Despite booking the Netherdale 3G for the rescheduled Waddell Cup tie football chiefs at Leithen Rovers had to fall back on their own snow-covered pitch due to ice on the artificial surface in Galashiels.

But they brushed and they swept – and after four hours they created a pitch just capable of hosting a game.

Despite cutting up badly inside the opening quarter hour both teams battled on through the deepening mud.

The scoreline was somewhat harsh on the young Hawick team but nobody was grudging Leithen Rovers their place in the second round.

Manager Gary Hastie told us: “It was a mud bath out there but full credit to both sets of players for just getting on with it.

“Hawick deserve a lot of praise as plenty of teams would have been calling for abandonment in that second half as it got worse, but they didn’t, they just kept trying to play.

“That’s 14 games out of 16 we’ve won since I came here, so I’m pleased with how we are going.” The home team were given an early scare with the impressive Sean Clark racing away to chip Chris Watson from 25 yards out.

Thomas Scott almost doubled Hawick’s advantage on seven minutes but his shot was blocked in front of goal.

It took the Division A favourites a good 20 minutes to find their feet – but when they did they were soon opening up the Legion Rovers defence.

Alan McMath was fouled inside the area by Jory Robertson on 23 minutes with Peter Shearlaw dispatching the penalty.

Shearlaw scored a second from the sport after he’d been pulled down with 10 minutes of the half remaining.

And there was still time for Thomas Fleming to score a third after a corner wasn’t cleared effectively by the visiting defence.

Michael Moir almost gave Hawick a lifeline on the stroke of half time after he latched onto Scott’s excellent header but his shot was blocked on the line.

Fleming added his second from the penalty spot on 52 minutes to extend Leithen’s advantage.

Moir did pull a goal back against the run of play on the hour.

But it was the home side who continued to press as Hawick slowly but surely began to tire in the closing stages.

Fleming drilled home his third and Leithen’s fifth on 68 minutes.

Neil Macvicar added two excellent headers to the tally and with the final kick of the game Scott Leitch waltzed through a few challenges to add an eighth.

Leithen Rovers: C Watson, D Paterson, P Shearlaw, C Smith, R Forrest, S Fleming, N Macvicar, T Fleming, A Mcmatch, S Philbin & M Scott. Subs S Leitch, S Burton, C Borthwick, P Scott & D Thomson.

Hawick LR: K Millar, C Wilson, C Brown, J Caldwell, C Turnbull, T Scott, J Robertson, C McCutcheon, C Caldwell, M Moir & S Clarke. Subs J Gracie, K Hope & D Johnstone.