseys and black shorts.

Right from the start the "Hi-Hi" took the game to the lichties and forced a corner in the 3rd min. The flag kick was cleared, but back came Thirds and after Williamson blocked a shot from I. Hilley with his foot, the rebound fell to his brother D. Hilley, who headed against the post, and finally Craig had his shot deflected into Williamson's arms. But it wasn't all one way traffic as Easson shot past before Quinn was put through by Hay but delayed too long and his effort went for a corner. Williamson saved well from another Craig header, while Robertson at the other end dealt safely with a 25 yard drive from Shirreffs. Half time came though with no goals.

On the resumption Thirds went ahead in the 48th min. when McInnes latched on to a pass from I. Hilley and shot in to the corner. Arbroath tried to hit back, and chances fell to Easson and Brown, but they couldn't find a way through. It was 2-0 in 65 mins. when Craig controlled a pass from D. Hilley, and drove a high ball into the goal from an acute angle.

action from semi

It was all Thirds now and with the Hilley brothers running the show, only keeper Williamson prevented more goals, but even he had to admit defeat when Dave Hilley again found brother Ian who scored with a knee high effort which went in of the post. Arbroath kept plugging away, and Shirreffs had the last attempt which was comfortably held by Robertson. 

Third Lanark - Robertson, Lewis, Brown, Reilly, McCallum, Cunningham, McInnes, Craig, D. Hilley, Gray, I. Hilley.

Arbroath - Williamson, McLevy, Young, Crawford, Fraser, Wright, Shirreffs, Brown, Easson, Hay, Quinn.

Referee H. Philips, Wishaw.

Attendance 17,000

 

Semi-finals.                       Third Lanark Stats.                       1966.                           Semi-final 1947.