Thornhill movetop withSam’s double

Drymen United have gone top in this season’s James D Bilsland-sponsored Forth and Endrick League with only two games left.

Thornhill have led the way for most of the season and on Friday, they were backing Balfron Rovers to do them a favour when Drymen hosted Rovers in their latest league match.

Stuart McNally took only three minutes to give Drymen the lead but Balfron fought back and Alan Forbes scored twice with headers to put them ahead.

It was end to end but the next goal went to Drymen just before the break when Sam Black equalised and he followed that up with his second soon after the restart to restore Drymen’s lead.

Both sides battled for the rest of the game but no more goals were forthcoming and Drymen’s victory helped them leap-frog Thornhill by virtue of a superior goal difference.

The other game played on Friday, the Blanefield v Killearn derby, was as keenly contested as ever and ended as a draw. Blanefield were again in action on Tuesday when they went to Balfron where goals from Cally McLaren and a double from Kevin Boyd earned Rovers a 3-0 win.

Tonight (Friday), Drymen and Killearn meet at Donaldson Park, Balfron in the final of the Margaret White Trophy. Their two league encounters this season have been well contested resulting in a draw and a narrow win for Drymen.

Then on Tuesday, the latest instalment of the DrymenThornhill championship battle takes place when United head to Gartocharn and the Thorns play host to Balfron. Killearn v Buchlyvie United is the other league fixture.

What a difference a few days can make.

On Saturday, Stirling received plenty of well-deserved praise for holding Hibernian to a 1-1 draw in their Betfred Cup opener but on Wednesday night shipped six goals to Arbroath.

Kevin Rutkiewicz now takes his side to Elgin tomorrow and Alloa on Tuesday on the back of this heavy defeat to Dick Campbell’s impressive outfit, who are preparing for Championship football for the first time in 16 years.

The Red Lichties were ahead inside the first minute through David Gold. He would score again and Michael McKenna – who wore No 8 in the first half and No 34 in the second – and Colin Hamilton also weighed in before substitute Greig Spence poached a late double.

Dylan Mackin had given Stirling hope when he made it 2-1 early in the second half but he also missed a sitter, heading wide from close range.

Midfielder Cammy Thomson bashed a shot against the bar as the visitors somehow survived a goalmouth scramble.