Super League derby finishes in stalemate

Apr 30 2009 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

Whitburn 0 Linlithgow 0

WEST LOTHIAN neighbours Whitburn and Linlithgow Rose had crossed footballing swords twice already this season and produced a pair of onfield masterclasses.

The Burnie had won both, adding an extra bit of spice to this Super League clash, but in the end fans expecting a repeat of the earlier games were left disappointed as they played out a boring goalless draw.

Rose had new boss Dave Baikie in the dugout as he returned to management just weeks after parting company with Second Division East Fife but he allowed senior players Mark Bradley and Iain Gallacher pick the team as he had only had two nights’ training with his new squad.

As the scoreline suggests, the game was a very tight affair, with few chances for either side.

Both sides hit the woodwork as they sought an opening but on the few occasions the defences were breached both keepers proved to be more than a match for the strikers.

The game could have swung Whitburn’s way after Linlithgow’s Murray McDowell was red-carded for punching Eamon McNelis.

It was a controversial decision which both camps felt was the wrong one, with McNelis leading the pleas for McDowell to remain on the field.

The game finally sparked into life in the final 10 minutes when both sides poured forward in search of a winner.

First Linlithgow keeper Steven Pinkowski brought off a brilliant save to prevent an own goal from Kevin Donnelly then Whitburn were denied what looked like a stonewall penalty when David Murphy was hacked to the ground.

The referee seemed to be only person in the ground who didn’t reckon it was a spot-kick and Burnie boss Derek Strickland admitted he was amazed at the decision.

He said: “How he said it wasn’t a penalty escapes me. He was the only person in the ground who saw no offence committed.

“That apart, I thought a draw was a fair result for both sides. Both sides scan play better and we all live to fight another day.”

Whitburn: Walker, McGurk, Parkin, Mooney, Leiper, J Murphy, D Murphy, Doig, McNelis, Strickland, Dolan. Subs: Hannah, Donnelly, McSween, MacKay.

Linlithgow: Pinkowski, Robertson, McDermott, Donnelly, Gallacher, Smith, McEwan, McDowell, Coyne, Herd, Livingstone. Subs: Hogg, King, Bradley, Tyrrell.