Hill of Beath claim fine win but Crossgates and Lochgelly lose

Crossgates Primrose disappointed at Sauchie, while Lochore Welfare produced a good performance at Camelon to pick up a priceless First Division point.

Dundonald Bluebell 0 Linlithgow Rose 1

THE ‘Bell came close to taking something from East of Scotland Premier League leaders, Linlithgow Rose, at Moorside.

Lithgae have a good lead at the top of the table, but they found Dundonald a hard nut to crack.

There were few really good chances for either side in the first-half, but the Dundonald defence had to be on the alert a couple of times to keep the visitors out.

Rose started the second period reasonably strongly and in 55 minutes went ahead, when a good move saw the chance created which was put away for the opener.

But the ‘Bell were soon back on the attack and Calum Smith came close to getting the equaliser before Kieran Hall went close.

Linlithgow had a couple of half chances but failed to take them and Ross Drummond twice came close to squaring the game.

Then near the end Lithgae were awarded a penalty, after a visitor went down in the box, but home ‘keeper, Ben Swinton, dived to save the resultant spot-kick and the visitors held on to take the points, which leaves Dundonald in eighth spot on 30 points.

Dundonald boss, Stephen Husband, was disappointed not to take anything from the game: “We competed well, but I felt we did not leave our stamp on the game in terms of finishing a couple of the good chances that we created.

“If we had been a bit more practicably aware, it could have given us the chance get the goal that could have got us the point I felt we were worth.”

Musselburgh Athletic 0 Hill of Beath Hawthorn 2

AFTER a very poor run of results which sees them in the Premier League relegation zone, the Haws badly needed this victory at Olive Bank, against fourth top Musselburgh, in their first game under interim boss Darrin Wright.

The opening phase of the game saw neither side really threaten, but Hill of Beath ‘keeper, Stuart Hall, had a good save before the break to keep his side level.

The visitors had a couple of half chances, but in general good openings were few and far between, but with new acquisition, former Cowden player, Pat Scullion in the defence, they looked solid.

In the second period Haws started Well and in 53 minutes Ross Allum set up Calum Adamson to clip the ball into the net at the front post.

This boosted Haws’ confidence levels and they started to get a grip of the midfield area and they created a few openings, while at the other end, defending well.

Hill of Beath needed a second goal to guarantee victory, and it came when Allum got clear of his marker and cleverly chipped the ball over the ‘Burgh ‘keeper to clinch a key win.

The win takes the Keirs Parkers on to 20 points, from 18 games, and while still in the bottom three, they are closing in on the teams above them with a lot of games in hand.

Darrin Wright was delighted with the approach of his team in what was a difficult fixture: “It was a boost to get hold of big Pat and he helped us look solid throughout the game.

“It was a good result, but we have a lot more work to do in our closing 12 games to reach safety, however, we posed a lot of problems for one of the form teams in the division, which was very encouraging.”

Sauchie Athletic 2 Crossgates Primrose 1

SAUCHIE ground out a narrow win, which made it two successive defeats for the Primrose in the East of Scotland Premier League.

The early stages of the game saw the home side have the bulk of possession, but they failed to really test Crossgates ‘keeper Shaun Hunter.

Primrose had a couple of chances and from one of them David Cross went close, but two minutes from the break Athletic went ahead.

A ball over the top caught out the visiting defence and the striker went through to beat Hunter.

Crossgates needed to start the second-half well, but with 47 minutes on the clock, the home side doubled their lead when a cross was clipped into the net.

Primrose kept at it and Finn Graham hit the Sauchie bar with a sharp finish, and then with 19 minutes left Cammy Muirhead pulled one back.

It set up a good finish to the game and Crossgates came close to getting a point but luck was not on their side.

The result has Primrose on 36 points, from 20 games, in fifth place in the table.

Camelon 1 Lochore Welfare 1

NEW look Camelon were the First Division opponents for Lochore Welfare, and it turned out to be very competitive match.

Camelon have absorbed most of Second Division Syngenta’s side, and a crowd of over 300 turned up for this one, but Lochore started the better side and took the lead in 15 minutes when Logan Donaldson was hauled down in the home box.

Joe Dawson calmly slotted the ball away from the spot, and for a spell the Welfare looked likely to add to their lead with Joe Kirby going close.

The home side gradually came back in to it and just before the interval a curling finish squared the game.

Early in the second period Euan Sutherland sent a lovely pass through to Kirby, which sent him clean through, but the referee blew for a foul by a Camelon player to give a second yellow card to the offender and Kirby was unable to convert the opportunity made by Donaldson.

However, Lochore took over the game against the ten man Camelon side, and there were some close calls around the home goal, including another penalty call, when Sean Cusick went down in a bad tackle, but the referee waved play on.

Welfare kept searching for a goal but were denied by the hard working Camelon side, but the point takes them to 18 points, three clear of the bottom three sides, and manager James Adam was happy with the show: “It was quite a day with the big crowd there for the first game of the new regime at Camelon, but we responded well and should have won the game, for the chances were there.

“We have 13 games left, with nine at home, so the ball is very much in our court to collect the points to reach a very safe position in the table.”

Fauldhouse United 4 Lochgelly Albert 2

THE Berts went to West Lothian on King Cup first round duty, but their achilles heel of conceding cheap goals haunted them in this tie.

In only two minutes they went behind when a corner situation was badly dealt with by the visitors.

Lochgelly came into the tie, with Callum Bennell posing problems for United, but midway through the half a fierce volley put Fauldhouse two up.

Before the break Lochgelly were back in it when Lee Celentano was hauled down in the United box and he converted the penalty.

After the re-start Connor Murdoch broke through for Lochgelly but was denied by the ‘keeper, but a few minutes later another corner gave United the chance to go 3-1 up.

The Berts came back into the game and Bennell scored a well taken goal to keep his side in the game, and then forced a brilliant save from the ‘keeper.

Lochgelly were in the tie right to the last minute, but with seconds remaining, the visitors got caught on the break for a fourth goal.

Albert committee man, Derek Patrick, felt the Purvis Park side posed a lot of problems for Fauldhouse: “I am afraid it was the same old story for us.

“We had a lot of play, scored two good goals, and forced the opposing ‘keeper to make good saves, but conceded two bad goals from set pieces, which has been a real problem for us.”

Today’s fixtures: Challenge Cup Fifth Round - Dundonald Bluebell v Spartans (2.30pm).

League Cup First Round - Pumpherston v Hill of Beath Hawthorn (2.30pm), Lochore Welfare v Dunbar United (2.30pm), Heriot Watt University v Lochgelly Albert (3pm).