Result goes by form book as Burnie win
A fine second-half display saw Whitburn take the points against local rivals Bathgate Thistle at Central Park.
The Burnie found the net three times after the interval to seal a 4-2 victory and climb to within a point of second-placed Bo’ness Athletic with the win.
Despite controlling much of the play, the hosts had to settle for heading into the break on level terms after Scott Richards bravely poked home on the stroke of halftime beyond the onrushing Daniel Potts after Reece Duncan had given Whitburn an early lead from the spot.
It took barely five minutes after the restart for the home side to get themselves back in front – and it arrived in fortuitous fashion as a long ball bounced over Thistle keeper Sean Brown with Andy Thomson on hand to tap into the empty net.
Thomson would net a second after reacting to a blocked free-kick to fire home before the points were sealed 16 minutes from time when Duncan slammed home a Darren Liddell ball across goal.
Thistle would grab a late consolation through Richards, who calmly found the corner after the Burnie defence had failed to clear a corner.
Despite the Jags entering the game 10 points behind their hosts, it was they who had the better results of late having picked up four points from their previous two games while promotion-chasing Whitburn had collected just one.
But it was evident from kick-off that Jamie Sandilands’ men were determined to get back to winning ways and they should have opened their account inside two minutes when Louis Maguire’s effort appeared to cross the line and hit the stanchion supporting the woodwork and bounce out - only for the ref to adjudge it had hit the post.
They didn’t have to wait too long to get in front, though, and the dangerous Maguire was at the heart of it was he was brought down inside the box by Gregor Dryden with Duncan duly sending Brown the wrong way from the spot.
A tremendous last ditch tackle from Ricky Orr prevented Liddell from going through on goal while Brown saved from Duncan as the home side looked to add to their lead.
Thistle appear very much a work in progress under rookie manager Stewart Devine but showed on occasion they can play some neat stuff and created chances to get back on level terms.
Kai Wilson fired a free-kick narrowly over before seeing an effort saved by Potts in the Whitburn goal.
On the stroke of half-time they got their goal as Wilson charged down the right flank and squared for Richards to prod into the net as he was clattered by the keeper.
That may well have shaken Whitburn into action as they were far more ruthless after the break - albeit they benefitted from a huge slice of luck for the second goal.
Brown misjudged the bounce of the long ball out from defence with Thomson rolling home.
Grant Forrester went close twice for Thistle in quick succession with Potts called into action.
Having weathered that mini-storm, Whitburn would control the remainder of the proceedings.
The third arrived on 63 minutes as Liddell’s free-kick from the edge of the box was blocked by the wall, but the ball fell kindly into the path of Thomson who would make no mistake.
While that may have been an unintended assist from Liddell, it was certainly a deliberate pass to Duncan on 74 minutes from the left that allowed the attacker to smash home Whitburn’s fourth and put the game to bed.
Bathgate continued to battle and were rewarded for their efforts in injury-time.
Potts pulled off a tremendous save from Patrick Shelley before Richards would find the bottom corner from close range with the game’s final action.