Published: Wednesday, 17th March, 2010 3:02pm

Academy march into semis

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Star striker ... Euan Lindsay had an eventful game in Stornoway

Nicolson Institute 1 Largs Academy 2

Largs Academy are now one step away from a glory trip to Hampden Park after reaching the semi finals of the Scottish Schools Cup following a 2-1 win at Stornoway.

It was a marathon 640 mile round trip for the youngsters as they left Largs at 9am on Monday morning by bus to Ullapool, before jumping on a ferry to the Isle of Lewis.

It was a tough game played on good conditions on an excellent state of the art astroturf park.

Largs defended solidly in the opening period but lost their goalkeeper, Paul Cankaya, with bruised ribs after a bad clash, and fortunately, the Academy side had a ready made replacement in Alastair Deans who stepped into the breach.

It was even stevens in the first 40 minutes until Largs took the lead after a well delivered corner by Andy Thomson which was headed home by Euan Lindsay.

However, the Stornoway school side equalised shortly after the interval after a dubious offside goal. Largs won a spot-kick but Lindsay missed from the spot.

But the Hamilton Accies striker made swift amends with a great goal on 70 minutes as he cut in from the left hand side and shot past the keeper for a superb strike.

Largs were unfortunate not to add to their lead later in the game as sub Cameron Quinn's effort was stopped by a hand of a defender on the line but the referee ruled that the ball played the hand but it could have easily been the second spot-kick of the afternoon.