Olive Bank must be a happy environment these days, with Musselburgh set for a top half finish in the Superleague again, not to mention a Scottish Junior Cup semi-final to look forward to and involvement in two other cup competitions.

Their home record this season is superb and the players went into Saturday’s match against Camelon Juniors with confidence high.

The Stirlingshire outfit had exited the national competition seven days earlier at the hands of Linlithgow Rose after a fifth-round replay, but their league form has been patchy at best and generally speaking things don’t appear to be especially rosy at Carmuirs Park these days.

Burgh began brightly and they went in front after 10 minutes when top scorer Jordyn Sheerin added to his healthy tally from the penalty spot.

Camelon offered relatively little in response and their goal was subject to reasonably regular pressure from the home attack, but it took Burgh half an hour after their opener to add a second goal. Lewis Turner made it 2-0 with a well-placed finish from the right, just outside the six-yard box, and as the sides retired at the interval there seemed little cause to doubt the three points would ultimately be Musselburgh’s.

Manager Stevie McLeish preached patience during his half-time team talk, confident that dividends would be paid if his players continued to go about their business in the correct fashion, and this had the desired effect. Camelon rarely looked like finding a foothold back into the game, with Burgh comfortable in almost every respect, and any doubts as to whether or not McLeish’s men would extend their unbeaten home run to 12 games were removed when a third goal materialised at the midway point in the second half.

A sweeping move down the left ended with a great cross delivered perfectly for Turner to sweetly volley home his second of the afternoon in some style, and the beleaguered visitors then conceded a second penalty just a couple of minutes later when the goalscorer was brought down just inside the area on the right. Turner stepped up to complete his first hat-trick in junior football and it now looked just a question of how many Musselburgh might score.

Home keeper Ally Adams blotted his copybook, however, with 17 minutes remaining, his error allowing McLaren a consolation goal for the Mariners from distance – perhaps his concentration had lapsed momentarily given he’d had relatively little to do all afternoon. The hosts, though, had the last word, Sheerin making it 5-1 with a simple finish in the 90th minute.

Another comfortable afternoon, then, for Musselburgh, who are set on Friday to discover the identity of their opponents in the Scottish Junior Cup semi-finals, scheduled to be played as two-legged ties over the next two weekends.

There’s another big game at Olive Bank on Saturday when long-time Superleague leaders Kelty Hearts visit – the Fifers look to be in a very promising position but slumped last week to a shock home defeat at the hands of strugglers Armadale Thistle. With lots at stake for both teams, spectators should expect another entertaining affair.