East of Scotland League: Inverkeithing lose to Sauchie in thriller

SWIFTS snatched defeat from the jaws of victory after an incredible nine-goal thriller with second-top Sauchie Juniors on Saturday.

The home side, who secured safety in the Premier Division with a win at Blackburn United the previous week, found themselves 4-1 up and heading for a 12th league win of the season before a dramatic conclusion.

They made a dream start when Liam Kelly opened the scoring inside the first minute and, although Sauchie equalised through Jack Docherty, Rory Marshall, and a double from Adam Mansouri, put them 4-1 up.

A penalty, for which Michael Paterson was penalised, was converted by Danny Smith pulled one back for the visitors before half-time, and Sam Davidson's deflected effort midway through the second period made it 4-3.

Lucas Williamson then dramatically levelled the scoring with four minutes to go – despite Swifts players feeling that the ball hadn't crossed the line – and then, incredibly, Kris Kelly scored another for Sauchie in the final minute to snatch all three points.

"It was a game for the neutral, to say the least," Swifts boss, Craig Morrison, said.

"We said to the guys before the game that the shackles are off, as we'd secured our place in the division, and lets go and test ourselves against a high-flying side, which Sauchie are.

"In the first half, we came out of the traps, and some of the football we played was superb. We found ourselves 4-1 up, but it could've been seven, very comfortably

"In the second half, I don't think we used the ball quite as well as in the first; we turned it over too easily, and that gave Sauchie a lift.

"I was really disappointed for the boys. Before the game, we knew we could win, but never anticipated being goals up, and having the dominance we had, in the first half. It's testament to how far they've come."

Linlithgow Rose 7 Crossgates Primrose 0, Crossgates Primrose 1 Dundonald Bluebell 1, East of Scotland League, Premier Division

CROSSGATES PRIMROSE manager Alan Campbell praised his players for bouncing back from their seven-goal thumping at Linlithgow Rose by picking up a point against Dundonald Bluebell on Tuesday night.

The Humbug Park side travelled to the champions on Saturday and, on a day that Rose were receiving the trophy, the Fifers had no answer to the home side.

Campbell admitted he felt disappointed by the nature of his team's defending, as Liam Allison, Gary Thom put Linlithgow two goals up at the break, before Mark Stowe and Sandy Cunningham bagged doubles, and Alex Webb found the net, to complete a tough afternoon for the visitors.

Crossgates, however, responded positively in their penultimate game of the season on Tuesday night in a Fife derby with Dundonald.

Finn Graham gave them the lead just before the break and, although the visitors went on to claim a draw, with what he described as a "freak" goal, Campbell took positives from the match.

"I thought we did enough to win," he said.

"The first half was pretty even, and then we took over. We scored before half-time, and I think if we'd got a second goal, we would've won. Games change on these things. In the second half, they were slightly better, without really troubling our goalkeeper, but the last 15 minutes swayed from end to end.

"In the last 15-20 minutes, both teams could say they could've won. Over the piece, maybe a draw was fair.

"There was plenty of effort from the lads. They've had a full-on scheduled, with everything crammed in towards the end of the season. You look at them and, if someone misses a chances, or makes a wee error, you can't be too critical because they're giving every ounce of effort."

Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale 6 Oakley United 2, East of Scotland League, Premier Division

OAKLEY UNITED'S final away match of the Premier Division season ended in defeat after they were hit for six in the capital.

Peter Goldie's team, who will hope to end on a high when they host bottom side Vale of Leithen on Saturday, picked up their only win of their league campaign on the road, but couldn't add a second against Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale.

The scoreline remained deadlocked until the 41st minute, when Tony Muir gave the hosts a half-time lead, which was added to by Ricky Miller three minutes after the interval.

Sean Wringe soon made it 3-0 and, although Scott Bruce pulled one back, three more goals inside the final 10 minutes, including two for Muir, to complete his hat-trick, and one from Ryan Findlay, made it 6-1, before Bruce Macadam scored a very late second for already-relegated Oakley.

Coldstream 1 Rosyth 1, East of Scotland League, First Division

ROSYTH extended their unbeaten run to three matches in all competitions after picking up a point at Coldstream.

Jason Penman's second minute penalty gave Greig Denham's side the lead, only for an own goal to even things up and ensure a share of the spoils.

Sitting ninth in the 16-team division, the Rec have three games to go, starting with a trip to promoted Glenrothes this Saturday, as well as a East of Scotland League Cup tie at Bo'ness Athletic.

Their meeting with the runaway Third Division champions takes place on Tuesday, and Denham said: "They've banging in goals left, right and centre, so it'll be a test.

"For a team to be in the lowest division, the amount of goals you can see that they're scoring, some people can maybe look at the opposition they're playing against, but you can only beat the opposition that's in front of you. They're certainly doing that with some style, and they've got a manager there who's very experienced in Willie Irvine.

"I'm sure they'll be well-versed on us, and we've obviously been doing a wee bit homework on them. We'll try and make it as competitive as we can and, on our day, we know we can beat and give anyone a game."

Saturday's fixtures (kick-offs 2.30pm): East of Scotland League, Premier Division: Crossgates Primrose v Broxburn Athletic, Musselburgh Athletic v Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts, Oakley United v Vale of Leithen. First Division: Glenrothes v Rosyth. Tuesday's fixture: East of Scotland League League Cup, fourth round: Bo'ness Athletic v Rosyth (7.45pm).