Douglas survive Lochee scare to keep Premier title race alive

The unpleasant winter, some great cup runs and too many league matches for Premier sides made it a more than usual protracted season, writes our Amateur correspondent.

This week Premier champion favourites Douglas Athletic will have three further league games to play before it’s all over for them and this after a scare against Lochee United on Saturday.

The fact that they scraped a 2-2 draw and needed a last minute equaliser to do so has kept the title contest alive.

John Penman and Chris Irvine looked as if they had bagged all three points for United before that last minute leveller.

Looking back Athletic produced the highlight of the season by defeating dual consecutive Scottish Cup winners and holders Colville Park in the fourth round of the Scottish Amateur Cup before being felled by Thorn Athletic at the seventh round stage.

Many locals thought they were good enough to lift the top Amateur trophy and they were certainly not far short.

The Bremner Cup was added to Bob Mckenzie’s cabinet with an easy Tannadice win against Carnoustie Panmure YM and in midweek they added the Buckman Mackie Cup with an emphatic 7-1 victory over Broughty United.

Lyall Murdoch (2), Steve Martin (2), Ryan Kenneth, Bradley Etchells and Scott Ritchie were their marksmen at Glenesk Park.

But present Premier Champions Menzieshill AFC still had Douglas in their sights and showed their class is equivalent by defeating them in the three competitive games they have played to date.

They are scheduled to meet them again in the final fixture of the season at DISC next Saturday and, although unlikely, the match could be a title decider.

Perhaps only pride will be at stake then as Athletic only need two wins in their midweek games against relegated Logie Harp and their Glenesk opponents Broughty United – both of which are at Fairmuir Park – to sew things up. They also have a Scottish appeal which could supplement their points tally in the longer term.

Nonetheless Hill can hold their heads high collecting both the North of Tay Cup and the Fairfield Sport and Leisure Cups at Douglas’s expense.

They are also guaranteed at least the runners-up spot in the Premier with Lochee United a clear third. Invergowrie did their Houdini act by defeating Merpro in midweek and escaped relegation.

Instead Portcullis join Newport and Logie in Division 1. In that division Lowson United finished second in all competitions but this was probably caused by their superb cup runs in the North of Tay, where they got to the semi-final and the Scottish. So a successful season nonetheless although they may not feel so.

In their division the title went to Montrose AFC in their first season, Forfar West End lifted the Tay Valley trophy by beating Lowson on penalty kicks and Finavon were on the mark in the Gray Trophy beating Lowson 2-0.

In the Alliance League Lochee United “A” dominated lifting the Alliance Championship, the Alliance Cup and the Mel Ross trophy – as well as defeating Premier Merpro in the final of the Ferrari’s Shield after extra time and penalties.

Finally Portcullis lifted the Wallace Cup and Broughty United “A” lifted the Lunan Trophy winning 4-2 against Newport.

So its’s a 10-week break to recharge the batteries for most and a well earned rest for those who been at the forefront of chasing trophies.