Anniversary strip marked by victory
QUEEN’S PK 1 LIVINGSTON 0 AS part of their 150th anniversary celebrations, Queen’s Park marked their first appearance in retro Scotland strips (see right) in fine style by ending Livingston’s perfect start to the season with a 1-0 Hampden win.
Livi almost took the lead in the first couple of minutes with a fierce drive from Liam Buchanan but home skipper Ryan McGeever blocked the shot.
Queen’s Park’s first opening came on 25 minutes when Aiden Malone turned and sent in a shot that was blocked.
The resultant corner produced a goal as Darren Miller’s deep cross reached Malone and his sidefooted volley crept past Livi goalkeeper Liam Kelly and trickled over the line.
Queen’s were denied a second on the hour when Kelly pushed away a Miller effort.
The visitors stepped up the pressure and Buchanan was inches out with a powerful drive and a headed equaliser from Josh Mullin was ruled offside.
EAST FIFE 1 BRECHIN CITY 2
BRECHIN came racing out of the traps and burst into an early lead.
Their opener was sloppy from an East Fife point of view with Ross Caldwell outmuscling Jason Kerr before slotting past Ryan Goodfellow.
It was one- way traffic and Darren Dods’ impressive side came close to another when Caldwell’s drive was blocked on the line by Jonathan Page.
East Fife pressed forward and a Paul McManus header across goal just lacked a touch to divert it into the net.
McManus had a hand in the East Fife equaliser which arrived after a good spell of pressure. The striker worked into the box before Scott Robinson took control and curled past Graeme Smith.
Brechin managed to get their noses in front once again in the second half when the ball broke kindly to Finn Graham on the edge of the box and he bent a fine effort beyond Goodfellow.
East Fife had a decent penalty shout turned down when keeper Smith barged through the back of Jason Kerr.
Sub Jordan Austin had a late chance to level matters but dragged it wide.
ALBION ROVERS 0 ALLOA ATH 4
ALBION matched Alloa stride for stride in the first half.
Paul Willis was not far away from the home side with an early strike but the visitors moved up a gear after the warning.
Jordan Kirkpatrick and Iain Flannigan had worthwhile efforts before the dangerous Greig Spence forced Ross Stewart into action.
Alloa made the breakthrough in the 57th minute when Kirkpatrick left Stewart with no chance.
Before Albion could react, Calum Waters doubled Alloa’s advantage four minutes later. New signing Luke Donnelly, just on the pitch for seven minutes, added a third goal.
Worse was to follow for Albion when Mick Dunlop put through his own goal.
STENHOUSEMUIR 2 AIRDRIE 2
AIRDRIE were almost caught out in the 10th minute when Hibs loanee Oliver Shaw sliced over from eight yards.
Five minutes later, the Warriors netted when veteran striker Colin McMenamin bulleted a header from 10 yards well away from Rohan Ferguson.
The Diamonds were unlucky not to level in the 27th minute when Iain Russell’s net- bound strike from Ryan Conroy’s corner was booted off the line by Keiran Millar.
Six minutes into the second period, the visitors restored deserved parity when Ross Meechan clumsily tripped Andy Ryan in the box and Russell fired the penalty low into the corner.
The visitors then went ahead in the 64th minute. Home keeper Colin McCabe brilliantly blocked Russell’s point- blank header but could do nothing to stop Adam Brown nodding home the rebound.
The visitors paid the penalty for taking their feet off the gas, though, and, with three minutes remaining, Fraser Kerr bulleted a header into the net from Alan Cook’s corner.
STRANRAER 1 PETERHEAD 0
PETERHEAD saw more of the ball in the opening stages but it was the hosts who opened the scoring.
Mark McGuigan collected a loose ball in the box and from a tight angle lifted it over the onrushing Fraser Hobday.
That sparked the Blues into life with Hobday turning Willie Gibson’s longrange effort round the post before Craig Malcolm’s header clipped the crossbar with the goalkeeper well beaten.
The visitors improved after the break and should have been level when Rory McAllister rounded Stranraer keeper Cameron Belford.
However, David Barron got back to make a last- ditch block before Belford came to the rescue to tip McAllister’s drive onto the post with 15 minutes left.