Wins for Hill of Beath and Lochgelly but injuries hamper Lochore

The big Premier League derby between Dundonald Bluebell and Crossgates Primrose ended all square, while Lochore Welfare’s recent poor run continued at Kirkcaldy and Dysart.

Dundonald Bluebell 1 Crossgates Primrose 1

Crossgates will feel they underachieved in leaving Moorside with a point as the ‘Bell had to play for 65 minutes with 10 men.

Dundonald made the perfect start when a good pass into the Primrose box was gathered by Ross Brown and he put a 12 yarder into the top corner of the net.

But in the 23rd minute the home side's Kyle Baker was red carded for a foul on Archie Campbell. The striker twice went close to an equaliser but Bluebell defended well and at the interval it was still 1-0.

The second period saw Dundonald continue to keep Primrose at arms' length as they sought to protect their lead. However the visitors managed to prise open the Bell defence and created some promising chances.

And they took one of them with 20 minutes left on the clock, the equalising goal coming from a superbly struck free-kick by sub, Scott Lawrie.

You'd have thought it would be Crossgates pushing for the winning goal, instead there were chances for Dundonald's 10 men with Daryl Healy making a great run into the box.

He managed to take the ball round the goalkeeper but it rolled out of play before he could apply the finish.

Regan Lumsden then went one-on-one with the goalie but failed to convert. In the closing stages Primrose came close to snatching a winner as the game swung their way again but Bluebell kept them out.

The result leaves Crossgates in fourth spot, on 26 points, with the Bluebell three behind them, with both sides having played 13 games.

Dundonald boss, Stephen Husband, said: “Even with 10 men we created a few really good chances and worked hard at denying Crossgates space. In the circumstances it was a good point, but it could have been three.”

Inverkeithing H Swifts 1 Hill of Beath Hawthorn 3

THE Haws were convincing derby winners and the three Premier League points takes them out of the danger zone.

After their 3-3 draw with league leaders Linlithgow Rose last midweek, Hill of Beath got off to a quick start and took an early lead when a good move down the right led to Ryan Connelly firing a 15 yarder past the goalkeeper.

The second came when a ball into the box was latched onto by Connelly and the Inverkeithing goalie hauled him down.

Lewis Payne made an expert job of the resultant penalty to put Hill of Beath in charge.

Swifts started to come into the game and created a couple of decent chances but at the break the visitors led 2-0.

The second period saw both teams carve out promising openings but the respective ‘keepers did well and then in 65 minutes former Cowdenbeath striker Greig Spence received a second yellow card and was ordered off.

The points were made safe for the Haws when Calum Adamson and Ross Allum combined and the former went into the box and fired a low shot into the net.

Ten man Swifts, to their credit, kept battling and pulled one back late on, but it was only by way of consolation.

The win takes Haws onto 13 points from 11 games and into 11th spot in the 16 team table.

Manager Jason Dair was delighted with the work of his team over the past week: “That is two very good performances within the space of a few days and if we can keep this up we can get into a much better position in the table.

“Long term injury victims, Jake Mitchell and Russell Grierson, are just about ready to resume training and once they are fully fit it will strengthen our defensive qualities.”

Kirkcaldy and Dysart 4 Lochore Welfare 2

INJURY hit Lochore gave First Division leaders Kirkcaldy a tough fight in the Lang Toun but a late goal ensured the points went to the home side.

Kirkcaldy and Dysart went ahead in only three minutes when slackness by the Welfare defence allowed a cross to be fired into the box where a free header hit the net.

Lochore came back into it and Aaron Wood had a fierce shot well saved by the Kirkcaldy goalkeeper, and at the break the sides were separated by the single strike.

Ethan Anderson went close to levelling early in the second period with a header, then on the hour a good move involving Joe Kirby and Joe Small saw Anderson make it 1-1.

The relief was short-lived as Kirkcaldy got a second goal with a near post header at a corner, and then grabbed a third.

Back came Welfare and in the closing minutes Kirby made it 3-2 and they threw everything into attack as they chased the leveller.

But they left the back door open and Kirkcaldy hit them on the break to grab a fourth goal with virtually the last kick of the game.

The result leaves Lochore second bottom of the table on nine points, from 10 games, but only three from getting out of the relegation area.

Manager James Adam is hopeful that his team's injury list will start clearing up very soon.

“This was a much better show by us against one of the best teams in the division, and we certainly could have taken something from the much with a bit of luck,” he said.

“Hopefully we will have at least three of our injured lads back for this weekend’s home game with Camelon, who are on the same points as us, and if we can win it this will kick-start our recovery.”

Ormiston Primrose 1 Lochgelly Albert 2

AFTER a miserable run of 10 successive defeats in the East of Scotland Second Division and in cup football, the Berts went to Ormiston desperate for a win.

And they'll hope this impressive three points on the road can kick-start their revival and pull them away from the lower reaches of the table.

They made a good start, in five minutes Callum Bennell and Ewan Coutts worked a corner move and the ball fell to Lee Celentano and the veteran striker made no mistake.

However, 10 minutes later a slack pass gave Primrose the opportunity to get forward and they levelled the score.

Lochgelly were soon back on the attack and Celentano hit the bar, before Sean Johnstone hit a post.

However they weren't to be denied and five minutes from the break Johnstone took a pass from Celentano and netted number two.

The second period saw Ormiston see more of the ball but they didn’t really worry the Lochgelly defence, which dealt well with several corners, and the visitors were managing the game out well.

Then with only a few minutes to go the Albert’s Mikey Gibb made a good run up the park, but was dispossessed, and Ormiston piled forward and it took good work by Berts ‘keeper Gregor Brown to ensure the points went back to Purvis Park.

The result moved Lochgelly to 16th spot in the 18 club table.

Albert committee man, Derek Patrick, was encouraged with what he saw: “To score two good goals and hit the woodwork, plus defending well, was a big improvement. And if we can win at Hawick this coming weekend we can get into a much better position.”

Saturday’s fixtures, East of Scotland Premier League: (Kick-off 2.30pm unless stated) Crossgates Primrose v Vale of Leithen 2pm, Broxburn Athletic v Dundonald Bluebell, Hill of Beath Hawthorn v Tynecastle.

East of Scotland First Division, Lochore Welfare v Camelon 2pm. Second Division, Hawick Royal Albert v Lochgelly Albert.