Crossgates Primrose 1 Jeanfield Swifts 2, East of Scotland League, Premier Division
ALAN CAMPBELL described Crossgates Primrose's late loss to Jeanfield Swifts on Saturday as "a sore one to take".
A goal five minutes from time, scored by Kiffy Scott, handed the Perth side three points following a comeback victory.
Gregor MacDonald gave the home side the ideal start by slotting home the opener after nine minutes, but Chris McLeish levelled for Jeanfield just before half-time.
Scott then won it late on, and Campbell reflected: "I think when we lose a game at the end like that, it's particularly difficult to take because, obviously, you've not got enough time to come back, but it was one of those games. It was a tight game; it could've went either way.
"I thought we had the better of the first half an hour. I was actually really happy with the way we played. Our game plan was working well, we were full of energy. We scored a great goal; got a press on, nicked it, a couple of passes and it was a really good goal finished by Gregor.
"If I was to analyse the game overall, we lost it by losing two goals at really crucial times in the game.
"If you get in 1-0 at half time, you can get a break, build again and reset, but I was a bit disappointed to go 1-1, because I thought we played well.
"But, the second half, I thought if there was ever going to be a team that was going to win it, I thought it was probably going to be Jeanfield. I thought they had more of the game, they looked a bit hungrier, looked a bit snappier, and I'd have to look at how that went wrong in the second half.
"I'd be lying if I said we deserved to go and win, because they had the majority of the play. Having said that, with 10 minutes to go, we missed a brilliant chance to go in front, a really, really good opportunity to score.
"It was a sore one to take."
Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts 0 Musselburgh Athletic 4, East of Scotland League, Premier Division
SWIFTS boss Jason Dair is hoping that a break from league fixtures can help give his team a confidence boost after they fell to a third successive defeat.
After losing out to Jeanfield Swifts and Crossgates Primrose, Inverkeithing played their first home East of Scotland League, Premier Division fixture of the season on Saturday, but lost out to Musselburgh Athletic.
Zach Khan gave the East Lothian visitors a 26th minute lead before a penalty - which Dair described as "dubious" - was tucked away by Craig Stevenson in first half stoppage time to double their lead.
Jordan Smith added a third two minutes into the second half before Swifts' misery was completed late on when Robert Wilson added a fourth.
Dair's side entertain Second Division Peebles Rovers in the Alex Jack Cup on Saturday, and then go to First Division Whitburn in the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup a week later, and he said: "Hopefully we can maybe get a couple of victories on the board, and give us a wee confidence boost for going into the next league game.
"We were well beaten, but it wasn't really a 4-0, but we still didn't play as good as I was expecting.
"They were definitely the better team on the day. They deserved their win; you can't argue against that.
"I think when we saw the fixtures coming out, we knew it was going to be a tough start and we'd be up against it. The first two games, as much as we got beat, there was definitely positives to take from the performance. Saturday's game is probably the worst one out of the three of them.
"We just need to keep progressing, improving the performance, and then hopefully the results start coming on the back of that.
"On Saturday, when I saw the team that we put on the park, I expected us to maybe go and get a victory, but it wasn't to be.
"We're still carrying a few injuries. Hopefully we can maybe add one or two to the squad, and then get a couple of the ones back that are injured, and then hopefully we might be alright."
Arniston Rangers 2 Rosyth 0, East of Scotland League, First Division
GREIG DENHAM admits that Rosyth's start to the league campaign has been disappointing but insists there is no panic at the club.
After opening with a win over Whitehill Welfare, they have suffered defeats at Camelon Juniors and Arniston Rangers, in which the Rec manager bemoaned his side's defending and passing up of goalscoring chances.
Niall Kemp and Arran Laidlaw scored the goals for Arniston on Saturday and Denham, who was due to complete the signing of Bo'ness United's Aidan McKeown, said: "In recent games, any team that's asked us questions has scored against us, and that's the brutal truth of the Camelon game, and also the game on Saturday.
"We know it's early in the season. There's no panic but, ultimately, it's been very frustrating that we haven't at least collected six out of nine points, which would've been acceptable.
"To be sitting speaking to you with three points on the board from a potential nine is disappointing.
"We weren't beaten by a better team. I know that maybe sounds bit like sour grapes, but anybody at the game can see there was only one team pushing to score a goal. There was only one team that looked likely to create but, ultimately, we're just not taking our chances when they come along at the moment.
"We've got one or two boys that we're looking to add. We're signing Aidan McKeown, a centre half / right back, from Bo'ness United. He'll be a good addition; we just need to get him fit. He's overcoming an ankle knock at the moment.
"I've got boys in the wings waiting to come in, but we just need to deal with the here and now, and that's winning the our next couple of games to hopefully restore a bit of confidence and belief in the boys."
Oakley United 0 Blackburn United 3, East of Scotland League, First Division
OAKLEY UNITED fell to their third defeat from as many games and dopped to the bottom of the First Division on Saturday.
Peter Goldie's men, who lost at Whitburn and then at home to Heriot-Watt University in their opening two matches, were beaten by Blackburn United at Blairwood Park.
Richie Hutton gave them the lead in the 12th minute and, although they missed a penalty, the visitors added two more, both from Laurie Devine, with seven second half minutes to seal the points against a home side that finished with 10 men.
Oakley's search for their first points of the season continues at Vale of Leithen this weekend.
Saturday's fixtures (kick offs 2.30pm unless stated): East of Scotland League, First Division: Vale of Leithen v Oakley United. Alex Jack Cup, First Round: Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts v Peebles Rovers (2pm), Edinburgh South v Rosyth, Fauldhouse v Crossgates Primrose.
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