SENSATIONAL strikes from Jordyn Sheerin and Michael Hunter mean Musselburgh Athletic hold a narrow advantage ahead of Saturday's visit of Linlithgow Rose in the second leg of the Scottish Junior Cup semi-final.

Stevie McLeish’s men went to Prestonfield as underdogs in the first leg on Saturday.

But they take a narrow advantage to Olive Bank after Sheerin’s first-half double and a stunning second-half effort from Hunter, despite goalkeeper Ally Adams being shown a straight red card just before the hour mark.

Both teams seemed content on feeling each other out in the opening quarter of an hour.

The hosts were the first to threaten when Tommy Coyne and Colin Strickland linked up well to feed the ball to Ruari MacLennan. However, the midfielder’s low drive was tame and easily gathered by Adams.

And then the home side were stunned as Musselburgh got their noses in front.

Steven Thomson won the ball in midfield and it broke kindly to Graeme Beveridge, who slotted it through for Sheerin.

The striker had 32 goals coming into the game and his first-time effort past Scott Christie from the edge of the box made it 33.

Rose were being restricted to long-range efforts, with few testing Adams.

The visitors then doubled their tally five minutes before the break, with a cracking strike.

Hunter rolled the ball through to Thomson and his lay-off was perfect for the onrushing Sheerin. The striker still had plenty to do but lifted a brilliant first-time effort from the corner of the box over Christie and into the top right corner.

McLeish’s men had kept the hosts at arm’s length for the entire 45 minutes with little to trouble Adams.

However, the half-time team talk clearly inspired four-time Scottish Junior Cup winners Linlithgow to perform better.

Rose played with much more urgency and Gary Thom’s long-range effort once again called keeper Adams into action.

The goalkeeper was tested again when Calum Smith’s deflected shot spun through to him but it was to be almost his last involvement in the game.

A long ball over the top was misjudged by the Burgh defence and when Adams came out he collided with MacLennan just inside the box.

Referee David Lowe instantly pointed to the spot and then flashed the red card, much to Adams’ dismay.

Thomson was sacrificed in place of substitute goalkeeper Murray Jackson and his first action was to pick the ball out of the net as Coyne slotted home from 12 yards.

However, if the expectation was for Musselburgh to ‘park the bus’ then it was quickly dispelled.

Sheerin pulled a shot wide of the target just seconds after kick-off and then Hunter thumped home an unstoppable third.

Top scorer Sheerin switched the play from the left wing and, after letting the ball bounce, ex-Stenhousemuir and East Stirlingshire man Hunter rifled an exquisite angled volley beyond Christie.

However, Rose soon reduced the deficit to just one again.

Jackson could only flap at Adam Nelson’s free-kick and John Ovenstone was on hand to blast the ball into the roof of the net from close range.

Sheerin stung the palms of Christie from fully 25 yards but it was to be Jackson who ensured the East Lothian side picked up the win.

The goalkeeper, on-loan from Spartans, twice made up for his error at Ovenstone’s goal in the final five minutes.

Rose were pushing for an equaliser and carved out two brilliant chances.

Firstly, the goalkeeper denied Strickland with a great save from close range.

The ball broke to Smith but he was then denied by a fantastic Robert Wilson block and somehow MacLennan could only blast the third effort wide with the goal gaping.

Then, with the clock showing 93 minutes, Jackson produced the save of the game.

A long diagonal ball caught out McLeish’s defenders and was perfect for Franny Kelly’s diving header.

But Jackson made himself big and blocked the ball at the expense of a corner.

So, Musselburgh hold a narrow advantage ahead of the game at Olive Bank, with very much all to play for.

At the full-time whistle, confusion surrounded whether Adams would be available for the second leg, but for the moment Musselburgh hold a slender advantage.

Linlithgow Rose: Christie, Tyrrell, McKillen, Thom, Ovenstone, Nelson, Smith, MacLennan, Strickland, Coyne, Kelbie. Substitutes: Batchelor, Kelly, McGowan, O’Byrne, McKinven.

Musselburgh Athletic: Adams, Christie, Martin, Myles, Hunter, Smith, Beveridge, Thomson, Sheerin, Wilson, Munro. Substitutes: Hamilton, Russell, Ralton, Jackson, Davie.