Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Gowfers make it a Linlithgow double
THE wintry conditions once again hit the local junior card with only a handful of sides seeing any action.
Not many clubs can boast about completing a double over Linlithgow Rose in one season. However, Carnoustie, who were 1-0 victors when the pair met at Laing Park earlier in the season, completed the feat on Saturday when they travelled to Prestonfield.
Although they were behind at the interval, the Gowfers hit back after the break to snatch the points.
It was a fairly even first half but, a minute before the break, Carnoustie received a body blow when Rose took the lead through a header from skipper Colin Leiper from a Ross Gray corner. But, after a determined start to the second half, the visitors hit back on the hour mark when a stunning free-kick taken by Gordon McDonald from the edge of the box flew into the net off the underside of the bar.
The game could have gone either way after this but it was the Gowfers who grabbed a winner with 10 minutes to go, and it was McDonald again with another terrific strike from the edge of the area.
Rose came back strongly in the closing stages but Carnoustie’s defence stood firm and the three points moves them up to sixth in the league.
With so many injuries in his squad, manager Alan McSkimming has eased his worries by signing Murray McIntosh in a loan deal from Forfar Athletic and he was included in the pool at Linlithgow.
Depleted Jeanfield found Bo’ness United far too strong at Newtown Park and the 5-1 defeat increases their relegation worries.
Backed by a strong wind, Marty Wright knocked in the opener after 12 minutes
A close-range header from Will Snowden doubled that advantage on the half-hour mark.
Despite having wind advantage in the second half, Swifts fell further behind through Calum Smith, who also scored the fifth after Ross Philip had notched number four.
With virtually the last kick of the game Scott Sutherland got Swifts’ consolation counter.