The wait for the title goes on, the struggles at the bottom continue, shock results and last minute equalisers. Ronan, Craig, Martin and Jordan have it all rounded-up.
EAST KILBRIDE 0-0 CUMBERNAULD COLTS
East Kilbride’s search for the title will need to wait as a stubborn Cumbernauld Colts held firm for a goalless draw at K Park on Saturday.
Kilby needed a victory to clinch the title, but it wasn’t to be as they couldn’t find their way through an organised Colts defence.
The visitors were dealt with a blow of losing top-scorer Fraser Team after 27 minutes due to injury. For the remainder of the first half it was the hosts who had the better chances and Craig Malcolm struck the crossbar just before half time.
Stuart Malcom’s men asserted their dominance in the second half and it was a backs-to-the-wall effort from Cumbernauld to keep them at bay. Goalkeeper Jordan Pettigrew who is on loan from Livingston was key between the sticks with a string of important saves.
The result leaves Cumbernauld in seventh and East Kilbride will have another crack at sealing the title against Spartans on Tuesday night, with a chance to get revenge on last year’s final-day heartbreak.
VALE OF LEITHEN 0-3 EAST STIRLINGSHIRE
East Stirlingshire moved two points clear of Cumbernauld Colts in the battle for sixth place after a 3-0 win at Victoria Park against Vale of Leithen.
David McCaughie put the visitors in front in the tenth minute before the lead was doubled as Connor Greene got on the scoresheet.
Any chance of a Vale comeback was ended with fifteen minutes remaining when Greene got his second and Shire’s third of the game.
The game ended on our sour note for the visitors as they were reduced to ten men when Liam Allison was sent off for violent conduct.
Defeat for Vale leaves them still in tenth but saw them lose ground on the teams above them while Shire stay ahead of Cumbernauld Colts in battle for sixth spot.
Dalbeattie Star 2-1 Kelty Hearts
There was a shock defeat at Islecroft Stadium as Star grabbed only their fourth win of the season, meanwhile giving high-flying Kelty their fourth loss of the campaign.
A first half debut goal from former Gala Fairydean Rovers man Sean McKirdy made it look as if this was going to be a run of the mill game for Barry Ferguson’s men. However, immediately after the restart Ben Irving managed to equalise and many Dalbeattie fans would’ve probably taken the point to bridge the gap even slightly further at the bottom of the table.
However, with ten minutes to go, Star’s Lewis Todd found the winner and cemented a massive and crucial victory for a Dalbeattie team who will feel these three points as a massive relief after a season-long relegation battle.
Kelty on the other hand fall to fourth thanks to Civil Service Stroller’s 2-2 draw with Gala making their fight for second place much harder in the closing weeks.
Civil Service Strollers 2-2 Gala Fairydean Rovers
It was a close affair at Christie Gillies Park, especially with both sides desperate to move out their current positions, but a last minute equaliser for Gala stopped Strollers from bridging the gap in the top four.
Civil grabbed the lead only five minutes in thanks to in-form man Jordan Hopkinson, however on the half hour mark; Hibernian loanee Ruari Paton was able to put the Galashiels men back on level terms thanks to a penalty kick.
Neither team managed to break through again until the 77th minute – David Churchill was able to round the Gala keeper and slot the ball home.
Just when it seemed the Edinburgh side would be taking the points, Ruari Paton put home a fantastic free kick on the edge of the box to salvage a point in injury time.
A point for Strollers was enough to see them move to third place in the league table thanks to Kelty’s loss at Dalbeattie, while Gala remain in the ninth for another week.
EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY 0-2 EDUSPORT ACADEMY
Ricky Waddell’s Edusport Academy sealed an important three points in their quest for a top-half finish after a 2-0 triumph over struggling Edinburgh University.
The game was goalless at half-time but Eduspot opened the scoring in the second period thanks to former Alloa Athletic midfielder Gavin Stokes.
As the hosts searched for an equaliser, the visitors doubled their advantage courtesy of top-scorer Matthew Flynn who took his tally to nine for the season.
The result leaves Edusport in eighth place as Dorian Ogunro’s men 13 games without a win, but still in 12th place although Gretna are now only a point behind them.
GRETNA 2008 2-1 WHITEHILL WELFARE
Gretna 2008 successfully put an end to their four game losing streak with a narrow victory over Whitehill Welfare on Saturday.
It was a drab affair in the first half with very few chances being created by either side and at the half time break the scores were level.
There was a special visitor in the crowd, a man who knows where the back of the net is – Rangers striker Jermaine Defoe. Defoe was taking in the game due to his nephew, Darnell Ramsay, making his first appearance for Whitehill. Defoe must have been thinking that he was going to witness a stalemate. However, on the 77th minute Gretna were awarded a penalty which was coolly converted by Jake Smith.
The penalty seemed to bring both teams to life and both sides went for it in the final 10 minutes. On the 81st minute Gretna managed to grab their second through Kevin Connelly and it looked to seal the points for the hosts.
Whitehill were not willing to just roll over and they grabbed a goal back through Darnell Ramsay, though it proved to be a consolation.
Jermaine Defoe may have been pleased by his nephew’s performance, however it was not enough and Whitehill are now on the verge of being officially relegated.
