Comeback win puts Albert top of pile
Royal Albert stormed back from going a goal down to beat Dunipace 3-1 and claim top spot in the Central Second Division.
It was a classy second-half rally as Albert clocked up their fifth win in seven starts to topple Gartcairn, due to an impressive goal difference of seven.
Dunipace held the upper hand in the first half, with Scott Lochead firing them into a deserved 29th minute lead.
Colin Heeps and Robert Sinclair also had good efforts saved by Craig Smith.
Then, after a half-time debate, Albert emerged a different looking side, with teenager Scott Ballantyne equalising from a Davie Hamilton pass.
Alan Campbell hit a Kris Dolan pass inches wide, before Fraser Scott fired Albert ahead with a low drive.
Substitute Barry Murdoch, who had been on the field for barely 10 minutes, drilled a superb free-kick into the top corner to clinch the points, and top the league.
Manager Jamie Nesbitt said: “I thought we started very slowly, we were sloppy in possession and short with our passes.
“Dunipace deserved to go 1-0 ahead at the break, but we put it right at half-time.
“We had a few words amongst ourselves, managed to come out in a better frame of mind, and I thought we deserved to go on to win the game 3-1.
“We’re top of the league, which is unchartered territory for us, but we deserve to be there.
“If we keep winning games, keep producing performances, we’ll take the praise while we are achieving.
“The boys just don’t seem to know when they are beat – they have a great attitude, a great demeanour about them, and long may it continue.”
Nesbitt added: “Scott Ballantyne has been a revelation, a breath of fresh air. He’s witty and cheeky and confident in front of goal.
“Fraser Scott is a good worker and an honest hard-working boy who showed that if given halfchances he will finish it off.
“Barry Murdoch is a really experienced player who captained Lesmahagow when they won promotion, and he is a dead-ball specialist.”
Murdoch said: “As I was lining up to take the free kick I noticed that the corner was open.
“I made a good connection and the ball hit the back of the net.”