CFC Bowholm 1

Peebles Ams 4

ON Saturday Peebles Ams made the long journey to a sun-drenched Canonbie to face Bowholm for the second time this season, hoping to follow their earlier cup victory with three points in this Division C encounter.

In an at times ill-tempered match the Peebles side rose above some hefty challenges to run out 4-1 victors.

A frenetic opening period saw few chances for either team. The busiest man on the park during this period was the card-happy referee, perhaps he had been given a new pencil, such was his eagerness to write names into his book.

After some scrappy midfield action Bowholm almost opened the scoring when a speculative effort from distance clipped the upright.

Almost immediately a penalty was awarded at the other end when Muir was brought down. The striker dusted himself down and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way. It should have been 2-0 not long after when Robertson headed in an inviting cross, the goal ruled out for a phantom push.

Just as Peebles looked to be going into the break one up Bowholm scored just before the interval. A free kick from the right being turned in smartly by their number 9.

Despite the score-line being level the Ams had been the better team and entered the second half unperturbed despite the equaliser.

Their confidence was rewarded when Muir doubled his tally for the day heading powerfully past the Bowholm keeper having given his marker the slip.

Muir completed his hat-trick not long after when Thomson was brought down in the box, again outfoxing the keeper from the resultant spot kick.

Substitute Shearlaw added the piece de resistance when he turned the Bowholm defender this way and that, inside out, toying with the tortured number five before finally ending his torment by slotting the ball into the bottom corner.

Another three points for the Ams and a hard fought away victory that saw them leap frog their hosts in the league table, moving up to third place.

This weekend Peebles Ams host Melrose in the Collie Cup semi final at Kerfield with a 2pm kick off.

Peebles Ams: Murphy, McDonald, Robertson, Brown, Taylor (King), B. Thomson, D. Thomson, Entwistle, Inglis (Gray), Muir, Borthwick (Shearlaw)