Just the 28 goals in the final seven matches of the season. Read all about them…
SPARTANS 6-2 CUMBERNAULD COLTS
Spartans came out on top in an eight goal thriller at Ainslie Park to snatch fourth place off city rivals Civil Service Strollers on the final day of the season.
The home side got off to the perfect start when Blair Atkinson lobbed Jordan Pettigrew but they were pegged back immediately as Sean Brown equalised for Cumbernauld.
Atkinson curled in an effort from the edge of the box for his and Spartans second of the game just before the break and completed his hat-trick five minutes after the restart.
The Colts were reduced to ten men not long after as Scott Davidson was shown a straight red card but Fraser Team showed the visitors were still up for the fight as he lifted the ball over Blair Carswell to pull one back.
Three goals in the final fifteen minutes made sure of the points for Spartans. Alan Brown with one of his first touches since coming on made it four before Jason Stevens struck twice in two minutes to round off a comfortable victory for Spartans.
The three points moved them up to fourth in the table while Cumbernauld finish the season in seventh position.
Edinburgh University 0-1 Whitehill Welfare
It was their last game in the Lowland League, but Whitehill Welfare took the three points at East Peffermill, winning their first game since last September as well as their first away win in fifteen months.
Despite Edinburgh Uni going in as the obvious favourites due to Whitehill playing only for pride and the University men coming off a 6-0 victory last weekend, it was Ian Little’s men who took the lead early and kept it.
Eight minutes in, it was Scott Wright who set up Jordan Bain with a volley to put the away side ahead. Just before half-time, the match continued to go in Whitehill’s favour as Uni’s Mark Gair picked up a second yellow and was sent off.
Welfare were able to deny Dorian Ogunro’s men an equaliser and finally end the season on a high note. Edinburgh University finish the league campaign in 10th position with 30 points. Whitehill Welfare finish bottom of the table with 12, looking forward to a season in the East of Scotland League with hopes of being back in the Lowland League as soon as possible.
Edusport Academy 2-4 University of Stirling
The wait for a winner in a meeting between both these sides is finally over after Stirling Uni earned all three points with a convincing 4-2 win.
The visitors found themselves in front after just 13 minutes when Aidan Peden connected with a Matthew Burrows throw.
Edusport were struggling to impose themselves in the game and just before the end of the first half they found themselves two down. Blair Lyons smashed home the visiting side’s second after some powerful running into the box.
After the restart, the home side grew into the game. They had a few spells of good possession and they eventually turned this possession into a goal In the 55th minute when a Scott Mclaughlin low driven shot was blasted past Allan in the Stirling net.
10 minutes later and the scores were equal, a poor cutback from Blair Lyons allowed Edusport to race up the park on the counter attack and punish the visitors through Jordan Alexandre.
Despite throwing away a two goal lead, the visitors did not let their heads drop. They continued to poke at the Edusport defence and their persistence paid off when Craig Brown fired them back in front after a nice passing move.
With just 3 minutes to go, substitute Callum Bremner sealed the 3 points for the visitors with a neat finish just inside the box.
A great final day win for the visitors. However, Edusport will be disappointed they could not hold on after doing so well to come back initially.
Dalbeattie Star 1-1 Vale of Leithen
Vale of Leithen went into this one knowing that a positive result could have led to them finishing as high as 10th, depending on results elsewhere.
However, the visitors could not overcome Dalbeattie in a game that will not live long in the memory of those who attended.
The home side took the lead after just 15 minutes through Ross Green. However, they could only hold onto their lead for the same amount of time as Liam Ireland equalised for the visitors on the 31st minute.
Chances from then on were few and far between and unremarkably the game ended one apiece.
The draw meant that Vale of Leithen finished the season in 13th whilst Dalbeattie ended the campaign directly below them in 14th spot.
Kelty Hearts 0-3 East Kilbride
By Anthony Evans
Lowland League champions East Kilbride bounced back from their loss at home to BSC Glasgow last week with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Kelty Hearts at New Central Park.
EK were guilty of squandering a number of chances last week, but got off to the perfect start when on 10 minutes, Cammy Russell’s left foot beat Kelty stopper Scott Christie, who was looking for his 19th clean sheet of the season.
The visitors doubled their lead just five minutes later, as a great passing move was rounded off by skipper Craig Malcolm, who netted from 6 yards out.
Barry Ferguson’s side were no match for Kilby, who wrapped up the points when Malcolm got his second of the game after another great piece of flowing, attacking football. The brace took Malcolm on to 25 goals for the season and consolidated his place as the Lowland League’s top goal scorer.
Despite the result, Kelty and their supporters can look back on an excellent first season in the Lowland League following their East of Scotland Football league triumph last year. The Fife outfit have completely exceeded expectations in finishing third and will look to build on that in the next campaign.
For EK the result was a huge boost going into next week’s crucial clash with Cove Rangers in the first leg of their relegation play-off. Manager Stuart Malcolm was able to rest the likes of Chris Humphrey and Michael Anderson against Kelty, and the two will be raring to go when his side welcome the Highland League winners to the K-Park Training Academy next week.
BSC Glasgow 2-0 East Stirlingshire
By Anthony Evans
BSC Glasgow finished the season with back to back victories, as they ran out comfortable winners against East Stirlingshire at the Indodrill Stadium.
A quiet first half meant that the score remained 0-0 at the interval, with Shire midfielder Liam Allison missing the best chance of the first 45, heading straight at Ryan Marshall.
Stephen Swift’s team left it late to take all three points at East Kilbride last week but took the lead just short of the hour mark when Man of the Match Ross Linsday drove forward and rolled it under Shire keeper and captain Jamie Barclay.
The hosts pushed for a second and were finally rewarded for their efforts on 79 minutes. Jamie McCormack, who came off the bench to score the equaliser at East Kilbride last week, set up BSC Young Player of the Season Carlo Pignatiello, who then made space for himself on the edge of the box before placing the ball past Barclay.
The result meant that BSC finished seven points clear of Kelty Hearts in second place, whilst East Stirlingshire were able to hold on to sixth place virtue of their superior goal difference to Cumbernauld Colts, who were not able to capitalise on Derek Ure’s side dropping points.
Gretna 2008 2-4 Gala Fairydean Rovers
Gala Fairydean Rovers ended their season in eighth place which is their highest finish since they joined the league after a 4-2 triumph away to Gretna 2008 on Saturday.
Dean Shanks side got off to a flyer when Tommy Patterson put the visitors in front after two minutes. With 11 minutes on the clock, Gala doubled their lead courtesy of Phil Addision.
However, four minutes later Gretna halved the deficit when Ashley Kelly fired a penalty into the back of the net.
But Scott McKenzie regained Gala’s two goal cushion with a superb free kick. The red and blacks were reduced to ten men when midfielder Darren Smith was sent off and Gretna pulled a goal back through Daniel Smales with five minutes remaining to set up a nervy finish.
However, the ten men completed the scoring in a thriller of a match with another excellent free kick, this time by Ruari Paton.
