Oakley United draw and Crossgates and Inverkeithing lose out

A LATE rally wasn't enough for Crossgates Primrose as their winless Premier Division run continued against Sauchie.

Alan Campbell's team are now without a victory in 13 league outings, since an away win at Penicuik Athletic, and their last at home came against Luncarty, who they visit on Saturday, in August.

They fell behind early on at the weekend thanks to Sam Davidson's effort for Sauchie, who went into the half-time break two goals ahead after Mark Smith doubled their advantage.

Crossgates took the game to the visitors after the restart, with Craig Henderson having a goal contentiously ruled out for offside, before Ross Philp pulled a goal back.

Ross Philp's goal wasn't enough for Primrose. (Image: David Wardle.)

However, despite putting on the pressure late on, they couldn't find an equaliser to remain third bottom of the table and in the relegation zone.

"In the first half we didn't quite get going," Campbell said.

"We lost a really early goal two or three minutes in, and they got a lift from that.

"We had a few words at half-time. The players came out and, in the second half, we played as well as we have all calendar year. We dominated the game and, 10 minutes in, we had a perfectly good goal ruled out for a farcical offside.

"We kept going and Ross Philp got a goal back, and in the last 10-15 minutes we threw everything at them. I thought we deserved a point and, after the game, we were kicking ourselves that we didn't take anything.

"After the game we felt there were plenty of positives to take going into games against the teams that are around us.

"It was a tight game that could've gone either way."

Broxburn Athletic 5 Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts 2, East of Scotland League, Premier Division

SWIFTS were hailed as "outstanding for 70 minutes" on Saturday by their boss despite watching them fall to defeat at Broxburn Athletic.

The visitors found themselves two goals up at the runaway league leaders, and on course to end a run of five successive Premier Division defeats, as the match entered its final quarter.

However, two goals inside a minute brought the hosts back level, and they went on to net three more to claim victory and go 14 points clear at the top.

"I said to them after that there were so many good things they did in the game for 70 minutes," Swifts manager Jason McCrindle said.

"We lost a goal and then became a wee bit anxious, then they scored another almost straight away, and I think it knocked the stuffing out of us.

"We lost a bit of discipline from what we had been doing."

Goals from Luke Mahaday, in the 11th minute, and Aaron Wood, three minutes before half-time, put the Swifts in command at the interval.

They had won their last outing, at Lowland League Gala Fairydean Rovers, in the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup quarter-final, in which they will travel to play Broxburn, in the last four, on March 23, and looked set to record another notable success.

However, two goals in quick succession from Gary Brass and Ross Nimmo levelled matters for Broxburn, who took the lead through Nick Locke with 10 minutes to go.

In stoppage time, Darren Downie and Alassan Jones added gloss to the scoreline, and McCrindle added: "We scored two great goals, so to lose thw game from being in a really good position was frustrating.

"I thought we were excellent for 70 minutes. To put so much into it and get nothing is disappointing, be we have to focus on the positives.

"To go there on Saturday and play as well as we did for 70 minutes shows we're getting to where we want to be in terms of performance. The performances are getting there, so I'm quite confident that between now and the end of the season, we'll pick up points.

"They've set the standards, so hopefully we can maintain that."

Oakley United 3 Camelon Juniors 3, East of Scotland League, First Division

OAKLEY UNITED manager Peter Goldie admitted to experiencing "mixed emotions" after his side were denied victory by a last-gasp Camelon equaliser.

The Blairwood Park side looked on course for a vital victory by establishing a 3-1 advantage, but James Finlay's header in stoppage time rescued a point for the Mariners.

Ryan Cowie, recently signed from Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts, gave the O's an early lead with a close range finish following good play between Scott Bruce and Robbie Breeze, before Ryan Yapoudjian made it 2-0 in the 19th minute after forcing an opponent into a mistake before calming slotting beyond the goalkeeper.

Finlay's far post header pulled one back for the away side, but Oakley restored their two-goal advantage before the break when Scott Bruce tapped in after the visiting keeper couldn't hold Yapoudjian's shot.

Goldie's team continued to probe after the break, with Cowie coming close to adding a fourth goal, but with eight minutes left, Declan Fitzpatrick headed in a second goal for Camelon.

With time running out, it looked like the three points would be staying at Blairwood Park, but Finlay, in the fifth minute of time added on, forced in a dramatic equaliser.

"Saturday was a game of mixed emotions. Before the game, we would have taken a point, however, conceding with the last kick of the ball was tough to take," Goldie commented.

"The referee had added four minutes on, with Camelon scoring in the 95th with the final kick of the ball after a corner was allowed to be retaken for the ball being outside the D, when we had cleared the first corner. That was majorly disappointing.

"I was proud of the lads on Saturday, tough, as they were excellent from the first whistle. The effort the players put in to the game was unbelievable and you could see how hurt they were in the changing room after the game, only coming away with a point for the effort put in.

"It shows how far we have come though to be disappointed at not winning against one of the league's top sides."

Saturday's fixtures: East of Scotland League, Premier Division: Haddington Athletic v Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts (2.30pm), Luncarty v Crossgates Primrose (11.15am). First Division: Blackburn United v Oakley United (2.30pm).