Whitburn revival continues with second league win on the spin to climb Premier League pile

Feb 24 2011 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

Fife and Lothians Cup Second Round:

Blackburn Utd 1, Crossgates Primrose 0

NICKY MILLAR grabbed a last minute goal to edge Blackburn United into the third round after he pounced on a Gary Crooks cross.

Fauldhouse Utd 1, Armadale Thistle 3

A WHIRLWIND opening-45 secured Armadale a third round spot as they put county neighbours Fauldhouse to the sword in a fantastic first half.

Scott Brown, Craig Chilton and Andy Roberts all found the net as the Dale steamed into a three goal lead.

They eased off the throttle after the break and the Hoose pulled a goal back but it proved to be little more than a consolation strike.

Superleague:

Bathgate Thistle 2, Tayport 2

BATHGATE were left to rue a late goal as they dropped two crucial Superleague points at Creamery Park.

The Jags had gone 2-1 up with just five minutes to play when Gary Fallon netted.

But ten-man Tayport hit back and levelled just three minutes later, and just two from the end, courtesy of Derek Wemyss.

Earlier in the match, Robbie Henderson steered home from 25-yards to open the scoring for the visitors.

Marco Andreoni equalised for the Jags six minutes before the break with a tap-in after Lee Johnstone’s drive had cannoned back off the post.

Tayport were reduced to ten men after Stuart Ferguson saw red the just after the hour mark but despite falling behind they dug deep to grab a last gasp share of the spoils.

Premier League:

Arniston Rangers 1, Whitburn 3

WHITBURN chalked up a second successive league win to soar to eighth place in the table — a massive turnaround after four league defeats on the bounce left them second from bottom having played a game more than the side below them.

But an away win over Arniston, hot on the heels of a win over St Andrews a week earlier, has given supporters a fresh boost.

Barry Craig opened the scoring after 20 minutes before David Martindale made it 2-0 early in the second-half with a crisp turn adn finish from the edge of the box.

Craig pounced again to make it 3-0 midway through the half before ex-Gers hero Scott Nisbet grabbed a consolation strike in the last minute for Arniston.

Broxburn Athletic 2, Glenrothes 3

PREMIER League leaders Broxburn lost a five-goal thriller to second-placed Glenrothes on Saturday in a match which could be crucial come the end of the season.

Glens took the lead after 12 minutes when James Murray sprung the offside trap and steered home.

John Jeffrey pounced on a defensive mix-up to level just three minutes later .

However, the see-saw manner of the game continued as the visitors regained their lead when Murray netted his second of the afternoon.

Broxburn again equalised when Chris Geddes found the net nine minutes before half-time.

Seven minutes after the restart Glens took the lead for the third time in the match when a Sam Buchan cross was allowed to run across the box and Darren Thomson tapped home at the back post unmarked.

Broxburn poured forward in search of a third equaliser but despite creating a handful of chances they couldn’t find a way past Jamie Roberts.

And the league leaders finished with just ten men when Jeffrey was shown a straight red card by the referee for an alleged head butt before the end.

South League:

Livingston Utd 3, Tranent 1

LIVINGSTON manager Andy Johnstone may be refusing to dream of promotion and title glory just yet but on current form there is no doubt his side are bona-fide title contenders.

A Bryan Jaconelli brace and a goal from new signing Andy Roberts helped Livi to another comfortable win and one which sees them open up a seven point gap at the top of the table.

Stoneyburn 4, Pumpherston 3

STONEYBURN and Pumpherston served up a seven-goal thriller in an-all West Lothian clash in the South Division.

The hosts romped into a 2-0 lead courtesy of goals from Barry Pritchard and Sean Callaghan but they took their eye off the ball and were pegged back to 2-2 by the break.

Pumphy then edged infront in the second-half before a red card handed the impetus back to Stoneyburn.

Sub Craig Gilhooley steered a header home to draw his side level but it looked like the points would be shared when goal hero Callaghan turned villain when he was sent off.

But Gilhooley popped up in the right place at the right time again with another cushioned header to win it for Stoneyburn.