Mega music festival causes major fixture chaos for league

But two still put football as more important

The weekend Forth and Endrick League programme was disrupted with players from most of the clubs opting to tune into TRNSMT at Glasgow.

Balfron Rovers and Blanefield Thistle agreed to bring their game forward and Kippen and Gartocharn decided to buck the trend, choosing football rather than music.

At Donaldson Park, the first half of the Balfron v Blanefield match was keenly fought with a goal from the home side’s Gordon Reid cancelled out shortler after.

Balfron were determined to go back to the top of the table and early second half strikes by Scott Ross and Mark Hailstones had them on top.

In the last 20 minutes, Rovers were in top form as Ross completed his hat-trick, Reid added another and sub Gary Buchanan scored with his first touch to make it 7-1.

The only game to survive on Saturday was at Kippen where Gartocharn provided the opposition. The visitors took the lead after an Arthur Montford-style stramash saw the ball go to and fro before a defender miscued a rocket past Steven Skinner and Gartocharn were one up.

Five minutes later Scott McColl scored their second and Kippen’s prospects did not look too good but they refused to buckle and in 24 minutes a splendid shot from the wing brought them back into the game.

That, however, was the end of the scoring. Both sides attacked, both keepers had some fine saves, both teams had some glaring misses but in the end Gartocharn, the more composed side, just stayed ahead.

Tuesday’s big game was at Drymen where the home side were eager to beat the league leaders Balfron to keep their challenge alive. Willie Alexander got them off on the right lines with a solo goal after only 12 minutes. Balfron fought back and David Reid equalised but Alexander made it 2-1 for Drymen.

Reid scored his second and as the game looked like ending in a draw, Ross MacKenzie hit Balfron’s winner.

To keep their challenge going Gargunnock needed a win against a greatly improved Killearn side. Even with the slope in their favour in the first half they found the going hard and at the break neither side had scored. The second half was still wide upon when Gargunnock took the lead. Killearn’s best efforts were not enough and that single goal gave the Gunny the three points they wanted to keep them in the chase.

Gartocharn and Aberfoyle had postponed their earlier fixture and agreed that Tuesday’s match should be a six-pointer. That was just the stimulus both sides wanted to play 90 minutes of all-out attack. The defences could not cope and a dozen goals were scored, Rob Roy winning 7-5.

Blanefield and Thornhill have not had much to cheer this year but they put on a good show on Tuesday, Thistle winning 4-2 with goals from Callum Linning, Colin Hannah, James Hutchinson and John Penrice while the ‘Hill’s scorers were Thomas Valentine and Louis Parsons.

On Saturday Balfron and Drymen meet at Thornhill in Margaret White Trophy final at 7pm. Before that the association’s veterans show off their talents in a Forth v Endrick match for the Tom Yuill Shield. This is a blend of less frantic football mixed in with a social gathering. The match starts at 4pm and the Thornhill club is laying on refreshments for those who want to take in both matches.