First-half clinchers as Diamonds go second
Airdrieonians slipped into joint second spot in the league with his deserved home win over Clyde.
It took the hosts just three minutes to take the lead after the visitors gave them a helping hand.
Under pressure from striker Andy Ryan, a passback by Ray Grant to keeper David Mitchell saw him pick up the ball. A free-kick was awarded seven yards out and, after Callum Smith passed the ball back to Andy Ryan, he fired his first goal since returning on loan to the Diamonds by firing it high into the net.
Paul Mckay sent a 25-yard effort just over the visitor’s bar after 12 minutes, then had a fresh-air swipe two minutes later after Ryan had set him up. Mckay eventually added a second goal on the half-hour. Smith fired in an angled shot that Mitchell was only able to push back out and Mckay followed up to stroke the ball into the net.
After the break, Clyde pushed forward and top scorer David Goodwillie was clean through in 58 minutes with just keeper Scott Gallacher to beat but he made a fine block.
Forfar athletic
stranraer
Forfar – Whyte (14); Stranraer – Stevenson (55)
A wild day at Station Park led to a cagey opening period.
Forfar carved out the better chances and took the lead from a set-piece when Jordan Kirkpatrick whipped in a cross from the right for Darren Whyte to flick the ball into the corner past Max Currie.
The hosts were given a let-off just moments later when Jordan Allan’s corner slipped through the hands of Forfar keeper Marc Mccallum and into the net, but the ball was adjudged to have swung out before it made its way into the box.
Forfar were the brighter of the sides and almost doubled their advantage in the 30th minute. Jordan Kirkpatrick drove through the Stranraer midfield and pinged a shot narrowly over Currie’s bar.
In the second half, Stranraer looked more likely to score and the equaliser came when a chipped ball forward into the Forfar box from Jamie Hamill was glanced home by Ryan Stevenson. The second half was an extremely nervy affair, but Stranraer almost took the lead when Ryan Thomson nicked the ball away from Mccallum’s grasp in the 80th minute, but scorer Darren Whyte was on hand to save Forfar at the other end as he cleared the ball off the line.
Stranraer attempts to clinch a winner continued and James Hilton should’ve done better with two attempts late on.
Montrose
dumbarton
Montrose – Lyons (16), Webster (54); Dumbarton – Crossan (90+2)
Montrose opened the scoring on 16 minutes. Terry Masson crossed from the right and Blair Lyons shot high into the net from 15 yards.
Two minutes later, Graham Webster crossed from the right and a close-range flick from Liam Callaghan was kept out by Connor Brennan.
Cammy Ballantyne and Craig Johnston efforts were saved by Brennan, and he also stopped an Andy Steeves header. Dumbarton went close in 36 minutes as Stefan Mcluskey hit the post.
Four minutes from the break, Callaghan met a Webster free-kick on the back post and failed to hit the target.
Montrose stretched their lead in 54 minutes. Lyons ran at the defence and squared for Webster to tap home.
In 66 minutes, Ballantyne got to the line and crossed for Johnston to shoot against the keeper.
It was too little too late for Dumbarton when they scored in the second minute of added time – PJ Crossan running at the defence and driving the ball home from 25 yards.
east Fife
Dowds (22)
Peterhead
Both sides had early chances to open the scoring, Scott Agnew’s free-kick well held, and Jack Leitch heading over from close range at the other end.
East Fife camped out inside the Peterhead defence and got the goal their dominance deserved on 22 minutes when Scott Agnew’s through ball split open the Peterhead defence. Dowds latched on to it before beating Blue Toon keeper Greg Fleming.
Peterhead went straight on the offensive and a terrific Brett Long save stopped Gary Fraser from levelling.
Derek Lyle was the next to go close when he met Alan Cook’s cross, only to fire high and wide over the bar.
East Fife started the second half a lot brighter and had an early chance when Ryan Wallace picked out Danny Denholm inside the box. Denholm had plenty of time to get his shot away, but fired wide of the goal.
The hosts needed a second goal to kill off their visitors, but too often moves broke down in the final third of the park. Agnew had another free-kick saved by Fleming in a rare attempt at goal.