Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Sutherland strike sinks Kirrie late on
FOLLOWERS looking for a resumption of junior action on Saturday were left disappointed again with most of the programme in the Tayside area washed out after days of persistent rain.
Two matches did beat the conditions, however, one of them at Tayport where the Fifers met Kirrie Thistle while the other was at North End where the Dokens took on Arbroath Vics (see story below).
At The Canniepairt, Tayport kept their promotion hopes alive with a hard-fought 3-2 win over Kirrie but the Fifers made heavy weather of beating the Premier League’s second-bottom club.
’Port made a brisk start to the match and made the breakthrough in five minutes. Dale Reid knocked on a long clearance to Alan Tulleth, who then raced on and beat the keeper with a low shot.
Gary Sutherland missed a chance to double the home advantage but Kirrie settled and turned the game on its head in the space of 10 minutes.
Abi Nije netted the equaliser i n 20 minutes when his header was saved by Gavin Sorley but he found the net from the rebound.
Then, shortly after, Ryan Kerrigan bundled in Kirrie’s second.
Tulleth thundered a free-kick against the bar as the Fifers went in search of an equaliser and it came two minutes from the break when Reid won a penalty and converted the spot-kick himself to make it two apiece at the interval.
There were fewer chances created in the second half, with Grant Paterson and Ricky Patrick trying their luck for the home side with long-range shots and it looked like the match was heading for a draw.
But, with eight minutes remaining, the hosts notched the winner when Jamie Gill’s cross was flicked in at the near post by Sutherland to earn his side three vital points.
Forfar West End suffered badly at the hands of Broxburn Athletic in their Super League clash at New Albyn Park, conceding eight without reply.
Ironically, Daryl MacKenzie’s men looked more likely to score before the hosts got their noses in front and, thereafter, the proverbial roof fell in.
On target for the home side were Alex Murray with a hat-trick, Ross Nimmo with a double and a Dayle Robertson own goal.