Braidhurst eased into the last 16 of the Scottish Cup with, what turned out to be, a comfortable victory over Portobello in Edinburgh. Under a dark and tempestuous sky, with swathes of rain rolling in over Arthur’s Seat, the game kicked off on a heavy, bobbly park in Duddingston.

Braidhurst made the better start and after three minutes were a goal up, thanks to the pace of Dylan Falconer down the right wing, whose cross was delivered into the net by the dynamic Ryan Watt. The visitors pushed on for a second goal to cement their lead. The uncertainty of the surface led the Braidhurst defence to panic and the resulting effort from the hosts scraped narrowly passed the post.

Braidhurst made the Edinburgh side pay for their poor finishing with Nick Mullen stooping to head home number 2 from a Johnny McCabe cross. Shortly before half time it was three thanks to a header from Falconer following a wicked, dipping corner from Jake Hastie. Further goals from Mullen, Quitongo, and Falconer (twice), for his hat trick, followed by a late consolation from Portobello made the final score 7-1.

The Motherwell lads now face either Largs or Bannerman at home for a place in the quarter finals of the Scottish Cup.