Burnie bomb title hopefuls with three-goal blitz

Apr 22 2010 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

FOR the second week in succession, Bathgate Thistle had keeper Andy Carlin to thank for helping them to victory.

Last week, he played a key role in a spot-kick shoot-out triumph over Armadale Thistle.

And this week, the Jags No1 made two stunning first-half stops to deny Musselburgh a lead.

In the second half, the Burgh were reduced to 10 men when Calvin Shand earned a straight red card.

Bathgate took advantage of their numerical advantage when Stephen Payne shot through a forest of legs and past the rooted Burgh keeper for the only goal of the game.

WHITBURN upset the form book this weekend as the Super League’s second-bottom side thrashed the side sitting second from top.

The Burnie were 2-0 up by the break but the scoreline flattered the hosts who could have had no complaints had they been four goals behind instead of just two goals from Kevin Donnelly and Colin Strickland.

Chris Dolan put the seal on the win with a second-half penalty as the West Lothian club gave their survival hopes a much needed boost.

TOP met bottom at Park View with the points shared.

But the struggling Hoose will feel devastated at not taking all three points in a match they dominated in only to see two points snatched away by an injury-time suckerpunch.

Bryan Felvus’ second-half free kick looked to have earned the county club the win but they lost a man to a red card when Gary Cunningham received a second yellow.

And then, in time added on, McConnachie slammed in off the underside of the bar for a last-gasp leveller.

Elsewhere in the Premier League, Armadale Thistle lost ground in their bid to beat the drop when Craig Smart scored the only goal of the game to secure a 1-0 win for Ballingry Rovers

JOHN JEFFREYS and Stuart Ritchie scored the goals for Broxburn in this crucial top-of-the-table clash.

The win sees the West Lothian side claw the league leaders to within four points and Broxburn crucially have two games in hand, which, if they win, could push them clear at the top.

Meanwhile, Blackburn United were leapfrogged in third place by victors Spartans after a 2-1 defeat last weekend.

Visitors Blackburn had led at the break before being pegged back after Nick Reid netted from close range. Veteran hitman Kenny Young then capped a great performance by hitting Spartan’s winner.

Elsewhere in the South Division, Paddy Doonan was Stoneyburn’s hat-trick hero as his treble and a strike from Barry Pritchard sealed a 4-2 win over Pumpherston

In the day’s other results, West Calder fell to a humbling 5-0 defeat at Dalkeith, Livingston lost 2-0 away to Dunbar and Harthill Royal were beaten 3-1 at home against Sauchie.