Lavery ends brave Spartans' hopes

Darren Lavery's first-half strike saw Berwick book a William Hill Scottish Cup quarter-final date with Hibernian thanks to a 1-0 victory over Spartans at Shielfield Park.Spartans enjoyed the best of the opening exchanges without creating any real opportunities but saw themselves behind from the first corner of the game in the 29th minute.Paul Willis floated the ball over from the left and Lavery found time and space to fire home from close range to net his 14th goal of the season.Colin Cameron had Blair Carswell scrambling in the Spartans goal early in the second half when his cross drifted goalwards in the wind but went marginally over the top of the bar.Berwick were enjoying the better of things with the wind behind them and Lavery and Kerr Young went close to extending their advantage.Spartans came close to hauling themselves level three minutes from time when Jack Nixon's strike came back off the woodwork but Berwick held on to secure a trip in Easter Road in the last eight.